Rothacker Reviews

What do you do for a living?

"What dooooo youuuuuu dooooo for a living?"

Parent - teacher conferences at Carla's school this past week provided the backdrop for one of my most favorite sports, people watching.  Parents had to wait on the average of ten minutes to see each of the seven different teachers their students have, so this allowed ample time for my imagination to speculate, play and wonder.

Two sets of parents held special intrigue for me.  One dad in his mid thirties and of average weight, had 1970's long hair and was wearing wire rim glasses, a tee shirt, jean shorts and tennis shoes.  The mom, about the same age and a bit overweight, was wearing a blouse and pants that came just below her knees.  We used to call them clamdiggers.  I'm not sure what you call them today. 

The business world frowns upon men who wear their hair the same length that our country's forefathers wore theirs.  So when I see a guy who has long hair, I ask myself "what do you do for a living?"   Yes I'll admit the question is asked with longing and a twinge of jealousy.   It is also asked in the spirit of freedom; "what path have you had to take to personal freedom?"

The other set of parents oozed money.  The dad in his late thirties, wore an open necked-long sleeve shirt, dress slacks and shoes that had to cost over eight-hundred dollars.  He was perfectly manicured, groomed and tanned.  His wife of about the same age, was either wearing jeans and a psychedelic top or had them painted on.  Her body had to cost one-hundred grand.  Even the teenage girls were staring in envy.  Knowing that this woman had to be occupied all day with physical trainers, exercise, hair stylists, tanning, nutritionists and manicurists, leaving no time to work, I had to wonder of the dad, "what do you do for a living?"

So what is my fascination with what folks do for a living?  I suppose it's like my imagination trying on a pair of jeans and looking into a mirror.  For the sake of accuracy, I almost never try jeans on.  Hmmm, I wonder if that has been my problem?

One Laptop Per Child

I wonder if...

If folks who are...

Are passionate...

About:

• Helping children
• Sharing knowledge
• Learning
• Collaborating with others
• Writing

I wonder if...

If there wouldn't be a way for these folks to collaborate and help children obtain and share knowledge?

Once upon a time there was a woman who touched the lives of a few people around the world.  Intention gave way to design which gave way to action.  Appreciation bore the strokes of pen down upon her manifesto as it traveled across the planet.   It eventually arrived at her door step.  It touched all involved.

Here lies intent in search of design in search of action in search of touching all involved.

OLPC

Your Once Self

Life happens between your once self and your now self.  But what if, what if you tied a rope to your once self - just in case you ever wanted to go back.

Although I probably couldn't complete one project the magazine has ever published, I've been receiving Popular Mechanics for twenty years. Over that span and another ten years plus, a span where I've been the only one in the house to lift the toilet seat, I've considered my subscription an anchor to being a guy.  So, when I saw the current issue's main article, 25 Skills Every Man Should Know, I took notice.  Three days later I'm browsing the book section in Wal-Mart and I pick up, The Dangerous Book for Boys.  The book shows one how to skip stones, make a battery, cook a rabbit and other informational stuff like the rules of soccer, why is the sky blue and a time line of early American history.  For the record, Latin Phrases Every Boy Should Know sealed the deal for me.  (It figures he said shaking his head).

I have been thinking lately that I've let the little boy in me escape.  I used to create bikes out of garbage, play army and build forts out of wood and snow.  Then I grew up.  Or at least got older.  Fortunately I discovered the Internet twelve years ago.  That led to writing and at least an intellectual connection towards my imagination.  My very best friend who left our physical world in 1970, says, "Imagination is the workshop of the soul where in is shaped all the plans for individual achievement."  Imagination is even one of my personal values.  But it doesn't take the place of getting muddy or riding along at eighty miles per hour in leather or filleting a fish or paddling a canoe or building a campfire or sharpening a knife.  It doesn't take the place of experience. 

I have been thinking of getting back and jiggy with my once self.  I think I am going to use the PM article and the book to provide ideas.  I have a feeling by getting back to my once self I am going to change my now self.

Dinosaur Tipping

The dinosaur stood in the middle of the road - fast asleep...

"Hey Jimmy, do you think you could read my book?  And if you like it, could you write about it at our forum?"

"Sure thing Billy."

Jimmy began to read Billy's book, which was really a marketing program in the form of a story.  Within ten minutes he knew that it was more different than anything he'd seen in his industry.  He devoured the book and wrote a passionate review.  In fact, Jimmy's review was so strong, those riding the status-quo scooter could feel Jimmy grab them by the ears and shout, "wake up!"

