tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-167682012024-02-18T23:33:37.403-06:00Try Reason!Professor, father, husband, and lover of life. In this blog, I share my thoughts on my central purpose in life: to teach others how to make better decisions, specifically in designing, building, maintaining, and using information systems. I review books, explain scientific research, discuss philosophy, talk about education, and share my own experiences on how to make the best decisions for living a happy successful life. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.comBlogger313125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-17309986544293950252012-10-19T13:02:00.001-05:002014-05-12T11:21:48.981-05:00The End of this Blog as You Know ItAfter 7 years and over 300 posts, I have decided to end Try Reason! You can continue to follow me at <a href="http://professordrake.com/">ProfessorDrake.com</a> or <a href="http://reasonforsuccess.com/">Reason for Success</a><br />
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For my Feed subscribers, I will forward you the blog posts from Reason for Success or you can directly subscribe here: <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/ReasonForSuccess" rel="alternate" title="Subscribe to my feed" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon32x32.png" style="border: 0px currentColor;" /></a><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/ReasonForSuccess" rel="alternate" title="Subscribe to my feed" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe in a reader</a>. I hope all of you will continue to find my posts stimulating and inspiring. <br />
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This site will remain in existence for the time being. I see no reason to delete it and may still use it sometime in the future.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-66005285660954977202012-08-29T11:49:00.002-05:002012-08-29T20:15:26.441-05:00How to screw up on the first day of classThis fall, I volunteered to participate in a pilot of a software package called "Blackboard Collaborate". This software is designed to facilitate web conferencing and web lecturing for online students. I decided to use it in my face-to-face class to capture the student questions and my responses, and then provide it to my online students in recorded form. They were invited to the real-time session as well, but since many of the online students are working, none took me up on the offer. <br />
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So on my first day of class and my first real experience with Blackboard Collaborate, I totally screwed up. I spent a couple days prior to class testing the program (including finding a bug in the system). I thought I knew what to do for the first day of class. When I got to class, I tested my microphone. It worked. I started the program and tested the session recording. It worked. Everything looked good! I then proceeded to talk for the entire hour about the course. What did I forget? Well apparently, there is a "Talk" button that allows the microphone sounds to be recorded by the Collaborate Session. While practicing prior to class, I ran into the same issue, but apparently, it didn't sink in. <br />
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Luckily, I caught the problem quickly and I was able to record a second version of my lecture in my office immediately after the class. I also informed the students about the problem.<br />
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Lesson learned: No matter how many times you test, something will go wrong when it matters. <br />
Second lesson: When things go wrong, don't cry about it. Just apologize and fix it as soon as possible. Most people will appreciate your honesty.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-54772510831970205682012-08-02T10:35:00.001-05:002012-08-02T10:35:10.448-05:00Introducing Reason for Success<br />
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I'm proud to announce my new blog/website <a href="http://www.reasonforsuccess.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Reason for Success</a> - the premier personal development destination promoting the virtue of productiveness. In it, we analyze scientific discovers in goal setting and decision making, explore philosophic insights, discuss industry best practices, examine case studies, review hot new books in personal development, and interview successful individuals from all walks of life. If you have enjoyed my blog posts on goals, productivity, and purpose on Try Reason, I encourage you to check out the new site and follow us on our journey. </div>
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You also can follow along on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ReasonForSuccess" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ReasonforSucces" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-72221421232808590242012-07-18T20:26:00.002-05:002012-07-18T20:26:38.318-05:00Time Enough for My FriendsIn a recent couple of blog posts, Diana Hsieh at <a href="http://www.philosophyinaction.com/">Philosophy in Action</a> and I have articulated <a href="http://www.philosophyinaction.com/blog/?p=6733">different</a> <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2012/07/central-purpose-in-life-another-look.html">takes</a> on a "Central Purpose in Life".<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">But it got me to thinking about how my values interact on a daily basis. Let me give you a quick run down of my day:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white;">This morning I woke up at 7 AM. I let the dog out, made coffee, ate breakfast, fed the kids, took a shower, and then jumped on the computer to start working. A little after 8 AM, my wife ran to the gym, leaving me in charge of the kids (since it's summer and all). I kissed her goodbye and went back to my computer until my kids started yelling for me. With my full attention, I helped my kids with their life threatening dilemma (something about asking the neighbor kids to play which I empathized with before telling them to wait for their mom). Then, I went back to my work. When Brenda got back from the gym, I headed to the office. Around 3 PM, I got a personal message from a good friend about a medical problem he was having. I dropped everything I was working on and responded to his message. Relieved to find out that he was okay, I finished my work, went to the gym myself, then headed home. I ate dinner with the family, played a game of Crazy 8s with my kids, chugged some trains around, then sent the kids to bed. My youngest, who skipped his nap today, needed extra help calming himself sufficiently to fall asleep. By 9, I was free, so I jumped back on the computer to do some more work. </span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">So what was the point of this narrative? Throughout my day, my central purpose guided my actions while working. I took time for other important values in my life, my wife, my kids, my friends. Although I spent the majority of my time working on my central purpose, there was time enough for my friends, my family, my hobbies, and my health. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">The way I see it, a central productive purpose does not preclude other values. Rather, a central productive purpose makes the other values possible. It is the work you do, the specific value you are creating and focusing your energies on, that makes all the other values possible to both afford and enjoy. Certainly, my family is a huge value to me. But I agree with Rand that it is not my top value. </span><br />
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But that being said, Diana has a <a href="http://www.philosophyinaction.com/blog/?p=6733">point</a> about some major values that don't integrate. My family and my career do not. When I'm doing one, I'm not doing the other. My wife and my kids cannot help me with my research or my teaching. And my research and teaching do not help me enjoy my family. If I decide to return to my hobby of woodworking, that again will have little or no relationship to my CPL. But as I have <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2010/10/career-versus-family.html">discussed</a> before, my hierarchy of values puts my career first, specifically my passion to help others to make better decisions using information technologies.<br />
