practice for any and every thing

yeah.  everything can be practiced.  and everything should be practiced, if you want to improve.
now, i saw practice and all i am saying is that you have to perform activities that you wish to improve.

cooking, ironing clothes, driving in winter conditions, listening, writing, reading, speaking effectively, fishing, running, or whatever the activity.

seems like a fairly simple and obvious statement.   however, i am never at a loss of amazement when people seem to be surprised by this statement.   it almost seems like it is a corollary to the statement/ rule of 'becoming an expert of something after 10,000 hours' of performing that task.   and, of course the 'practice makes perfect' speech we all got from coaches or teachers when we were kids....or at least when we were shorter for those of us still classifiable as kids.

why am i bringing this up?  i got to 'practice' some tasks this week that i have not performed in a long time.   one was giving evaluations to somebody giving a speech.   i attended a workshop from my local toastmasters club that was teaching effective ways to evaluate.   it was really good to be able to offer evaluations and engage in conversations about evaluations.   such a simple and easy commitment of me.  it felt really good to have that exposure and then to figure how to keep applying that to my regular life, including work.

the second was attending a networking event this week.   i used to attend a bunch, especially when i was very under-employeed.   the event was dealing with metrics as they relate to project management, and it was a very enjoyable and learning experience.    shouldn't all stuff be enjoyable?  i mean why else are you doing?   it was a powerful session, and i felt that i left with some good feedback on the use of metrics, and i felt that i conveyed some good points to the other attendees.

was that the key?  did i just feel that i had validated myself in a sense?  we all want to feel that are inputs are respected, appreciated, and valuable to others.   i think so.   i was glad that i went and participated.

so, i continue to practice and practice.  

what about you?  what do you need to practice?

-tffjr

not just me...

my usual sunday morning involves reading the viewpoints section of the paper.   to be honest, it is nice to know from the start of reading an article that there will be a bias to the article.   this is how it should be with opinion pieces.   unfortunately, it seems this is the case even when reading 'news' articles.  but, that is  another topic for another time.

ok.   where was i?  right.   viewpoints in the paper.   i came across an essay that was written by an educator who was wondering about the impact of technology on children in our society.   i clearly got the impression that the saturation of technology in current daily life is preventing children from effectively learning those skills needed to function in a healthy society.   you know those silly things like empathy, critical thinking, actually talking to living persons, and that always tricky one listening.

i couldn't have agreed with her take more.  hell, i think i even have written about it or at least the side effect of so much technology.   in a selfish way, it helped to validate my thinking on this and suggests that i am not all that far from the norm.   not that i felt like i was but we all do like to be validated at points in our life.   at least i hope we do.

of course, in my attempts at humor and irony, i posted this story to facebook.   what better way to highlight the "perils" of technology/social media-networking?   i could think of no other.   even funnier was a response that i got from somebody posting from their iphone.  

hey, i feel like i am trying to push along the conversation and maybe open an eye or two.   and, if that gets a person back on a 'normal' path than i am glad.  i should say that i don't think this is isolated to children because adults are just as bad.  and, where do you think the kids get it from?      yep.   exactly.

just my 2 cents.

-tffjr

Timely Responses

i know this is a day early.  or is it?  i mean who the hell even reads this damn think.  :)

clearly, somebody has a fucked up set of bookmarks or a horrible search engine to get to this forest of rambling thoughts.   maybe, it is a orphanage of runaway thought?   hmm.  book title for my memoirs?

check back in 20 years.

but, i digress... as usual.

timely responses.   it should be a pretty easy concept to grasp.  when you initiate contact with an individual either on a professional or personal level, you expect that person to reciprocate at a minimum with a response.   it could be a simple as 'message received' or 'thank you'.   just something to acknowledge the other person's time.    

this all started from an accepted linkedin invitation response i received this week.   when i looked at the name, i had no idea who the person was.   of course, i start to wonder if this was some sort of spam/hack/etc.   it turns out that is was a response to an invite that i had sent out back in june 2009.   to be quite honest i have no recollection of the person.   over 2 years.   i think that would definitely not fall into the timely-response bucket.    well, that got the ole gears turning.

but, maybe i need to break timely response into its 2 components.  they can be 2 very different items.   my above statement seemed to be more about an actual response.  so, lets break them apart.

first, let's talk or continue to talk about a response.

as, i said it seems like such a simple act to just say thank you when you receive something.  i am sure we can all remember having to write, in hand, our thank-you notes for gifts.   this was always a task that was required after christmas and my birthday.   i recall a few times when mother's attention was laser-focused on my letter completion.   however, it was a good thing for me to do.  it established a certain level of responsibility and gratitude in me.    fast-forward to our 'space-age' of communication methods.   it seems like it should be so much easier to acknowledge the receipt of some sort of communication from anyone.  

and, before i get going to far on a rant, i will confess that i have been guilty of this very thing.   i am not trying to pass judgement.  i am just trying to bring things to light.  you can't fix what you don't is broken.  i think that i am really good about responding to personal communciations.   well, except for those generic  blasts around the holidays.   i consider those the same as spam or junk mail and i don't respond to those.

