My First Book Review

You probably noticed that I haven't been writing a whole lot lately.

It's no coincidence, and yes, I'm still alive. I've just been busy. Besides doing some writing for Divorce 360 and my own blog, Single Dads (although that's been suffering recently - I need to go back to my roots), I've been hanging out with the four year old, working quite a bit, and now... reviewing books. As a member of the website LibraryThing (you'll see the widget over there on the side, there,) I signed up for the Early Reviewers program. It has its perks.

So, here's my first review - that I'm going to put with my first freelance paycheck stub and my first volunteer freelance letter. Be kind, because God knows that I have no idea what I'm doing.

Yet.

But all is falling into place. I think.


--


To say that I fancy myself a poet is not exactly accurate; somewhere in a trunk at home there is a folder with Lord only knows how many pieces of poetry that I wrote in the 80’s and 90’s, when things for me were much bleaker and introspective. I even had some success writing a poem that was published a very long time ago.

Therefore, I looked forward to reading How To Write A Suicide Note by Sherry Quan Lee, a multicultural woman writing about her grappling with suicide, growing up different, and finding herself. To say that I “liked” the series of “poems” (many of which read more like prose than poetry to me – that seems, in retrospect, apt) is not quite the correct word. This was a great series, but in some ways, was so emotional and passionate, that I actually had difficulty reading them. But then again, I’m often dramatic when it comes to topics of this nature.

This was a very good book that I would recommend to people interested in mental health issues, multiculturalism, self-help, poetry or real-life essays, and if you are a parent, read this and learn.

--

Let me know what you think. The curiosity is killing me.

Don't Say "Take This Job And Shove It"

It's time.  You're fed up with your job, you've found another gig, and want to give your two weeks notice?

Try looking at Lifehacker, first, to craft the winning resignation. 

 

But resignation time shouldn't be bridge-burning time, so wikiHow's got some advice on how to quit professionally and with grace.

 

That's Gina for you.  Posted there and on wikiHow.

 

You know what's amazing about posts like this?  Timing.  Wow, they are good.

Google: We're In Ur Store, Mappin' Ur Stuff

I haven't made a post about Google in a while, so imagine my surprise when I saw how you can be an independent contractor for them , especially since it's not April Fool's Day.  Requirements include the power of speech and a camera.  From the FAQ:

 

1. Why should I become a Google Business Referral Representative?
   
   Joining the Google Local Business Referrals (LBR) program is a great way to earn some money while connecting people to the businesses in your neighborhood. The information you collect could be seen by millions of people who use Google every day. And you'll be helping the businesses you refer attract new customers while also making it easier for people in your community to find the products and services they're searching for.

2. What will I be doing as a representative?
   
   As a Google Business Referral Representative, you'll visit local businesses to collect information (such as hours of operation, types of payment accepted, etc.) for Google Maps, and tell them about Google Maps and Google AdWords. You'll also take a few digital photos of the business that will appear on the Google Maps listing along with the business information.  After the visit, you submit the business' info and photo(s) to Google through your Local Business Referrals Center, and we'll pay you up to $10 for each listing that is approved by Google and verified by the business.

   All you need to be a successful Business Referral Representative is a passion for helping local businesses succeed, a love for the Internet (some knowledge of Google is great, too), and access to a computer and a digital camera.

Say again?  Google will pay me for taking some pictures of some local businesses?

Wow.  Where do I sign up?

By the way, I found this via Reddit, so you'll probably never see this article again, so take some notes. 

 

Seriously, I'm thinking that Google is:

- Rich as all get out, and

- Preparing for world domination.

Have An Idea? Get Crackin'.

I certainly hope that you have put that quick and dirty idea that you had to make a million dollars into immediate practice, because now I'm reading about a bunch of startup companies that already have me beat.  I was especially fond of a couple of these:

 

http://www.corporateinterns.com/

When Jason Engen was an undergraduate student at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, he and his friends knew the challenges students faced in finding worthwhile internships. So for one of his business classes, Engen wrote a business plan detailing a concept for an internship placement service--one that would interview and screen students and match them with local companies that needed interns. "We hit a nerve in terms of the marketplace and focused 100 percent of our efforts on students," says Engen. "We started a week after we graduated, and it took off."

