Green Parrot

Last yesterday afternoon Twitter, at least here in Portland, heated up with the urgent announcement for people west of the Willamette to boil their water for a minute because E. Coli was found in a random test of a water reservoir.

The Mayor’s tweet;

I guess that story about whether or not to let those who guard those reservoir’s to carry a gun will be put on the shelf.

As I watched the stream the word value was in my head.

At least, it appears the Mayor is trying to take advantage of a tool that makes communication easy, quick and effective. Yet so many just don’t understand the potential impact of this easy tool. The value. Did we even know that water had a Twitter account?

Now I’m the first one to say that everyone needs a break. Everyone should take a vacation and you should walk away from your desk at least once a day for more than a bathroom break. But Carri’s point is right on.

Do you hear the world value a lot? How often have you heard it at work? Maybe you don’t? How often do all of us fall short of bringing to the table and showing up with value?

How do we define value? Here is the Dictionary.com. Good thing is a substantial definition and covers not only, meaning and a monetary concept. It speaks to music and light.

For me the issue is that with value comes, accountability and responsibility. And who has time to be responsible and accountable to everyone they tell they will do something for? No really! Companies talk about value, the value-add of this, and the value we bring to our customer’s. And very often companies staff their departments so inadequately that they can’t actually deliver true value. That value they so eloquently spoke of to convince you to choose them.

I think the reality, it’s one of those words that get’s overused and at the same time underused. In other words, talked about in every staff meeting, conference and un-conference but never actually realized, lot’s of talk, no action.

I grabbed a few lines from some old work documents.

We seek customer relationships that share common values and where true, long-term partnerships are valued and nurtured.

provides the following “value-added” services as part of our offering.

Adding Value to Our Solutions
Adding Significant Value through Focused Savings

Together, we gain a clear, common understanding of the process and the value in completing each step.

And the big one!

A Strategic Value Add

All I can say; say what you mean and mean what you say. Be real. Pay attention and be present. Don’t forget what you say and what you do can have an impact on other’s. Like I tell my little friend, “Think about it, would you like it if your brother did that to you?” When she says, “No.” Then I say, “Then let’s not do that again.”

Now she is four so she is just learning. But hopefully she will start to understand consequences and the idea that things we do and say have consequences. And will take that into her adulthood. Sometimes they are happy, fun rewarding consequences. Other times they can have a negative impact.

Just pay attention! Awareness can be enlightening. And consider what the value of value is. What is it worth to you or you and your organization.

A few weeks ago I got an email from Carl. I don’t know Carl. But he had been reading my blog and asked if I would share a link to his site on my blog.

I’m always a bit embarrassed when this happens. I’m happy to include great blogs on my blog roll! But to include mine on his? It’s so random and hasn’t really taken shape yet, in my opinion.

I guess I’d like to think that only a couple people even know that I do this and only a couple people actually read it, like my Mom and Tiny Elvis Girl. Even more than that, that it’s not something that people can find.

Carl does have an interesting site called, Smart Unemployment . The site has some great stuff on it. Things like unemployment eligibility, career resources, COBRA: Everything You Need to Know, information that can be really helpful!

Oh, the title of this post. I cut and pasted that directly from a job posting on LinkedIn. This is a HUGE pet peeve with me.

I realize that people are busy. I realize that for every job there are most likely hundreds of applicants. I realize that companies don’t often staff adequately so that recruiters or hiring manager can really do their jobs. But this says more to me. More than just I’m too busy to truly engage the applicant pool that might be interested in working for the company I work for. Resumes are words, but to hear some ones voice and to talk with them has value beyond the gold star your applicant tracking system give someone.

I have been in one form or another a recruiter for more than 15 years. I have worked to fill jobs with 4 applicants and 400 applicants. The best applicants that I have come to know and place in positions are the ones who reached out to me or contacted me directly.

I am unemployed. I think I’ve written that here already. I’ve applied to several jobs. I have tapped and tap my network at every opportunity when applying to positions. At the advice of or encouragement of another recruiter or individual I have reached out via direct email or phone to people who are doing the hiring. No response?

Carl has a lot of great, helpful information on his site. All just for the taking. I don’t know this for a fact, but I’d be willing to bet he never wrote at the bottom of a job posting, DO NOT CONTACT ME DIRECTLY – I WILL NOT RESPOND

Thanks Carl!

