Here’s one article to live by

An amazing number of people think being AT work doing stuff equals being productive. No, I say!

Here’s a superb article on what productivity really looks like: http://calnewport.com/blog/?p=275.

What’s in this for you?

It is one of my favorite questions when evaluating concepts and business opportunities.  What does your idea, concept, business plan, or product offer the user?  And does its value rise to the level of compelling them to act on your request?

In beginning to brainstorm new ventures on several fronts, I asked this favorite riddle, and then remembered, its not even about what I think you want.  That falls short on several points when, in fact, it would be more appropriate for me to simply ask you!

So, reader, what is weighing heavily on your mind that no other business blogger, Tweeter, or LinkedIn master networker is talking about?  I am not promising you I have answers, but someone else reading may have a creative solution.

So I hope you will consider this my gift to you.  I just want you to tell me what you want!  And we will see where we end up.  Have fun.

Trying out SocialVibe’s approach

How easy is it to support an important cause?  I spend my life creating relationships and nurturing those who will ultimately support an important cause: Lynchburg College and the students being educated there.

Personally I tend to support organizations that benefit either education or children.  And now WordPress is offering the ability for bloggers to use their sites to generate support for a cause.  There are only a handful available right now, and the one I chose is Children’s Miracle Network.  You can find out more about the organization and support an important cause.

Part of my reason for choosing this charity also relates to the fact that I have a friend whose children are beneficiaries of CMN’s fundraising work.  In other words, its personal.  It’s local, if you will.

So please take a moment to click the link on the right column of my blog.  And let me know what you think of what CMN does and how they build support and engage you.  You will NOT be asked to buy or donate anything.  Just click and read.

Thanks.  I am hopeful that I will have lots of “balloons” when I check back in.  That will mean that I have influence with you, that I have created interest in CMN, and that Upper Deck, the sponsor, will be making meaningful contributions to CMN because of your and my actions.

Cola’s first grooming

Cola, our 12-week-old Bichon-Poo, had his first grooming today, and he looks great.  Though the traditional Bichon Frise cut is blunt and round, we really like the texture of the curly, less-tame look.  He is still cuter than any other puppy on earth, don’t get me wrong.

Anyway, I just wanted to document that we reached another milestone.  And let’s be honest, I wanted to show off another picture of our little dude.

Cola doing his best Michael Jordan impression

Who is training whom?

As we approach the one-week mark for Cola being part of our family, I am humored by this concept of us training him to GO POTTY, SIT, STAY, HEEL, stay DOWN and SETTLE.  Those capitalized words are never yelled, as my poor internettiquete might suggest.  I only use emphasis to point out that they comprise the entire vocabulary of commands we use in trying to teach him the most important life lessons.  I guess you could say this is his kindergarten.

But it occurs to me, perhaps six times a day — that term being used generically to indicate anything from 5 a.m. until 2 a.m. — that we are not training the dog.  Instead, he is training us.  While he may learn a few things about how to conduct himself, and his bladder control will continue to improve for several months, it is pretty clear that he is simply being a pooch, while two adults and two children work tirelessly to ensure his natural tendencies don’t win out over decorum.  We seem to be growing more obedient and subservient to his every need by the POTTY break.

I mean, I don’t even recall being so quick to respond to even my kids when they were infants if their cries came at the ungodly sorts of hours Cola’s come.  I am fairly certain my Grown Man Selective Hearing disability seems like a distant past at that early morning hour when the first peals of whining from his crate cause me to leap groggily from my lair so he doesn’t soil his.

So yeah, for someone who is notoriously laid back and slow to respond in the face of other peoples’ needs, I must tell you, we don’t train our pets.  Our pets train us.  Now excuse me while I go analyze his every wiggle, pirouette, and wimper to figure out whether he is playing or telling me its time to do my job and get him outside for his private moment.

Do puppies lower your blood pressure?

This past weekend, my wife made easy work of one of the most selfless and loving acts I have witnessed.  Yesterday, she became the family hero — again — when we picked up our new puppy at the Richmond airport, which I still prefer to call Byrd Field.  A throwback to an era I never even knew . . . that’s the kind of guy I am.

But back to the point.

A puppy probably caused my wife’s normally-low blood pressure to skyrocket.  You see, she is, to use a litote, not a huge fan of the canine persuasion.  And yet, she handled it like Hubert the Bloodhound, in Best in Show.  She seemed unflappable on the outside.  And she conquered something most people never attack: fear.

PAUSE for some trivia: The dog’s real name was Champion Quiet Creek Stand By Me! NOW back to your original program.