Later, Billy called Jimmy and told him how he sold fifteen of the one-hundred and thirty dollar books and had leads for twenty more immediately following the review.  Billy was so happy and thankful that he could hardly contain himself.  Jimmy, eight-hundred miles away in a quiet basement, began to cry after hanging up with Billy.

It wasn't so much Billy's thanks.  It was the emotion that surrounded it.  Jimmy knew he'd made a difference in Billy's business and life...and tipped a dinosaur from his path.

Karen Wallace, at Joyful Jubilant Learning, talks about the ability to make a difference in the lives of others and whether or not you believe that you can.   Karen bares her inner self in eloquent and beautiful fashion to demonstrate her own learning journey.

Note to Karen:

Karen,

The above story is true.  Jimmy told me so.  He also said that for the rest of his life, whether or not he receives such an emotion packed response again, he knows that he has the ability to make a difference in people's lives.

I cannot imagine that participant in your class not delivering his feedback without some emotion.  Allow yourself to feel that emotion.  And allow it to tenderly take hold of your heart and tickle tears from your eyes.  You can make a difference in the lives of others and tip dinosaurs from their path.
 

Sara's Portfolio: Frank Herbert Quote

  Quote 
  Originally uploaded by Sara's Portfolio

This graphic is from Sara's Portfolio at Flickr.  Sara is a student at Kuwait University.

At first glance this piece appears disorientated.  But only for a millisecond, because the moment you begin to read it from the top down, it flows.  I read it straight through the first time without trying to figure anything out.

Read Sara's profile at Flickr and come back here.  Now, on top of the beautiful layout and meaningful words in this design, you can almost feel the passion from which it was created.

What do you do for fun?

"What is the capital of Florida, Izzie?"

"Tallahassee, Mr. Grinch."

"What is the capital of Maine...."

Please, please, please don't call on me.  Jimmy was nearing a full blown panic attack, though he was pretty sure the answer was Augusta. 

"What is the Third Commandment?"  Father Stricter scanned the contingent at the 9 o'clock Mass in search of weak prey.  Jimmy sensed that Father was moving in for the kill.  He tried to slink down in his seat but he was pinned in tight between Mrs. Globber who punched in at over two-hundred and fifty pounds and Mr. Slobber who out weighed her by one-hundred and twenty pounds.  And then the unthinkable.  "Jimmy, can you answer the question?"

"Ahhh, errrr, ah, thou shall honor your father and mother?"  Jimmy knew he blew it.  His ears began to melt and tears singed his cheeks.  That was the last Mass that Jimmy ever attended.

"Jimmy!  Wake up man!"

Jimmy felt Danny's elbow dig in between his ribs.   "Uhhh, uhhh?"

The fog cleared and the room came into view.  Jimmy let out a deep breath and began to relax.  He'd been daydreaming or rather day-nightmaring.  Until...

"Betty, what do you do for fun?"

Panic began to thrust hot pokers into Jimmy's throat.  He was back in Mass and Father Stricter was bearing down on him.  Except it wasn't Stricter in person.  It was Tom Wentworth, the consultant that his company recently hired.  Somehow though, Stricter had gained control of Wentworth's body.

How would he answer this question?  Or would he be saved by spontaneous combustion?  Would his head just vaporize from the incredible white, hot heat building up within his mind?  What did he do for fun?

"Ahhh, errr, ah, well Tom, I read and write."  Yeah right.  And the entire room would stand up and in perfect harmony cry out LOSER, Jimmy thought.

Later, Jimmy reflected.  He really wasn't embarrassed about telling people that he spent the majority of his time reading and writing.  No, the deer-in-the-headlight and uncomfortable silence that usually followed his proud proclamation of fun wasn't really that bad.  Really, it wasn't all that much different than telling folks he had leprosy or some other rare disease.

Jimmy is a real person and has asked me to ask you what you do for fun.  So, what do you do for fun?

PICT0001

PICT0001
Originally uploaded by wizaard

Dave gets the bug.

The Hole in the Wall

Dave discovers photography...or at least how to git the picture here.

 

A Fine Line

Terry Starbucker stops me dead in my tracks with two essays.

 

• One

• Two

On one hand:  "...but this is my job.  It's not my life.  I don't define myself by this."
On the other:  "That target of teammate job satisfaction has only increased in importance to me as my career has progressed, because I have seen time and time again what it produces - real business success.   This has been a great learning experience for me.  And this difference making is personally rewarding, because I simply love what I do and I would like nothing more to have all my teammates feel the same way."