The Mayor sent out a link the other day via Twitter about a service in NYC called, NYC Business Express.

“NYC Business Express is offered to assist you with obtaining general license, permit, tax, incentive, and other useful information online. NYC Business Express will be adding additional sectors and functionality over the next year; while it is being developed, information contained on this website may not be comprehensive, and service disruptions may occur.

The City has made every effort to provide accurate and timely information on this website, however, the applicability and comprehensiveness of the information is dependent on the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the information you provide. In addition, NYC Business Express does not provide a comprehensive source of all information needed to start and run a business, nor does it provide comprehensive information regarding typical State or Federal requirements.”

He tweets,

“This is the kind of online small business up support/info in NYC we are working to provide in Portland:”

First response,

“I’m not convinced this is a great model, it’s almost too simplistic. Requires me to categorize my biz before I get content.”

As I am pondering this and thinking about the conversation I have been apart of directly and indirectly for about 8 years. I click a link in a tweet from HarvardBiz that take me to an article about, “What Alienates Top Performers”.

On the surface this appears to be two different conversations. Two conversations I have been apart of for more that a few years. I’ve been known to say, on more than one occasions, I ‘m done talking. Right now I think I am listening more than talking. Let the kids have the conversation.

Before I read the article I skim for a few things and see these words in bold that indicate new paragraphs.

1. Dropped balls.
2. Ignoring tough questions.
3. Lopsided reliance on data over judgment.
4. Unease with leadership skills in the ranks.

Ok, so maybe not so different? A few months back I saw a bumper sticker that stopped me cold.

Keep Portland Passive Aggressive

Yes just a bumper sticker, but the fact that someone took the time to make them worries me. This is the problem, in my humble opinion. I have made too many calls sent too many emails about mildly important things. And will receive no response. Portland is too passive aggressive. And there is an unusual fear of collaboration.

Maybe it’s because it’s a small town by real standards. And there are a ton of business/companies here that have less than 50. In 2006 the PDC reported that Oregon had 95.494 small businesses 44,427 of those had less than 50 employees. So what does that say about competition?

The thing is. I’ve seen a lot of the talent here in Portland. I know a lot of the talent. And while I will say that there is competition. If the talent focused there attention to companies and organizations that matched their talent instead of complaining that they can’t get into the coveted place A, B, N or W or K for that matter.

Now this will sound like I am shooting down someone’s dreams. I work very hard to not to that so as to keep them on track to actually, maybe someday see them walk in that door they dreamed of. But all to often they are busting their hump and setting themselves up for either disappointment or burn out. Mostly burn out just trying the get anyone at any of these companies to return a call or an email for a simple conversation.

Talent is talent. It comes in all kinds of esthetics. Some more sophisticated than the other. If you are good, you have a certain level of confidence in what you do. But that may inflate a bit where you should actually be. The analogy I’ve used before is this; there are only so many spots open in the NBA. Not everyone gets to play.

It is the very same for the creative. You might be good, but are you NBA good? What do you do well and how does that fit into where you want to go? Be clear about what you do. All to often in tough economic times people scramble and try to be everything. Find what you do best and do it. You will be happier!

So,

1. Don’t drop the balls and only juggle what you can.
2. If you don’t know the answer to the tough question, say you don’t but you will find the answer.
3. Data is one thing, but if you don’t use your best judgment to manage the relationship you won’t need to worry about data.
4. Realize that no one knows anything really. And collaboration can make your life less complicated.

Excellent question. Is there an answer?

So charges hit my account today. Getting the card canceled with in minutes of the theft just wasn’t fast enough….

If I sell my car that could come in handy … if I had actually been the one to buy Tri-Met passes.

8.27 ~ credit union credited the $49.50! Thank you!!

About 2 months ago I was at the grocery store, Fred Meyer’s. I found a wad of cash on the floor. I picked it up and walked directly to the front of the store to the customer service desk. While I waited my turn I counted, $96.

It’s my turn and I say, I found this on the floor back by the milk. She counts it, $96. Plugs in a bunch of number’s and codes into the register and hands me a receipt. If it’s still here in 30 day’s it’s yours she says. Wow, cool! Any day an extra $96 is cool, but I’m unemployed.