So I just wanted to give major recognition and appreciation to my wife for overcoming a phobia she has held since early childhood: she was simply petrified of dogs of all sorts and sizes.  Oh, she avoided cats and steered away from other dry-land household pets, but she had a special place in her pooper scooper for dogs.  So it was with some credulity that I parked our westbound Toyota Sienna at . . . Byrd Field’s . . . cargo delivery area on June 14, 2009, and picked up a tiny crate full of 10-week-old furball.  So yes, she really did it.

We have added three pounds of furry, jet black Bichon Frise-Poodle puppy to the family because our daughters — particularly an impressively-determined eight-year-old — begged for one for months.

So as I applaud the girls for their stick-to-it-iveness, I also have to be astounded at how difficult it must have been for Teri to respond so lovingly.  She led one of the most exhaustive puppy searches — more than six months and several false starts’ worth — in post-Lassie America; earned most of the money to pay for it through an office Biggest Loser contest and SAVED it in the face of other needs; and then commited to being the pup’s Alpha person.

Seriously, who does that?  Not only will that raise your blood pressure, it could cause resentment in mere mortals.  But not for Teri.  She stepped up her game like Jordan in Game 7.  And I speculate she worked up her nerve because she has always put others before herself.  What she did is the stuff kids will talk about when they’re remembering the best of their childhood.  This was a parenting hall of fame move in my book.

So they say puppies cause your blood pressure to nose-dive?  I would say for her, it had the opposite effect, and yet she never wavered in her commitment to fulfilling this promise to our two girls.  I never thought the day would come.  In fact, I am still waiting on the next plane arriving from Hell so I can find out whether there were flight delays due to icy conditions.  So as I maintain my constant search for inspiration and motivation, I am compelled by her role model.

I learned a ton from watching her selfless act, her initial discomfort, her unflinching commitment to making this happen; and I appreciate her for it.  If motherhood is about those things, and being a giver, she is one amazing mother . . . I will shut my mouth.  I think her blood pressure has returned to normal already.  Now to work on mine.

So where is he?!  I give you . . . . COLA!

Minutes after seeing his new home for the first time.

We welcomed him home with an unnecessary bath.

My holy trinity of learning photography

In the past few days, a number of people have asked eerily similar questions of me about one of my passions: photography. The question boils down to this: I want to take great pictures.  What camera should I buy?  I expressed to each of them that they were asking the wrong question.

The question they wanted answered was, “What are the basic skills needed to make great photographs?”  And my answer is that they needed to understand a few basics about their camera.  Keep in mind that both of them are artistic and already take some good pictures, but they want to take it to the next level.

Better images are the result of a better photographer, and absolutely NOT the result of a better camera.  I will have you know I enjoy photography enough to study it a bit, so can help folks.  But I have a lot to learn myself.

So, what separates a well-made photograph from a snapshot?

At its simplest, a strong image is a function of good composition, exposure control, and depth of field management. So here are brief thoughts about why each is important, along with informative links that teach you about each!

1. Composition. Simply put, what are you taking a picture of?  Know what the subject of each image is, and understand its relation to everything else in the image.  I like simple images.  Images that have had that lamppost removed from the corner, no cutoff heads, cropped as tightly to the subject as is prudent.  Get it down to the very essence of what the photographer wants me to see.  Get closer to the subject.  In a perfect situation, WALK closer.  Only if that is not possible should you rely on the zoom feature of your lens.  Learn the Rule of Thirds.  Practice frequently.

Later on, I might suggest you deepen your knowledge of the subject by reading up on Ansel Adams’ Zone System, but not yet.

Here are a couple examples of my favorite compositions.   I took each photo shared on this page.

2. Exposure.  Learn to control how your camera records light, and you will almost eliminate those underexposed (dark or partially shadowed) or blown out images (way too bright, like the sky appears when you come out of a dark room into bright sunlight).

CLICK HERE for an exceptional brief article by Darren Rowse, one of my favorite online photography authors.

3. Depth of Field.  Understanding where your camera focuses most sharply (it usually has an idiot-proof light or cursor on that point) and using it properly can improve images dramatically.  Controlling how much of your photo, from the near-field to the farthest-away part of what you’re photographing, is in sharp focus is really important when shooting portraits, head shots, flora and fauna, and for artistic control.

Learn how by viewing the Dummies series 2-minute video tutorial.

A couple of my favorite DoF images:

Obama listens to Webb introduction

As your skills grow, you can become more creative in choosing your focus, but your baseline skill should emphasize sharp sharp eyes.