ok, my misses tend to be more related to work issues.   you say that you will get back to somebody on a review of a presentation or something minor.   we all do it.  i have to admit that i try to always acknowledge a person's communication and respond if i am require too.   also, i only send out materials that are truly required.  i feel that we are so swamped with communications that we can forget to respond.   but, it also falls to me to pull that information/response if it is truly needed.   and, i think i do that.  i try to insure that a person does have enough time to respond.

so, where does this put me know?

well, i will continue to send emails, texts, calls to people i care about.   i will try to not make them superficial but significant.   i will keep an open mind to their schedules BUT i will have to at some point convey the importance of them acknowledging my part.   nothing worse than a one-sided relationship but sometimes people need a little more from you.  we have to be willing to allow the ebb and flow of relationships, and know that at a later time they will do the same for you.

and, i will just make sure that i am practicing what i preach.   much easier said than done.  especially in our society these days.   and, i will continue to remember responsibility and accountability.   and, i can only control my life.  others.   well, you are on your own but i am willing to help however i can.  just ask.

well, i think i am good.  this was good for me.   you?  well, you could always leave a timely response/comment...like right after you read this.  :)

-tffjr

dreams...

i just wonder if people really are aware of what today is about.   have we gotten to a point where this dream is being realized?   maybe.  maybe not.  but, i do think we are adding more dreams that we want to obtain.   and, that isn't all that bad of a thing.  we all need to keep striving for something more in our lives that hopefully gives to others as much as it gives to ourselves.

and, i am definitely in a place where i have more dreams than nightmares.   what about you?

-tffjr

Winter's Arrival

well, winter has definitely arrived in the greater buffalo area.

as you can see, there is snow on the ground but the sun is out and it makes the 14degree afternoon seem bearable.  :)

TANGENT DISCUSSION:
can you believe that i just took a picture and added it to this journal-like entry?  the truly impressive part is that i did it all in under minute.  very simple tasks at least in this modern society.  could you imagine the time and external costs of this simple task?  hell, would this have even been conceived of back in 1980?
i truly feel that we do lose sight of how far technology has become interwoven in our personal lives.  so, much that we don't even think about it at times.  

work is another area where i tend to see the dichotomy of life with/without technology.   some projects are   basically moving a business unit toward a more automated, less manual process which is moving toward more technology.  other projects deal with analysis of data, and sometimes that data is compiled by old fashioned counting on physical pieces of paper, rather than pulling data from a database.    and,  every time the data is just as reliable with the old method BUT often much slower.  i have to admit that sometimes i prefer the old ways because it give me a physical sense of what i am doing.    and, i think we all need that physical interaction at times, it makes the experience more intense and easier to convey impacts/importance to others.

so, what am i say?  don't let the technology be the focal point, it should only enhance something.


BACK TO WINTER:
i am still out with the jury on if it is a good or bad thing.  :)   i am really quite split on the whole matter.   i can see both sides of the argument.   the key part is that you really can't put anything off for to long.  sooner or later the piper wants to be paid....and he will be paid.  don't keep pushing stuff off because it only makes it more difficult to deal with in the long run. sure, you feel better today and even next week BUT 2 years later it will really suck.

what is the key take away from my rambling mind?   short term gain will never prevent long-term pain.   and, short-term pain is ALWAYS much less than the long-term pain.  take your lumps,  learn from it, and then enjoy those long-term rewards.  


so, to recap:
winter, phone, picture, bluetooth, computer, upload, technology, paper, short v. long term.

hopefully, you followed that.  if not, at least i got my writing exercise done for today.  ;)

-tffjr

2012's Flynn List

2012 has been rolling along for 7 full days now.  to be quite honest, it seems the same as 2011, 2010, but not like 2009.   :)

now, i am not trying to say that a new year isn't a good thing.  i am all for something that a person can use as a 'line in the sand' to help them make positive changes.   hey, i know that i need the reminders that i need to keep improving.  

so, this year i am making a list of things that i would like to accomplish for myself.   it really is kinda like a  continuation of my bucket list.   yes, i have a bucket list.   just something to help me keep a big picture of what i want to do and the person i want to become.

and, they say when you make a document like this public, it becomes more difficult to conveniently forget about your goals, resolution, or whatever you call it.

so, with no further ado, the 2012 Flynn List:

1. SixSigma Black Belt certification
2. Buffalo 1/2 Marathon
3. Complete 1 advanced speech manual for Toastmasters 
4. Hockey Hall of Fame
5. Baseball Hall of Fame
6. Niagara Falls
7. Visit at least 2 'new' cities
8. No more 'benders'
9. Improve the quality of my communications with my friends 

the list seems pretty simple, huh?  some of the items have been on my bucket list already, but this seems like a great time to make it happen.   i think the important part to any type of list like this is to balance items that are fun with those that will make you grow as a person.   sure, it is great to go to places and have fun, but if you are unhappy in your soul then what is the point?   hey, i am all for being unhappy at times, it truly is from this point that we grow as a person.  i do speak from experience.

so, what is my little bit of departing wisdom?

easy.  figure out what you want to accomplish or at least something you want to work toward.  write it down.  tell somebody.  be accountable.  be willing to try and maybe even fail.  be realistic.  be honest. be vulnerable.  be you.  and, if you don't want to be you than work on becoming the 'you' you want.

-tffjr