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I also consider that sometimes life requires several jobs just to make ends meet. Often times these jobs have no relationship to one another other than you can make money doing them. You may even have a passion you desperately want to pursue, but cannot make enough money doing so. There is no shame in not having a CPL or being unable to pursue one should you have it. But if you can integrate your life around a more centralized theme, the potential for success greatly expands.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-45582187396274581282012-07-09T09:00:00.000-05:002012-09-08T18:00:57.211-05:00Central Purpose in Life - Another LookIn a recent <a href="http://www.philosophyinaction.com/blog/?p=6648">podcast</a> at Philosophy in Action, Diana Hsieh questions the role of a central purpose in life (CPL) as articulated by various Objectivists (listen to the Parenting as Central Purpose question). From her podcast, I only have a partial idea what she find troubling about the concept. But I hope that by revisiting the idea, I can shed some light on what it is and why its useful. To the best of my knowledge, <a href="http://aristotleadventure.blogspot.com/">Burgess Laughlin</a> was the first Objectivist to write <a href="http://aristotleadventure.blogspot.com/2008/05/what-is-central-purpose-in-life.html">an in-depth article about CPL</a>, while a variety of others including <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2009/09/writing-5-year-goals.html">myself</a> have added to it.<br />
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In Diana's critique, she finds <a href="http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/purpose.html">one quote</a> by Ayn Rand that pertains to this subject:<br />
<blockquote>
"Productive work is the central <em>purpose</em> of a rational man’s life, the central value that integrates and determines the hierarchy of all his other values. Reason is the source, the precondition of his productive work—pride is the result."</blockquote>
She then notes that this definition of central purpose should simply be productive work, that an integrating theme to productive work is not necessary, just that productive work in and of itself should be central. She doesn't see an integrating theme or a singular passion as necessary for happiness. While I agree with much of what she says, there is second quote on central purpose that drives my understanding of the idea, which seems to differ from her take. The quote comes from her <a href="http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/purpose.html">Playboy interview</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"A <em>central purpose</em> serves to integrate all the other concerns of a man’s life. It establishes the hierarchy, the relative importance, of his values, it saves him from pointless inner conflicts, it permits him to enjoy life on a wide scale and to carry that enjoyment into any area open to his mind; whereas a man without a purpose is lost in chaos. He does not know what his values are. He does not know how to judge. He cannot tell what is or is not important to him, and, therefore, he drifts helplessly at the mercy of any chance stimulus or any whim of the moment. He can enjoy nothing. He spends his life searching for some value which he will never find . . . ." [emphasis mine]</blockquote>
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The latter quote does suggest an integrating function to productive work is ideal. She says "<i>A</i> central purpose..." suggesting that their is a singular purpose that integrates everything else. This focused purpose to the type of work you do helps create a hierarchy of values and enables you to enjoy life more fully. <br />
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I have written about my search for <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2008/04/my-purpose-in-life.html">an integrating purpose to my life</a> and the <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2010/10/career-versus-family.html">enjoyment I have received from the resulting career</a>. It has helped me to <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2012/01/when-goals-flounder-review-your-central.html">resolve inner conflicts</a> and define my <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2010/09/hierarchy-of-values.html">hierarchy of values</a>. For me, defining a CPL is not a moral issue, but a useful tool for actualizing my full potential. I can and do have many interests. I could potentially pursue a wide variety of projects and enjoy them all. But when I focus on an integrating idea, when I search for a <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2010/04/value-dense-life.html">value-dense purpose</a>, I find greater enjoyment in life in general.<br />
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<strong>Are you immoral without a CPL?</strong> No, but you're missing out. I see a well defined CPL as a tool for achieving a satisfying and enriching career. It is a tool that helps identify our hierarchy of values. You shouldn't beat yourself up if you don't have one, but spending some time reflecting on your passions and your purpose can help you to achieve more.<br />
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<strong>Is a CPL obvious?</strong> For some it is, for many it is not. I took me until I was 27 until I discovered my CPL implicitly and until 33 before I could explicitly write it down. It involved identifying and integrating all of the things that had happened in my life and all the jobs I had loved and hated, until I finally saw how they all related. And it was hard work! But I know of other people who knew from an early age what they wanted to do (like Ayn Rand). For them it was obvious.<br />
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<b>Can multiple major purposes exist?</b> Absolutely. I know of people that have multiple interests and live happy lives. Is it the best way to live? I liken it to a business that has multiple lines of business. The greater the similarities between those lines of business, the greater the synergies that will emerge, which can lead to greater success. The business owners may indulge in multiple lines of business that have no relationship to one another and enjoy each thoroughly. They can even create a positive cash-flow in each line of business. But how easy would it be to run such a business? If a hierarchy of values is not established, which line of business would get what resources? Which would get the most attention, money, time, or effort? With a hierarchy of values, something must be at the top. That top value is your central purpose. The more projects and activities that support that highest value, the less conflict and confusion you'll have. That's not to say you can't enjoy hobbies, your family, your friends, or your own body. But what is central? What is most important? There is a bunch I can say about how other values fit in with the CPL, but I'll save that for another post. <br />
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<strong>Could you be happy without defining a CPL? </strong>Yes. But the better you can find an integrating purpose, the less inner conflicts you will experience and the better equipped you will be for directing your life. Again, it's about degrees of enjoyment and does not preclude other values that you can enjoy as well.<br />