For a more sophisticated look at depth of field, visit Cambridge in Colour’s excellent article.

And that’s all folks!  That’s it.

And indeed, the more you learn about photography, the more questions you will inevitably come to ask yourself.  But save them until you can be comfortable discussing the holy trinity above.   A frustrating characteristic of my fellow photography enthusiasts is that we tend to forget, as our experience and knowledge levels increase, what made us love making photographs in the first place.  And let me tell you: there is a rush when you control your camera to create an image.  When people compliment you, its fun to know WHY its good, rather than wondering, “hmm, wonder what I did right to luck out and get that shot?”

This post will reduce photography to the three things Matt Brandon cares most about. (I figured no one could tell me I am wrong, if I posed it this way instead of “the three things every photographer needs to know.”)  Now, when other shooters post thoughts, they can simply add to the things you should master, rather than arguing the relative agreement with mine.

If you can understand and manage each of those aspects in your camera, and only use automatic features sparingly, your images will get even better than they already are.  Your best shots won’t improve; you’re bound to have lucked out in a number of shots you’ve taken and conquered composition, in particular, by accident.  And your automatic camera settings allowed you not to screw up the focus.  But if you want to end up with a lot more “keepers” and many fewer soft, unfocused, confused, busy, boring photos, you’re now prepared to do it.

Control yourself already!

I guarantee I can make you happy . . .

Okay, well, actually even if I tried; even if I wanted to; even if I knew how, I could not do or say anything to give you happiness.  But I still guarantee I can make you happy.  How?

You need to learn where your current emotional set-point is, then work from there to increase it (you normally blow off everything emotional) or lower it (every little challenge or disturbance to your world causes you to nearly self-destruct), and then maintain it.

Your goal should be to reset your emotional balance at that point where the small negative stuff, like disagreeing with a coworker or being angry your boss didn’t choose your plan to implement, doesn’t create negative tidal waves that push your bad attitude into other aspects of your life.  And when something significantly challenging happens, you don’t allow yourself to become dysfunctional, self-destructive emotionally, or consistently negative and unproductive.

But how?

PUT YOURSELF IN CHARGE

Back to the regular program:  You need to take control of your emotional set-point, work on being satisfied with “enough,” and recognize how to attain emotional neutrality or balance.  This concept appeals to me as an astrological Libra, as I seek constant balance.  That is as far as my appreciation for the zodiac system, or whatever its called, goes.  But back to the good stuff!

LEARN TO BE SATISFIED WITH “ENOUGH”

The first step to a healthy ESP is to learn to be satisfied with the basics.  Recognizing that our needs are easily confused with our wants is important.  We need shelter.  We want a four bedroom, three bathroom showpiece filled with the finest furniture and amenities Ethan Allen and Best Buy can deliver.  These wants become emotional crutches that serve as surrogates for internal peace.  That’s why attaining them never makes us happy.  Don’t let your checking account be in charge of your emotional set-point.  You may have to record this statement, play it back during your sleep, and accommodate it subconsciously.  It is a bit much to digest when your ego is on guard.

We are never content to have a good income that can, with careful management, provide for our family.  We want a braggadocios title, replete with one-upsmanship-inspired job descriptions; an expense account fit for a king; and access to all the most important people.  We need to think more about how our work can improve someone else’s condition, and less about how important we seem to our peers.

I am reminded of the now-familiar tale of the old lady whose greatest desire was for her loved ones to have . . . enough.

If you can first convince yourself that you should seek only enough, rather than enough to make you happy, you’re halfway home.  The next step is to convince yourself that you are in charge of you.  Not just where you go, and what you wear to school or work.  Not even who you date or marry.  I mean assign yourself as trustee, owner, boss, sole proprietor of your mindset and attitude, and thereby fully responsible for your happiness, or better yet, joy.  Now your ESP is nearly yours!

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR EMOTIONAL SET-POINT

The notion that emotions are as controllable as your daily clothing choices is frightening.  Its frightening because it forces you to be the sole owner when things become unbalanced.  All of a sudden, instead of using a tough situation as the scapegoat when you choose to react negatively to external forces, you have to remind yourself you can choose to be rational and in-control, or you can choose to be unproductive, and emotionally irrational.  You also choose whether you are resilient and regroup appropriately, or leisurely wallow in your pity. YES, you choose!