Almost 30 days pass. I think there are two more days. I’m there so I figure I’ll just check. Yep, someone claimed it almost immediately after I turned it in.

Today I went to WinCo. I’ll just say the crowd at WinCo, usually looks a bit different than the Freddies crowd and certainly the New Seasons shoppers. But they have the same stuff and it’s cheaper…still unemployed.

I grab a few things, check out, get a bit of cash and bag my goods. You bag your own at WinCo. I must not have gotten my little wallet into my pocket so when I got to the car I noticed it gone. I quickly checked the bags, the inside of the car, shopping cart, the bags and trace my steps back into the check-out line I left.

I ask the woman, of anyone turned in a small black wallet. In the last…10 minutes…that’s all the longer I was gone really. No, did you check customer service? In line … wait … wait … did anyone turn in a wallet? No. Back outside to check bags and car again. Back inside, no wallet. I give them my name and number.

That was about 4 hours ago now.

Debit card gone and canceled,
Driver’s license gone, new one tomorrow $30
Insurance card gone,
Nordstrom gift card gone $50.
Visa gift card gone $50,
Starbucks Gold card canceled and transferred to a new card,
Eight or so stamps gone,
$20 cash gone,
cute little wallet,
Police report filed.

I’m still glad I turned in that $96.

Sometimes you try to do just the best that you can. Sometimes you just do what you think is best. Sometimes you give a bit too much. You attempt a balance. And then you realize that the world is full of … of … well, PEOPLE! And one person of no significance is a straw that breaks or weakens the camel’s back.

Yes, I know. I “let” them get me. I think maybe if I had an agenda, things would be different. But I don’t have that kind of drive. These “people”, these character’s that surround me. These people that test my resolve, my contribution …

I just want to walk away!

I think I’m caught in the middle of this place. I live in Oregon, the most passive aggressive place on the planet. Sorry, but its’ true. Besides, around here…who’s going to challenge that? Really?

I was born in Missouri, and I’ve traveled to almost every state. So I think that travel has created within me a balance of the passive and the aggressive. I would not say that I am aggressive at all. God I hope not. If you think I am, tell me and I’ll fix that right away. But I’m not passive either. Life is a bit too short, actually. There is nothing wrong with a straight yes or no.

It is an odd place to be. Kind of in this place that could be a world of options open and ready for me. And everyone passively thinking about maybe responding to my interests in these options.

Then again, the options seem slim to none. I think more than anything, the problem is I’m not interested in the options. I like a lot of things that I have done. I have some well-crafted skills and experience. But none of them are strong enough to move me into something new. Or even where I’ve been for that matter? I know, strange huh?

I would be remiss if I said that anything about what I’ve done or what I think I can do holds any interest at all for me. I said in a previous post that I do nothing better than anyone I think I know. I know that some people don’t believe me when I say that or they say, you would be board to tears. Boredom doesn’t bring me to tears.

In the truest since of the word I have done ‘nothing’ for the last 10 months. At least in my opinion, what most people would qualify as nothing. I’ve read, updated Twitter and Facebook, read about Twitter and Facebook. Watched the news, listened to music, gone to coffee shops and attempted to write. Or finish that novel I started last November. Drop out of the social media scene temporarily and wrote more. (Dropping again by the way! PEOPLE!) I’ve been in a couple of classes at PSU, a few Friday’s here and there. Social Media Club meetups, AIGA events, cleaned out some closets, storage and dumped a bunch of stuff at charities.

So that seems really not like nothing, but in my 48 year old brain, I haven’t done anything because I don’t have a paying job. And more than anything if I could figure out a way to swing it, I would not have a job. I would continue to do just what I have been doing. But no one is going to pay me to do nothing.

All this stuff I’ve done, I’ve done on my own time, my own schedule. No one has said, I need this now or I need this, period. Or what have you done this week? What are your numbers? What’s your plan for next week? …nothing.

Being unemployed means you have 40 extra hours a week to fill with something.  I have a lot of free time.  Problem is, I like it.  I do “nothing” better than anyone I know.  Mainly because I can do “nothing” for a very long time and love every minute of it!  Besides, you can only job search so many hours a day.  And networking is lunch, dinner or if you’re lucky just a drink!

I was laid off last September. I knew it was coming long before September. There’s no place in a box, with high walls and excel spread-sheet to fill out for a crazy right brainer like me.