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<strong>Can a CPL change?</strong> Yes, but if it changes often or deeply then it probably was not well defined. I remember when I was much younger, interviewing for a job in web development. The interviewer asked how my previous employment in tutoring and teaching related to web development. She wanted to be sure that web development wasn't some passing whim. That I had some integrating purpose to my life. I immediately saw the connection, in both cases, I wanted to facilitate the transfer of knowledge. In one case through face-to-face classroom instruction and in the other case through electronic medium. The connection between the two jobs was not vast to me, because I was already starting to identify and integrate my passions. The interviewer was very impressed with my answer and eventually offered me the job. <br />
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<strong>Can parenting be a CPL?</strong> As a nanny, yes. As a stay at home parent who homeschool, maybe, if it is something that consumes the parent's productive efforts. And even then, the purpose shifts from parenting to education. Otherwise, no. A mom who takes a 5 year break from her career to raise her kids, while doing something extremely commendable, is not pursing a central purpose, but rather taking a break from it. Raising children can become the highest value temporarily, until they are old enough to care for themselves. But from what I've seen, moms (not the homeschooling variety) tend to be far happier if they can return to working on their CPL after that break. Any women out there want to correct me on this observation???<br />
<br />
Given my understanding of CPL and its value to our lives, I would recommend people attempt to define and live by one. To me, this is your highest value and the most important concern. If this value is not carefully defined, it is easy to slip into careers you either don't enjoy or feel indifferent about. And that, to me is a travesty. <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-60973263001220138322012-07-06T07:56:00.002-05:002012-07-06T08:04:57.420-05:00I have big plans. Big Plans, I say!3 big things in the works this week.<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002IVV3NM/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&tag=webdesbyjohdr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002IVV3NM" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&Format=_SL110_&ASIN=B002IVV3NM&MarketPlace=US&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&tag=webdesbyjohdr-20&ServiceVersion=20070822" width="146" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=webdesbyjohdr-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002IVV3NM" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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1. An article on <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2012/05/morality-of-gathering-facebook.html">privacy</a> - headed to a top journal in my field. This article has been troubling me for years because I could never find the right hook for it to be really good. I think I found it. The first draft was completed this week. Once I get some preliminary feedback, I'll professionally edit and push the article out.<br />
2. A completely<a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2012/04/do-we-need-classroom-lectures.html"> revamped and amp'ed up</a> web dev class is now under way. I recorded my first two lectures yesterday.<br />
and last, but most exciting...<br />
3. My <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2012/06/starting-project-with-zero-resources.html">new business venture</a> has kicked into high gear. I have a writer, a domain name, a website under development, and the enthusiasm to get this done. Currently scheduled to go live August 1st. <br />
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Stay tuned for more updates.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-67691081470182241222012-07-03T06:42:00.002-05:002012-07-03T06:42:21.563-05:008 years ago today<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba7dSD_0IYIK2U6w6TR6BAya9WVB70ejZ0K2CRDaVgU-H9VJ9HEOwW0RvczidUCgf9dG50cdqBXZMCn0VHB7V5mYjqV2Gt-pSbdUIgLlRW0ZyX-c-jV0zs0_31-i46bU7DS3kkA/s1600/single_rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba7dSD_0IYIK2U6w6TR6BAya9WVB70ejZ0K2CRDaVgU-H9VJ9HEOwW0RvczidUCgf9dG50cdqBXZMCn0VHB7V5mYjqV2Gt-pSbdUIgLlRW0ZyX-c-jV0zs0_31-i46bU7DS3kkA/s320/single_rose.jpg" width="191" /></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px; text-align: left;">8 years ago today, the weather forecast called for rain all day. </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px; text-align: left;">That would have been alright, except I had a extremely special outdoor event planned at the Cafe DeMenil at the DeMenil mansion in St. Louis. All day we waited and hoped our luck would hold out. An hour before the event started, we arrived at the mansion. The rain immediately stopped and the sun came out. The flowers re-opened and the birds came out to sing. The event went on as scheduled with the most beautiful setting and with our most important friends and family.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">On July 3rd, 2004, I married my wife, Brenda. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px; text-align: left;">Happy Anniversary! I love you, Brenda!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-73128581367028997842012-06-26T20:43:00.002-05:002012-06-26T20:43:33.100-05:00Starting a Project with Zero ResourcesI have been given hints to this the last few months, but I'm finally moving forward with a new blog and book project on goal setting and productivity. It seemed like I had a set of impossible requirements for this project and that's why it was floundering for so long. I have no money to put into it and no time to devote to it. Yet, I want a highly successful, highly ranked blog and a blockbuster book. Impossible? It may seem that way, but I found a way. <br />
<br />
So, how did I find the time to write? I didn't. I hired a writer. <br />
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But didn't I just say I had no money? How can I afford a writer? I can't. He's agreed to work on commission. <br />
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Luckily, the guy I'm hiring has such confidence in my ability to monetize his writing, that he's willing to work without getting paid up front. Boy do I have my work cut-out for me to realize his expectations. But he's also going to skin me alive if the money does come in, so he judged it worth risking his time early for the payoff later. What's best, we both win. We both get richer by this arrangement, and both realize our goals. <br />
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Yes, I need to put time into organizing the management of the project and marketing of the blog and book. But depending how quickly we can start making money, I might be able to outsource some of that as well. But with my new house settled, my new job going well, and my family happy and healthy, it was time to get this project under way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-36960115675044151792012-05-29T08:00:00.000-05:002012-05-29T09:00:11.745-05:00The morality of gathering Facebook informationA recently story about<a href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120321/14383118190/should-we-outlaw-employers-asking-social-networking-logins.shtml"> HR reps requesting Facebook login credentials</a> caused a bit of an uproar recently. There's a lot that can be said about this, but here are some of my thoughts, focusing on why HR representatives may be tempted to gain that knowledge and then addressing why it is immoral for them to do so by requesting the login credentials. I don't let the job candidates off the hook though, as I believer their sharing of the login credentials is also immoral. Well... here are my brief thoughts. What do you think?<br />
<br />
Generally speaking, the more information we gather about
a specific context, the more accurate our judgments in that context. And the more information we gather about the
other individual, the better we can evaluate their trustworthiness. In business transactions, the establishment
of trust is a major condition for trade.