The ESP model says when you take control of your sense of well-being and are have a rational outlook on things, and your life is relatively normal, you are allowed, even EXPECTED, to be happy.  Yes, HAPPY.  Not okay.  Not fine.  Not alright.  Happy. Say it three times and you will probably evoke mental images of sunshine and puppies.

Seriously, though, medical conditions like depression excepted, there are few reasons that most Americans should exist consistently in a state of anxiety, despair, or fretfulness.  Convince yourself to enjoy most moments when you are not literally under attack or fear of physical harm.  Value who you are, where you are, and give yourself permission to enjoy the bounty of enough.

Save those stronger emotions for times when there’s something to worry about, like your performance review, an IRS audit, or whether Louis Vuitton is ever going to change its “destroy rather than discount” policy.  In those cases, allow yourself to emote briefly, but then remind yourself to return to your balanced set-point.  Much like your body reacting to a strong stimulus, like being chased by a mad dog, or nearly hit by an unwieldy vehicle, save your emotional adrenaline for instances when you need extraordinary bursts.  But know it should drift back to neutral ESP once the threat of real harm subsides.

It occurs to me that our national preoccupation with being tired and perpetually over-caffeinated is the result of allowing our emotional set-points to be so constantly ignored, we can’t function without artificial stimuli.  But that’s a musing for another day.

But on a daily basis, your home, your car, your job, your significant other, your bills, your volunteer commitments should not cause you consternation.  If they do, you must analyze how to become at peace with those things, or change them until you find that peace.

ATTAINING ESP, or EMOTIONAL BALANCE

Since you’re CEO  of your ESP now, what do you do?  Wallow?  No, you work on balancing the ledger daily.  Look at the stuff costing you emotional currency.  Then fire the ideas and obligations that lower your sense of peace and balance.  Let them go, and don’t look back.   If it doesn’t help you, it hurts you.  There’s no room for ambivalence when it comes to your happiness.

Changing different variables that influence you until you are relatively at peace with what you already have is life-altering.

Did you hear me?  Creating peace in your life is your responsibility and it is life-altering.

You should now recognize that small problems require only small, quick reactions before regaining your emotional balance, that place called your ESP.  The previously-constant drains on your ESP (you know who and what they are) will leave you emotionally bankrupt in times of true emergency, like deaths of loved ones, illnesses, and other crises that are also a natural and expected part of life.  If everything causes you to react urgently, how can you possibly have enough strength to properly face, then rebound from, the real crises?

You now recognize that you have enough, and probably more than enough to live fully.  You also have taken ownership of how you respond and react to external influences.  So what’s next?  There’s only one more small thing.

REGAIN BALANCE AFTER UPSETS

Everyone loves a good homecoming.  As you practice the never-ending art of managing your ESP, you will get much better at emotional homecomings.  I mentally re-set to my natural, balanced ESP almost automatically except under the absolute most-demanding and trying circumstances.  And just like literal trips back to your home, getting back in balance is comforting.  Once you own your emotional set-point; have established one that works well for your sense of peace, happiness and balance; and know when to apply a little or a lot of correction, you will enjoy life more.  It does not mean you will never face challenges.  Life is a challenge!  It means you will deal with them, and life, better.

In closing, I am reminded of the tale of a little boy who was asked to tell his class what he wanted to be when he grew up.  When he replied, “happy,” the teacher was dismayed that he did not understand the assignment.  When she corrected him, and said the assignment was to talk about his goals, he wisely answered, “no, you don’t understand life.”

How did this guy nail ALL of the things I try to be/do/rep?

READ THIS FIRST.  It is not about me, and yet it is me.  Perhaps if I continue to develop, those folks he cites will be peers, not aspirants.

I feel passionately about each of these issues, and really do work hard to practice each.  As I grade myself objectively, I think I bat a solid 90 percent.  I don’t do each one perfectly, of course, but with partial credit, I definitely at least THINK I am coming close to full effort on each, and have mastered several.

Its almost bizarre to see them captured so neatly here.  My favorite of all is number 4: They work on themselves.  I often fear failure after working hard to get where I am.  My lingering fear is that it will somehow come crashing down around me.  But because I adhere to quality four, I am encouraged by Dr. Humbert’s citation.

Now if only he would let me do some editing for him!

Speaking to students about PR

Later today, I will speak to about 50 Lynchburg College students about public relations in higher education and non-profit organizations. I decided one way to demonstrate innovation and creativity to this demographic group is to use emerging technology and Guy Kawasaki’s now-popular 10-20-30 format.

The backup presentation and notes are here:

I just discovered a great site for presenters, while doing research for this presentation.  Check out Presenters Zen.