 

and...

 

http://www.pickydomains.com/

Can't think of that totally awesome domain name for a new website? PickyDomains is a risk-free domain naming service that got a lot of publicity and 'blogtalk' in Europe lately despite being only two months old. This is how it works. A customer deposits $50 dollars and describes what kind of domain he or she wants. Domain pickers then send in their suggestions of available domain names. If the customer likes one of the domain names and registers it, the service gets $50. Otherwise the money is refunded at the end of the month.

 

Thanks to NicheGeek for the links and info.

'Tis possible to live your dream, people.  Just do something.

 

 

 

 

Freelance Blogging And Time

Freelancing.  What have I noticed?

 

- I'm tired a lot more, because I seem to work a lot more.  I don't sleep less but it seems that way.

- I think about blogging.  A LOT.  I used to think about it a lot before, now I think about writing when I get up and when I go to bed.  I find that interesting.

- Work blogging and random time blogging are a couple of different entities altogether.  It's one thing to think "I really need to do a post or I'll lose some readers."  It's completely different to think, "I really need to do a post, or I'm going to get lose this gig!"  These are totally different animals.  I've only been doing freelance for a few days and I can see that already.

- Time.  It seems that I never have enough.  And I like having time.

 

Therefore, I'm going to fall back on what I know.  One thing is organization, which I try my best to get better at daily.

The other thing is the Internet.

Ah, my old friend, the Internet.

 

And in my moment of need, the Internet comes through again in the form of a post by Lifehack.org: Freelance Blogging: Why You Should Schedule.

 

I can speak from personal experience, I work better with time constraints, and you probably do too. If I limit my working time to 4 hours, I'm betting I'll get all the work done. I'll find a way to.

If I don't make that distinction, my day is scattered and I'll find myself in front of the computer the whole day, doing the same amount of work.

It would seem that people write posts just for me.  Awash with power, suddenly I am.

 

Note To Employers: How To Tame A Geek

This post is for employers, if any of you are: A Note To Employers: 8 Things Intelligent People, Geeks and Nerds Need To Work Happy.

 

There are many reasons to let geeks work the way they want to work. Today they work in every industry. They are the knowledge base, blood and sweat equity of many businesses. They work harder than most. They work longer than most. Their job isn't a separate "thing they do" while they look forward to going home and relaxing. Geeks *live* what they do. They eat, sleep and breathe it. They are your systems administrators, your IT team, your programmers, your web developers, your designers… and sometimes even your customer service and sales people. Anyone who understands how to leverage todays technology to increase intelligence, productivity and efficiency; anyone who stays up nights working to get better at what they do; anyone whose job is their life - is a geek. These are the most important asset your company has. For this reason, its important to give geeks what they want. Best part is, if you do, they most likely will not leave your company to work for someone who will.

 

Found via Reddit, but blogged, and quite successfully, in my opinion, by Nomadishere, the Seeker of Truth.  He goes on to actually list eight ways to satisfy this distinct personality type at the office.

 

Reading the article, I tend to agree with a lot of the points made; I think the post is an excellent summary.  As an employer, I would guess that following through on several of the mentioned suggestions would make any intelligent, tech-oriented, slightly compulsive but hard-working person pause before vaulting a position. 

 

On the other hand, if you ARE that intelligent, tech-oriented, slightly compulsive yet hard working person, you might find an employer who actually follows the eight steps outlined in the article rather difficult to find.

 

Good suggestions.  Your mileage, however, may vary.

 

 

You Never Get A Second Chance To Make A First Impression

I may be an old fart (not really, but I'm definitely no spring chicken, either), but I always am staying up on my resume, because, well, you never know.  Here are some intelligent resume tips.