To trade, information must be shared by both
parties to establish trust. In terms of
privacy, this means that some personal information may have to be shared to
establish a trusting relationship with our trading partners. This is obviously context specific, as not
all personal information is relevant.
Depending on the type of trade, however, different amounts of
information may be required. A security
firm, for example, may want to much more detailed knowledge of their job
candidates to ensure those potential employees do not violate the high levels
of trust required for the job. That's
why some background checks require interviews of a job candidate's family and
friends. So I can make a case that under
certain circumstances, a business may want to know how a person behaves on
Facebook. How they obtain that
information however is another matter.
<br />
<br />
This sharing of information is often context
specific. People share information differently,
sharing differing types of information and with differing expectations for
confidentiality. Unless it is
established prior to the sharing of information, it is impossible to know what
information others deem confidential. On
Facebook, it is impossible to know what posts by what people were shared with
the expectation that ONLY their friends would see it. If you indiscriminately share those posts
with others, you may be violating a confidential communication. Letting someone have your login credentials
is unjust because you are gaining an unearned friendship. You are not keeping potentially confidential
communications private. The HR rep is
putting job candidates in an unjust position by asking for those login
credentials. They are directly challenging the integrity of the job candidate.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-42829645880884913262012-05-24T10:08:00.000-05:002012-10-19T08:50:13.404-05:003 Keys to Picking a CareerAll things being equal most of us want more money. All things being equal most of us want a career that brings immense personal satisfaction. What if those two things do not align? What if the career that you would love to pursue makes it extremely difficult to make money. Some common examples come to mind - teachers, artists, philosophers, and musicians. They all can be fulfilling careers, if only they would pay more. That's not to say that some of those jobs don't pay a lot in some instances, but for the majority of people who attempt them, the pay is miniscule. What can be done about that? What if you're one of the 50% of Americans that <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/1835578/the-sharp-drop-in-worker-happiness-and-what-your-company-can-do-about-it">hate their jobs</a>? <br />
<br />
<em>Read the rest of this </em><a href="http://www.reasonforsuccess.com/2012/10/15/3-keys-picking-career/"><em>post</em></a><em> on Reason for Success.</em>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-82826385419551139432012-05-10T06:21:00.000-05:002012-05-10T06:21:00.387-05:00Google Translate for BloggerA new feature on Blogger, <a href="http://buzz.blogger.com/2012/05/translate-and-two-more-new-gadgets-for.html">Google Translate your blog</a> into any language. Cool feature. But for me, this is too little, too late. After learning all the capabilities that <a href="http://wordpress.org/">WordPress</a> can offer, I will be switching platforms this summer - or at the very least creating a new WordPress site and primarily posting there. More news will be forthcoming.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-13704498046573570022012-05-05T09:48:00.000-05:002012-05-05T09:48:00.756-05:005 year goals updateTime to revisit <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2009/10/writing-5-year-goals-personal-example.html">my 5 year goals</a>. Lately, there have been two major interconnecting questions consuming my plans for the future - 1) How should I focus my career? and 2) How to establish my financial security? <br />
<br />
As I have <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2011/02/choosing-between-career-paths.html">mentioned</a> <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2011/11/tale-of-two-passions.html">several</a> times before, I have been contemplating how to focus my career for the past year. I have now come to a <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2012/01/when-goals-flounder-review-your-central.html">clear direction</a> - developing myself into web technology guru helping others make good decisions with web technologies. I'm not interested in being a specialist, like Facebook app guy or a eBay store expert. Instead, I want to be knowledgeable enough across the e-commerce domain to be an effective consultant, researcher, and educator in utilizing web technologies <i>strategically </i>to improve business processes. This is significantly different than my research agenda just 2 years ago, which included significant research in ethics. While I'm still interested in ethics and will still does some research in that area, the switch to e-commerce aligns my research with my teaching and with my financial goals.<br />
<br />
In the financial realm, I want to develop a system for wealth generation that is more recession proof and less dependent on stock fluctuations. I am still <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2010/01/long-term-trends-look-bit-gloomy.html">worried</a> about the economic condition of our country and where we might be 20-30 years from now. There is also a large unknown as to how the university system might change in the coming years. To address those concerns, I need to develop a system for wealth generation that can both build wealth rapidly and withstand economic upheaval, should it occur.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2012/01/smart-goals-and-philosophy.html">SMART 5 year goals</a>:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Research and publish at least 10 articles in e-commerce. 2 were done this year, so only 8 more to go.</li>
<li>Get promoted to Associate Professor. The research above will help with the above goal. It will also help establish myself as an expert for my later initiatives, listed below.</li>
<li>Establish and promote several web based businesses generating at least $20k a year passive income.</li>
<li>Develop and market high quality training modules in e-commerce for my classes and to publish on YouTube. I start my first round of recordings this summer.</li>
<li>Establish and promote a consulting/education business using the above training modules for marketing and earning at least $36k a year.</li>
<li>Establish a real estate investment business to invest earnings from other businesses.</li>
<li>Double household income - from the above initiatives and my wife returning to work.</li>
<li>Support and encourage my family with their goals.</li>
</ol>
<br />
The trick will be to devote enough time in my evenings and weekends to get the web businesses up and running. To get there, I plan on using what I learn from <a href="http://100grandbrand.com/">100grandbrand.com</a>, <a href="http://internetbusinessmastery.com/">internetbusinessmastery.com</a>, <a href="http://smartpassiveincome.com/">smartpassiveincome.com</a>, and whatever other resources I discover along the way. In the process, I'll be developing knowledge to help with my classroom instruction and research. The training modules are part of my e-commerce class I teach at <a href="http://aaarrrgh.business.ecu.edu/">ECU</a>, so the time spent on those classes are part of my normal job responsibilities. If they are successful, I might push myself to develop more modules above and beyond what's necessary for class. Those modules could then be encapsulated into package deals to sell for aspiring small business owners and/or web developers. In the real estate investments, I currently own a house in Michigan that I'm renting. I also have experience with owning a duplex. I plan to capitalize on that knowledge and expand my investments. If I spend time setting things up right and only investing in high ROI items, I should be able to make descent returns with minimal effort.<br />