Although I think that I do well in that world and have a nice balance. But I’m about relationships, the company I was with was about the transaction. Ca-Ching!

Since September I attempted to write a novel. Still working on that actually. I think the core of the story was too much about my life to keep me interested. I haven’t had a bad life, but it hasn’t been one big party after another either. And, I guess, you know I’ve heard it all before. I know how it played out, so no need to hash it all out again. Nothing will change from it. And I couldn’t spin it enough to make it interesting enough I guess to keep me.

I attempted a career shift, tried to become a social media…something? Not an expert. That takes 10,000 hours. Not a guru, for me that implies following. Even though that’s what Twitter is about, don’t really want people following me. Practitioner feels to medicinal. I put on LinkedIn Social Media Wrangler. I spent the last 10 months reading, exploring and deep diving into the social media space. I have a bunch of accounts.  Even have my own Poken, do you?  Some of those accounts are listed here. A lot of places to be huh?  My list of social media is a FRACTION of that.  But some days too many.  I’m still not as glued to it as I was.  Twitter was down day before yesterday.  That’s what I heard.  Didn’t even know it until later that night.

I belong to Social Media club. I Twitter and FB for PSU and set up my friend at Bonneville Spa. But you see, these “social media” spots are either in the marketing or communications departments. Crazy me thinking that I could get a job in communications? It’s so specialized. How dare I step outside my box! Right. Not in a box, never have been. But my past “title’s” are defining me and have me square in the middle of a box.  Maybe that’s why I’ve thrown so many away in the last couple of weeks while purging?

I started cleaning out closets and purging boxes and storage. After several trips to Goodwill, ARC and the Community Warehouse, I’ve gone from two full storage units to one almost full. I have a few things left to shred and recycle.  But have to wait for them to empty the big dumpster’s around the complex.  Seems I’m not the only one.

Got my car cleaned up to sell. Time to get off my ass. Besides, the $500 a month that I’ll save and the cash in the bank from the sale will make unemployment a bit manageable incase it’s a few more month before I do find work.

Now I’m going to attempt to do what I’ve wanted to have done since I moved into my condo. The kitchen cabinets have about 27 layers of paint on them. So many in fact that some of the doors don’t close for the paint on the hinges.

I’m actually hoping that I kind of get started, find a job and then can pay someone to finish it!

Although selling the car will allow me to hold off and not just take any job. Of course with unemployment if I get offered a job I have to take it. But no on is offering so I’m not worried about that.

I don’t however think I have the skill and ability to finish that cabinet job…

I’ve decided to close Seesmic, TweetDeck and not open Facebook for a while. I saw the light today, or at least for a few minutes it was shining really brightly!

Remember this guy? Insane?

As I write this it’s been about 3.5 hours (now 7:16:25:3) since I looked at or posted to Facebook or Tweeted. Funny, seems longer? HA! It is crack!! ☺

It was crazy to watch Twitter go into over-drive as the news about Michael Jackson came out. News had him dead, then in a coma, and dead again.

Someone tweeted that this will interrupt Twitter more than Iran. I thought, and what does that say? We deal with things that we think we can have some element of control of.

So I tweeted, “One, two. If two is true who is three.” You know the old saying death always comes in three’s. I had forgotten about Ed McMahon. So now there were three.

Many other’s died today I know. Mother’s, Father’s, Brother’s and Sisters. But those three get the news because they are news and now wall to wall coverage. I guess, I’m not watching. I am sure there will be a sea of flowers to film somewhere. A mass of humanity will be mourning someone they didn’t know. Some they listened to or saw in concert, but never really knew them. A song or an action might have made a difference in their life, but they didn’t know them. They knew just what the press told them, real or otherwise.

Then I see this random tweet that says that the actor Jeff Goldblum has died falling from a cliff while filming in New Zealand. The link took about 5 minutes to load. By then I had Googled Goldblum about 8 times with no results. This can’t be? I finally see the “developing story” from some news source in New Zealand, “details to come.” Then I see a tweet that says the Goldblum story is a hoax to drive business to a website.

The straw that broke my little twitterfacebookensocialmedialovin camels back.

I updated Facebook saying that I had seen a crazy tweet about another death, but would not say who until I was able to get some, any kind of confirmation. To which about 12 people quickly responded.