 

The terrifying reality regarding your resume is that for all the many hours you put into fine-tuning, you've got 30 seconds to make an impression on me. Maybe less.

It's unfair, it's imprecise, and there's a good chance that I make horrible mistakes, but there's a lot more of you than me, and while hiring phenomenal teams is the most important thing I do, I'm balancing that task with the fact that I need to build product and manage the endless stream of people walking into my office.

But here's a glimpse. I'm going to walk through the exact mental process I use when I look at a resume. I don't know if this is right or efficient, but after fifteen years and staring at thousands of resumes, this is the process.

Rands In Response came up with this list.  I consider it to be pretty well done.

 

I've reviewed untold numbers of resumes, which makes me now expert.  Most of my resume-writing chops comes from writing reams of resumes over the years.  I practice.  These seem like pretty good nuggets of advice to me - and I use similar ideas when I write my own res.

Working For The Man

...and why you should not do it.

 

It's funny that when people reach a certain age, such as after graduating college, they assume it's time to go out and get a job.  But like many things the masses do, just because everyone does it doesn't mean it's a good idea.  In fact, if you're reasonably intelligent, getting a job is one of the worst things you can do to support yourself.  There are far better ways to make a living than selling yourself into indentured servitude.

Here are some reasons you should do everything in your power to avoid getting a job:

Via the Steve Pavlina Blog.

Found via The Hack.

 

I've been toying with this idea for some time now.

 

Really, I have been.

 

The problem is that, after so many years of working, your soul is beaten down to a pulp.  You can't think straight:  you get confused, then all verklempt.  However, it IS possible to make money and not work like a dog.  I've seen it happen.  At one telecommunications company that I worked at that will remain nameless, we used to joke that you could actually feel your soul, dripping out of the soles of your feet, and pooling under the desk chair in your tiny cookie-cutter cubicle.  Bleech.

 

However, this man, he does have some very good idea.  The question is: Do you have the guts to implement them?  That's something to truly think about.

 

So.  There's your good news from me today.

Join The Agency

Why this amused me, I have no idea.  But this might be good advice for some:  How To Become A CIA Agent.

Does that James Bond movie marathon you watched on TV have you dreaming about being a secret agent? If you're a U.S. citizen, you may be wondering how you can get into the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the nation's top career choice for aspiring spies. Before you get your heart set on joining the Agency, however, there are a couple things you should know.

 

(word to WikiHow)

 

So.  Personal aside to Stew, Charles, Mike, or whatever they call you guys now... if you're reading this, please don't delete it.  I'm performing a service. 

 

In the meantime, bone up on your Russian, Farsi, and Serbo-Croatian.  That's what I hear, anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

Emurse

I found this yesterday, but figured I'd save for a rainy day.

Although outside it's HOT, here it is:  Emurse.

 

Emurse has got to be one of the most useful sites I've come across lately. Not only can you create a resume using their handy dandy template tool, but Emurse also allows you to download your resume from anywhere AND gives you the choice to instantly turn your resume into a web site so employers can find you.

 

How found?  Lifehacker, kiddies.  I can't express the love enough.

 

I've yet to use the service, but it suuuuuure looks interesting.  Lots of feedback as well.  I say check it out.  Template?  Download anywhere?  WEBSITE?  Yeah, baby.  Not to mention a mess of things I haven't mentioned yet.

 

 

 

 

Careerism

Not everyone is into this, but I ran across an interesting article about careers today.

 

Careers don't just reflect which jobs are available, they represent who we are as people. Fast Company was founded on that notion (among others). The ensuing 10 years have seen everything from the rise of online job boards to the Brand Called You, the birth of blogs to offshoring. All of these developments have had a significant impact on the way we manage our careers--and the next 10 years promise to be just as dramatic. A number of technological and demographic trends still in their infancy will shape the way you develop and guide your professional life in the decade to come. Here's how to ride those waves.

 

via Fast Company.

 

Pitifully enough, lately I'm realizing that I need to get, and stay, ahead, so this piqued my interest.