<br />
And then there are my nice to get to goals, but not high priorities:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Write a book on productivity and goals</li>
<li>Write a autobiography on one of my major life decisions (Not saying what it is yet :)</li>
<li>Write a textbook or two</li>
<li>Publish an article in a top journal in my field</li>
</ol>
<div>
I have an endless supply of ideas and not nearly enough time to do them. It's a great feeling.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-22503732323247727662012-05-02T09:03:00.000-05:002012-05-02T09:03:00.616-05:00How Does Google Search Work?Google returns searches in a half a second. How do they do it? <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KyCYyoGusqs" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
What can a web developer do about it? <br />
<br />
First - Before you write a page, think about what search terms people might type to get to your page. Make sure that those terms appear in your title, keywords, text, alt image property, etc. <br />
<br />
Second - Don't include every search term under the sun because the major search engines look on this negatively.<br />
<br />
Third - Promote your web page in hopes others will link to it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-69123981828406337852012-04-27T12:17:00.000-05:002012-04-27T12:19:59.580-05:003 down - 2 to goIn this my 300th post, I'm going to do a little happy dance. I just received news that a 3rd article of mine this year was accepted for publication. Only two more to go to reach <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2012/03/research-maniac.html">my 2012 goal</a>. With two additional articles already under review, two articles over 75% complete, and several new projects in the works, I feel like a research rock star. <br />
<br />
What's even better, I am getting to the point where I can read my own research and objectively evaluate its quality. It's a great feeling to be able to critically evaluate it, identify problem areas, and know how to fix those problem areas. Pretty soon, I might actually be good at writing.<br />
<br />
This summer my time will be split between up to 3 research projects. That's not counting any time I may throw at a revise and resubmit should one arise. Today, I'm working on Evaluating Information Systems Ethically: A Case
for Objectivism." My goal is to finish and submit this article by the end of May. My social media project is also a top priority for me. Although, we're in a holding pattern waiting to hear back from a potential sponsor. Depending on how these two projects go, I have a third project in ethical decision making I can work on as well.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-48309908162451920542012-04-17T20:39:00.001-05:002012-04-17T20:39:38.524-05:00At the edge of sanityThere is nothing like overwhelming yourself in order to stay focused. My current major project count is at 15, although, to be fair, 2 are on hold and 7 of them are waiting on others to complete their parts. I also have numerous minor projects. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061339202/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&tag=webdesbyjohdr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061339202" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&Format=_SL110_&ASIN=0061339202&MarketPlace=US&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&tag=webdesbyjohdr-20&ServiceVersion=20070822" /></a>I am at my best when I don't have time to screw around. When I hit that edge - where I feel like I have just a bit too much on my plate - but not way too much - I am at my best. I am far more productive, engaged, and loving life. I get much better at delegating and I get much better at solving problems quickly. Tonight, I joking posted to facebook, that after three glasses of wine, I had to return student emails, fix a database, write a blog post, do some research, read a book on HTML5, and then go to bed (currently doing the blog post thing, in case you're wondering). And you know what, I'm rocking through it all. <br />
<br />
Finding the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061339202/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=webdesbyjohdr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061339202">Flow </a>can help you reach new heights.<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=webdesbyjohdr-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0061339202" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-45004941707886285232012-04-10T09:38:00.000-05:002012-04-10T09:38:00.490-05:00Do we need classroom lectures?After careful thought and feedback from current students, former students, other instructors, and philosophers of education, I have decided to kill the classroom lecture and kill homework assignments. What, you might ask, am I going to replace it with? Nothing - I'm not replacing anything. I'm switching. I'm going to do things backwards. Instead of classroom lectures, all of my lectures will be recorded digitally and made available to my students to watch on their own time. Instead of homework assignments, I will have in-class assignments. I will present students with worksheets, practice problems, and discussions conducted in class and with my feedback instantly. This is all in an effort to fulfill my goal of <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2011/12/creating-environment-for-classroom_14.html">creating an environment for classroom success</a>.<br />
<br />
I came to this decision after considering this question: "What is the value to face-to-face classrooms?" Certainly students can read for themselves or listen to a recorded lecture. As long as a student has access to those books and lectures, why would they need to come to class? Most likely because understanding the book's or lecture's concepts are not always an easy task. Often times, questions come to mind about parts they don't understand, confusing passages, complex concepts, difficult problems, or comparisons with other ideas. Other times, practice working with those concepts or skills help students to better learn the concepts. Classrooms are a great oppportunity for students to ask those questions and practice those skills. Furthermore, I can give instant feedback, rather than hours or days later. Why then, do we spend such a little amount of time in class discussing and practicing? Why indeed. Often times it is pushed out into homework problems or online message boards. While this helps, I have always wondered if there was a better way to <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2011/09/concepts-in-learning.html">teach concepts</a>.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the reasons and evidence for this change:<br />
<ul>
<li>One of the premiere private schools in the LA area does not assign homework. VanDamme Academy, which turns out an endless stream of highly educated graduates, has a <a href="http://capitalismmagazine.com/2006/12/the-homework-lie/">no homework policy</a>.</li>