Can a person separate the two?  Can a person feel so much passion at work and have it not carry over to the life outside?

For twelve years I've been crawling, scratching and inching across the desert in search of a tall, cold glass of iced tea...in search of being able to say, "I simply love what I do!!!"  A partial definition of that position would have me writing about it on my Web site.  Another part would have me encountering some other being within the course of a work day who I could talk to about Gen X & Yers', marketing, social networking, design, personal development, emotional intelligence, writing, etc.

So in my mind, success would seem to have me melding work more with life.  Presently, the twelve foot thick steel door shuts, closing work off from my life.  Except when it doesn't.  (Thanks Ted!)

I was so severely burned and scarred years ago when I made the mistake of talking about my online life at work (which was about work but not my company) that I vowed to never do it again.  The degree of severity can be understood when, if you were to combine how I write here with a finite focus to help individuals within my industry develop, learn and grow.  It was all good.  No line crossing, no giving away company information.  Heck I only mentioned the company's name once, on the last day of our site's existence.

But Terry has caused me to open that door a wee bit with his Smiles essay...

So, I've had the word manager in my title for nearly thirty years, twenty-three of those in my present industry.   Here is what causes each corner of my mouth to reach out and grab hold of my ears.

I work with technicians.  They work on complicated machinery and controls.  If this equipment is not working properly companies can lose millions of dollars, by the hour.  If this equipment is not working properly people's lives can be critically affected. 

The technician's work results in either keeping a piece of equipment in a fine tuned condition or restoring one to this condition.  In either case, the result is pure art. 

Although I have never been a technician, I have the ability to recognize and appreciate a finely tuned piece of equipment.  I also have the ability to appreciate and acknowledge the level of pride that a technician has in his work, in his art.  You wanna talk about seein' some big ole smiles!

So as a manager, that is what brings smiles to my face.  It is not the bottom line, not customer service (though there is great satisfaction in pleasing one), and it is not awards.

In no way does this change anything, but after reading what brings delight to Terry, it feels pretty good to tell you what brings delight to me.

 

The New Rules of Marketing & PR

The New Rules of Marketing & PR by David Meerman Scott

Why do we buy the books that we do?  So I am browsing in Barnes and Nobles or Borders...

Quick David, why couldn't you distinguish which store you were in?

The answer is both simple and revealing.  Because I couldn't.   This is true.  For a few moments as I am sitting here typing, I couldn't tell the difference between the two.  I had to visualize the physical location of each store and then visualize the location of the business book section of each.  It was Borders.

I pull The New Rules of Marketing & PR off the shelf.  Two reasons I opened the book.  The foreword is by Robert Scoble.  For me, the Scobleizer signifies relevance.  Next, the subtitle mentions blogs and viral marketing.  For me, in a bookstore, those are two red grains of sand in a sea of tan.

I began to browse through the book.  A few of the chapter headlines caught my eye.  Then as is my custom, I hone in on the last few pages of the book.  David has a large acknowledgment section and every name mentioned has a Web site.  Browsing quickly, I recognized a few.  And then I saw Chris Brown's name.  Wham! Personal connection. 

After Vickie graduated from college and prior to landing a job, she spent six months networking and doing informational interviews with owners, managers and creative directors of marketing firms.  During this period she met Chris, who is a woman.  Vickie did some freelance work for Chris, formed a strong bond and to this day cites Chris as being one of the most influential people in her career.  Abracadabra!  David Meerman Scott gains instant credibility.  I bought the book.

Had I looked a little closer, I would have also bought the book because Anita Campbell was listed as well.

David, I thought you were going to review Mr. Scott's book.

Stories and connections are the pontoons of our lives.  They add relevance and help us to distinguish between the Borders and Barnes and Noble bombardment that we incur on a daily basis.

Here's the deal.  The New Rules of Marketing & PR describes what is working in marketing and PR today; blogs, wikis, podcasting, social networking sites, Web site building, search engine marketing, etc.  David Meerman Scott talks in plain, clear and concise language.  It is a soothing read that doesn't suck one bit.

If you are reading this you should buy the book.  If you hang out with the fellas down at the club, smoking stogies and sipping brandy, don't buy the book.  It's too late.  Stay there and stay out of the way.  The kids have it under control.  The kids are alright.