It was then I saw her and heard, “STOP THE INSANITY!” Remember her?

So when I got home about an hour ago (4 now). I closed Seesmic, Tweetdeck and closed Facebook windows. And didn’t answer any of the Facebook inquires into, who? Who? They’ve seen it or figured it out by now.

So I’m looking at OPB and listening to the iPod that’s on all the time anyway. And not looking at Twitter or Facebook. I have some pretty good tunes!

I thought this and thought it a weird thought, but Michael Jackson’s death pulls focus from the death of Farrah Fawcett. Which in my opinion is more relevant, more important because of her fight with cancer, our current healthcare situation, etc. This morning the news was about her, cancer, treatments, etc. Tonight;

We have this amazing tool to communicate with. Yet everyone is so desperate to be the one who is the first to say it (to give the appearance of where they are “in” the loop) that they forget they are part of a conversation, even driving a conversation that has consequences. Ones that can do more harm than good. O.k., “everyone” is big. I know very responsible Tweeter’s.

So I’m going to take a little break. Not for ever, just a while. You might see a post of an article that I find interesting, but I’m not going to log in to Twitter or Facebook for a while. I will look at LinkedIn and read email. I am after all looking for a job, so better keep an eye on that.

I think I’ll blog a bit more and maybe spend some time actually working on that book. I think Knod misses me. Now just what to do with him?

Rest in peace, Ed, Farrah, Michael, Serena, Sky …

Peace out tweeps!

I was twuising Twitter last night (6.24) and ran across this profile;

“Stay-at-home, work-from-home mom worried about my children’s future and bitterly clinging to God and my guns.” Great kids and guns always a good combo.

Then I saw this from her, “JUST IN! ABC to unveil new logo!” And attached to it was an odd image of President Obama with the earth as a third eye and squiggly lines wrapping around his face. She also tweeted, “Wonder how MSNBC is feeling tonight after kissing O’s butt for 2 years!! Your not the only state run media any longer…join the crowd!” Huh?

So somehow, news or an attempt at news is now a competition like American Idol or Dance your Fat Ass off. This kind of talk CHAPS me. Mostly because, hold on a second gotta get up on my high horse. This is such an ignorant, ridiculous simple-minded statement that it makes me wonder how this person even knows now to log into a site like Twitter.

I’d like my conservative friends who seem to be quiet lately to explain this stunningly idiotic comment to me. PLEASE!! Enlighten me I am begging you!

So it’s a bad thing for the President of the United States to be on the news, any news to talk about his agenda and answer questions from the people he works for? At this point in his Presidency wasn’t Bush already back at the ranch on vacation chasing Barney and clearing brush?

I also see tonight that Fox News identified Governor Sanford as a Democrat. They must have hired another intern. Seems like every time a finger wagging Republican gets caught with his pants down around his ankles wagging something else he becomes a Democrat.

I have a friend who tells the story of “amnesty night”. While growing up one night a year, usually Christmas eve, she an her brother’s where allowed to tell their parents anything that they had done during the year that would have gotten them in trouble if know when it happened, but not on amnesty night.

So I have an idea. Let’s have an Amnesty Week, or maybe a month to fit everyone in. For that amount of time, Minister’s, Preacher’s, Politicians, CEO’s, Financial Advisor’s, Teacher’s, Doctor’s, Police Chief’s, Librarian’s, Bus Driver’s, everyone get’s to come clean with adult sexual indiscretion, past drug usage, unpaid Nanny taxes, unpaid taxes … I’m sure there are a few more. Make a 24/7 news channel just for this. Advertiser can be, Viagra, KY Jelly, Legal Aid, Cialus, rehab and depression center’s and that guy that sells all the computer training on DVD. Line up new conference after news conference. Let’er rip! You know, one of those where everyone shows up and hooks their microphones to a box that feeds from one source. That way those poor conservative’s won’t think one network is getting special treatment.

Sidebar, if anyone knows Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R) in Texas. Please do us all a favor and walk the several articles and publications over to him that show or confirm Barack Obama’s birth. Since I don’t think there was a document unveiling for all to attend, and Randy has, “never seen him (Obama) produce documents that would say one way or another.” SOMEONE SHOW THIS TOOL, at least get World Net Daily in front of him, so he can move on.