<li>Many of my face-to-face students listen to my face-to-face lectures again after class. That's right, I currently record my face-to-face lecture which I provide to my online students. The face-to-face students have frequently chided me if I'm late in posting the lecture. They find lots of value in re-watching it at their leasure or while doing homework assignments. </li>
<li>Schools are starting to use<a href="http://www.khanacademy.org/"> Khan academy</a> to provide recorded lectures for students, with good results.</li>
<li>I send my kids to a <a href="http://www.montessori.edu/">Montessori school</a> because I believe their curriculum is solid. Montessori education focuses on classroom materials that facilitate learning (with only introductory instruction, not lectures). If it's good enough for my kids, why not my students?</li>
</ul>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-57203127953588480612012-04-04T09:16:00.000-05:002012-04-04T09:16:00.292-05:00Google Groups versus Facebook GroupsThe other night, I got into an interesting conversation at my kid's school about creating an online group for the parents. One of the parents recommended we use <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups">Facebook groups</a> for the parents group. At first I was hesitant as I thought <a href="https://groups.google.com/">Google groups</a> might be a more inclusive platform, but I admittedly didn't know enough about either to make a strong recommendation. I am currently a member of several online groups through both Google groups and Facebook groups. In neither case, have I administered a group. I decided it was time to get educated.<br />
<br />
Here's a quick break down comparing the two.<br />
<br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="250"><div>
<br /></div>
</td>
<td><div>
<b>Google groups</b></div>
</td>
<td><div>
<b>Facebook groups</b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div>
<b>Create</b></div>
</td>
<td width="271"><div>
2 steps</div>
</td>
<td width="278"><div>
1 step</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="250"><div>
<b>Post with email address</b></div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="271"><div>
Yes</div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="278"><div>
Yes</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="250"><div>
<b>Threaded discussions</b></div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="271"><div>
Yes</div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="278"><div>
Yes</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="250"><div>
<b>Membership qualifications</b></div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="271"><div>
Must have email address <i>or </i>Google account<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="278"><div>
Must be Facebook member</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div>
<b>Privacy</b></div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="271"><div>
Public, restricted, secret</div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="278"><div>
Public, closed, secret</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="250"><div>
<b>Archive</b></div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="271"><div>
Posted at groups.google.com<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="278"><div>
Posted on facebook group wall</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="250"><div>
<b>Notifications</b></div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="271"><div>
Email</div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="278"><div>
Email and Facebook</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="250"><div>
<b>Chatting</b></div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="271"><div>
No</div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="278"><div>
Yes</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="250"><div>
<b>Photo sharing</b></div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="271"><div>
No</div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="278"><div>
Yes</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="250"><div>
<b>Doc sharing</b></div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="271"><div>
No</div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="278"><div>
Yes</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="250"><div>
<b>Schedule events</b></div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="271"><div>
No</div>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="278"><div>
Yes</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div>
The biggest negative for Facebook groups is that you must be a Facebook member in order to participate. While most people today are on Facebook, especially among the younger generation, it is not as ubiquitous as email accounts. If inclusiveness is important, Google groups is the clear winner. That being said, it is easy to set up a Facebook account. Doing so does not require you to "Friend" anyone or post outside of the group.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Where Facebook shines is in the features integrated into the platform. You can use their chatting system to chat with other users online, share photo and document easily, and even use their events scheduler. All of these can notify members within Facebook <i>or </i>by email. That makes it extremely useful and nearly as accessible as Google groups. It may also address some of the concerns of the older generation that is a bit nervous about signing up for Facebook.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What would I recommend to the parents group? The one major concern - inclusiveness - makes Google groups a strong contender. If they went with Facebook groups, a number of parents not on Facebook might feel alienated from the community and excluded from the goings on at the school. However, with a education and training, many of those parents might learn the value of Facebook groups and be willing to overcome their initial hesitation to join. The capabilities of Facebook certainly are useful. If I were to recommend one platform, I would suggest using Facebook, but as offer education and training for those parents not already on Facebook. However, I would certainly seek feedback from the group to make sure their concerns are addressed.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-320851819687740532012-03-28T03:00:00.000-05:002012-03-28T17:35:27.846-05:00Sunk costs, body image, and rationality<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1412959039/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&tag=webdesbyjohdr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1412959039" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&Format=_SL110_&ASIN=1412959039&MarketPlace=US&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&tag=webdesbyjohdr-20&ServiceVersion=20070822" /></a>This week I'm reading a book on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1412959039/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=webdesbyjohdr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1412959039">Rational decision making</a> that claims that sunk costs should not be considered when deciding where to go from here. By sunk costs, they mean time, energy, and/or money already expended prior to the current decision. For example, suppose you have already paid for a weekend vacation. Once you get to your destination, you get sick and realize that you would probably enjoy driving home and curling up in your own bed better than staying in the hotel bed. In such a case, it would make sense to ignore the cost already spent and go home. The sunk costs of the vacation should be ignored because staying at the hotel will only make you more miserable. The sunk cost provides an opportunity, but that does not mean you should take that opportunity. The <em>rational </em>question is "What should I do now?"<br />
<br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=webdesbyjohdr-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1412959039" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />This past week, I read a similar idea in a Facebook discussion on body image. Someone made a comment (I can't remember the specific comment that inspire my post, but it started with <a href="http://reepicheepscoracle.blogspot.com/">Kelly Elmore</a>) that you should not set the standard for your body image based on where you may have been in high school or college, but accept where you are at now in order to move forward. Anything less destroys your self-esteem. Accept your body in its current form and condition. Recognize the value that your current body brings to you. While there may be room for improvement to bring more value, people should not conceive of their current body as a dis-value or as a negative. Doing so is a common mistake, but a mistake non-the-less.<br />
<br />
The similarity - the past is in the past. While it might not seem appropriate to consider body image in terms of sunk costs, an alternative might be to think of it in terms of sunk opportunities. Opportunities missed, passed up, and regretted. Things we could of or should of done the last 5 years so that we would not regret the place we are in today. Certainly, regret can inflict our conscious (that's not a bad thing), but it should not consume our conscious. We should use regret as motivation to change, not as a reason to avoid change. We should use the regret to identify what is of value, so that we may act to gain and/or keep it. That is the rational thing to do and the rational way to act.<br />
<br />
While we have a body we have inherited from our past, we are not controlled by our past decisions. There may be limitations on time, capabilities, energy, and opportunities. But we can change the hierarchy of our values and shift around priorities if need be. The key take away - discover your <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2010/09/hierarchy-of-values.html">hierarchy of values</a> and act accordingly. And above all, don't let your past stand in your way. <br />
<br />
Now that's thinking rationally :)<br />
<br />
As a disclaimer - I found the books' discussion of rationality too pragmatic in nature. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to write more about that later.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-84148191431546714952012-03-25T09:58:00.002-05:002012-03-25T09:58:47.997-05:00Designing web content for any deviceAfter reading how you can <a href="http://www.sencha.com/products/touch">build rich mobile apps with HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript</a>, and then reading about how to create <a href="http://coding.smashingmagazine.com/2012/03/22/device-agnostic-approach-to-responsive-web-design/">devise agnostic design patterns </a>for web sites on multiple screen sizes, it got me to wondering if there could be some general patterns to these designs that would work for both traditional web sites AND for a corresponding mobile apps. Essentially, a single design pattern that works across ALL web enabled devices of different sizes, different ratios, different OS, and different browsers, including apps, from now into the near future. Now that would be powerful, IF it can be accomplished. Which it probably already has. I just don't know about it yet. <br />
<br />
This realization lead me to the conclusion that I have a lot to learn about the latest in web development technology. Perhaps one of my summer projects will be digging deeply into advanced techniques for web and mobile app development. I have several projects in mind, so it may be useful to combine my projects with my knowledge development. <br />
<br />
A priortized list of knowledge to discover:<br />
<ul>
<li>Advanced PHP</li>
<li>CMS - WordPress, Joomla, and/or Drupal</li>
<li>HTML5</li>
<li>Mobile app development</li>
</ul>
If I can get through all of these topics (which is no guarentee), I will look into designing content for any device. Maybe there is a research project in there???Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-83356010809810478892012-03-12T08:42:00.000-05:002012-03-12T08:42:00.646-05:00Two great podcastsOver the past month, I have started to listen to two great podcasts - <a href="http://internetbusinessmastery.com/">Internet Business Mastery</a> and <a href="http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/">Smart Passive Income</a>. Both deal with building website businesses, with slightly different foci, but with great content. What I love about these two podcasts is their integrated discussions of web technologies and business. That's right up my alley. In fact, I see a confluence in my teaching, research, and financial goals. Awesome. My brain is swimming with ideas. All I need now is to execute.<br />
<br />
Next actions:<br />
<ol>
<li>Complete business plan</li>
<li>Review business plan with Master mind group</li>
<li>Complete training concept map</li>
<li>Review concept map with other professionals</li>
<li>Research search keywords and domain names that match my business idea</li>
<li>Buy domain name and hosting service</li>
<li>Buy high quality microphone</li>
<li>Build site</li>
<li>Record killer training videos</li>
<li>Post videos</li>
<li>Market like crazy</li>
<li>Build more killer content</li>
<li>Repeat 9-12</li>
</ol>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-36320396250485237882012-03-06T08:31:00.000-06:002012-03-06T08:31:00.197-06:00Re-reading Getting Things Done<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142000280/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&tag=webdesbyjohdr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0142000280" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&Format=_SL110_&ASIN=0142000280&MarketPlace=US&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&tag=webdesbyjohdr-20&ServiceVersion=20070822" /></a>Last week, I forgot to remind my students of a major milestone due that day in class. I was able to send out an email after class, but I realized that my organizational system needs some tweaking. Re-reading David Allen's Getting Things Done<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=webdesbyjohdr-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0142000280" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
has been on my list of things to do for a while and I'm glad I did yesterday. My original design and associated habits were not working as well as they could. As I <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2011/08/division-of-time-management-tools.html">mentioned</a> last year, I organized OneNote and Outlook based on this <a href="http://dynamicit.wordpress.com/2010/05/11/getting-things-done-with-outlook-2010-and-onenote-2010-a-brief-overview/">advise online</a>. It worked better than my previous system, but not as well as it could. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8A5RRZZUrOjeyh6oL-BONVCxT6-yfOXpTsB7LWS2Wcr9oKXO_iWLohX_7guDO9TTPCPiNn-4saENSDJyJpmKgkYIRrBs7svuyIgwQi-RZLETtd41WBImrUFLbtw6LRQblSVXvA/s1600/OneNoteScreenshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8A5RRZZUrOjeyh6oL-BONVCxT6-yfOXpTsB7LWS2Wcr9oKXO_iWLohX_7guDO9TTPCPiNn-4saENSDJyJpmKgkYIRrBs7svuyIgwQi-RZLETtd41WBImrUFLbtw6LRQblSVXvA/s400/OneNoteScreenshot.png" width="400" /></a>After re-reading GTD, I realized that the setup I used did not stay true to GTD principles. I rarely used the Lists section, mostly because I combined my Next Actions and Goals into the same page. I had a Read/Review section that I did not devote enough time to reading and reviewing. And I was guilty of leaving things in the inbox, rather than moving them to the appropriate list. Most importantly, I didn't have a tickler file to remind me of things to do in the future. <br />
<br />
So I've already started making changes. I started with relabeling my Lists folder as Next Actions and added pages for At Office, At Home, Agenda, and Read/review (moving it from a separate folder unto this page). This is far more consistent with Allen's suggestions in GTD. The advise I had followed had me splitting my Next Actions in different folders and different applications (OneNote and Outlook). Things kept getting missed that way. With my changes, I hope to better keep track of my Next Actions. Also rearranged my folders, so that Next Actions is first, highlighting its importance. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZq5rWmE6VRhVSlzg11rYfiwMpcDFSawkvsUEhoq8moulkvzbt9TYruXuHrsAt_KC2aPdHsgUPXMi-WVxL2VZgKhltOWOLussMorpqIXbi7B_DUUGN9AYAeH3W9o-y54437PWokw/s1600/OneNoteScreenshot2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZq5rWmE6VRhVSlzg11rYfiwMpcDFSawkvsUEhoq8moulkvzbt9TYruXuHrsAt_KC2aPdHsgUPXMi-WVxL2VZgKhltOWOLussMorpqIXbi7B_DUUGN9AYAeH3W9o-y54437PWokw/s400/OneNoteScreenshot2.png" width="400" /></a>I'm also going to change my Goals folder into a Priorities and goals page. Once a week, I'll review my priorities for that week and list the major projects, meetings, or roles that need my attention. I want to avoid duplicates between Next Actions and Priorities/Goals, as that will kill me if I forget or get lazy. It can also be demotivating when I don't accomplish specific Next Actions in the week. By changing my thinking on priorities, I can simply look at the list and remind myself what Next Actions I should focus on without guilting me to work on things that are listed by not priorities.<br />
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I really do not see a need to duplicate all of my next actions in Outlook. Instead, I'll use Outlook tasks as a tickler file that may link back to pages in OneNote when there are specific things to review on specific dates. This makes sense with the due date feature in Outlook tasks.<br />
<br />
Now that I have used GTD for a while, especially where I have veered from the practices he recommends, I see just how good his system really is. When I do veer from it, I generally run into problems. When I stay true, the system rocks. In fact, I'm adding a tickler item as I speak to remind me to review his book in 6 months. I'm sure there are more gems I can gain by another review.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-6591599666572136222012-03-04T10:14:00.002-06:002012-03-04T10:14:34.090-06:00Spring break workout challengeOver spring break next week, I plan on challenging myself to 5 days of workouts. My usual is 2-3 workouts per week, so 5 workouts... is going to be fun. <br />
<br />
Here's the plan:<br />
Monday - 1 mile swim<br />
Tuesday - 3 mile run<br />
Wednesday - 500 yeard swim for time (trying to break 8:30)<br />
Thursday - 15 mile bike<br />
Friday - P90X Core<br />
<br />
No strength workout this week, just endurance. And lots of it. <br />
<br />
This is all in an effort to build my baseline. Once the baseline is raised, I can more effectively cross train. I'm still looking to complete a triathlon this summer, preferable a Sprint distance. If I can find a good tri on the coast, even better. <br />
<br />
Anyone in Eastern Carolina want to join me in the Tri?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-25892478837086333092012-03-02T14:15:00.000-06:002012-03-02T14:15:03.158-06:00Research maniacI've been on a tear with my research lately. Since last semester ended, I have one article published, 2 under review and 2 more almost ready for submission. At the rate this is going, I'll have completed my goal of 5 journal publications by the end of this year. I also have 2 other articles in the pipeline that I'll hopefully complete in the next few months. I'll have to work them in between what's coming next...<br />
I'm starting two new research projects. One will be on adoption and assimilation of Electronic Health Records. It'll be a case study of various hospitals looking at the depth and breadth of EHR acceptance and usage by medical personnel. The second, also a case study, will be looking at social media success and failure in engaging stakeholders. <br />
<br />
I'm new to case studies, but find the method to be better suited for my personallty. Why didn't I do this more in graduate school? One of my strengths is the ability to integrate large amounts of information and make sense of it all. That was in part how I was able to discover my <a href="http://trhome.blogspot.com/2008/04/my-purpose-in-life.html">central purpose in life</a>. Now I want to apply those skills to research. I'm finding lots of great resources, including one of my collaborators, <a href="http://paulschwager.com/">Paul Schwager</a>, who has done some case studies before. I'm also reading the classic case study manual called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1412960991/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=webdesbyjohdr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1412960991">Case Study Research: Design and Methods</a> by Robert Yin. I also discovered a great resource in another ECU faculty member who does tons of qualitative research. <br />
<br />
The way things are looking, I'll have my hands full for the summer and fall. With any luck though, I can move quickly and accomplish the existing and new research effectively. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-31830760294212793602012-02-27T11:55:00.000-06:002012-02-27T11:55:37.326-06:00Follow me on TwitterFor my blog readers,<br />
<br />
You can follow me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/tryreason">@tryreason</a>. I regularly tweet about web development, with occasional tweets on productivity, economics, philosophy, science, and other cool stuff. <br />
<br />
I call this research. No seriously! I'm starting a research project on using social media in business. In order to fully understand the platforms, I have to actively engage in them. Don't worry, I'm not collecting any data from this profile ;)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16768201.post-61463791320179801832012-02-09T08:05:00.000-06:002012-02-09T08:05:08.253-06:00Another MIS majorA couple weeks ago I was snagged by the assistant dean while walking down the hall. She wanted me to talk with a bright young student interested in the <a href="http://www.ecu.edu/cs-bus/mis.cfm">MIS</a> degree. So myself, the assistant dean, and the associate dean (all MIS faculty), spent 30 minutes answering the student's questions about MIS in general, our program, and job opportunities. This week, I received the following note (hand written, no less) in my mailbox.<br />
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***********************************<br />
Prof. Drake,<br />
Thank you so much for taking time out of <br />
your schedule on Friday to meet with me <br />
about MIS. The information you provided <br />
was invaluable and thanks to you, I am <br />
strongly considering changing my major to <br />
MIS.<br />
<br />
Thanks again,<br />
[name withheld]<br />
***********************************<br />
<br />
Apparently, what we said had an impact. Looks like we might have another MIS major starting next fall at <a href="http://www.ecu.edu/">ECU</a>! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03560477246248417263noreply@blogger.com0