Friday 21 April 2006

Liz's Cat


A friend of mine asked me if I could post a picture of her cat on the web. So here it is.. Liz Garland's cat...

Liz's Cat


A friend of mine asked me if I could post a picture of her cat on the web. So here it is.. Liz Garland's cat...

Motivational Sayings - God Says "You Must Make Your Way".

Motivational Sayings - God Says "You Must Make Your Way".

Wednesday 19 April 2006

How to avoid office politics.

Saw this blog article today and thought it was good. It comes courtesy of the Slacker Manager blog.

How to avoid office politics

By Bren on work life

Considering the source, you may just want to skip right past this post, since I’ve only paid attention to political maneuverings long enough to learn how to avoid them. I’m not much of a political player at work. A few years (and positions) ago, an older colleague of mine was regularly berating me (in a caring way) for not paying attention to the political process at work. I just didn’t have the stomach for it. Still don’t. Sometimes to my detriment, actually. But I’m cool with that–at least I can sleep at night. And I mean that literally. The craziest stuff will keep me awake, so staying non-political, at the very least, is a surefire way to ensure better sleep. I assume that folks who are political at work also sleep well…they just have a higher craziness tolerance than me.

The why
The primary reason that I stay apolitical is that it takes up too much space and time, and I’ve already got enough things to worry about. Plus, I don’t get the sense that being political would appreciably contribute to my overall efficiency or productivity. So I stay out of it.

The how
This is both simple and sublime. I strive to just be me. Here’s how, deconstructed and in no particular order:

·       Wear no mask. By “mask” I mean those identities that we assume in order to fit in better, feel more comfortable in a situation, or get people to loosen up around us. I don’t do it. Some folks think it’s a good idea to change like a chameleon to suit the situation. I think that’s a recipe for disaster. I try to be me, all the time. The guy that walks into your office is the same guy that walks into your colleague or boss’s office. One face, no mask.

·       Be transparent. Not invisible, just without guise. All my agendas are clearly visible. You want to know what I think? I’ll tell you. The words I say might make one or both of us uncomfortable, but I’ll do my best to soften them without diluting their truth.

·       Flex and bend. Rigidity is a sign of rigor mortis. I strive to be flexible and willing to hear opposing points of view. Defending a lame position for any reason is, well, lame. I don’t assume I’m the smartest person in the room, and I generally take the opinions of others at face value (this is where being apolitical can be painful, but only in the short term).

·       Listen to ‘em. This helps with the flex and it helps with the ‘no mask’ thing. Learning to really listen is dangerous to my status quo. Truly listening means I’m extending myself beyond my own boundaries, at my risk and for the benefit of the other. It’s hard to do if you’re unwilling to be transformed.

·       Park the ego. This is a difficult one (and probably is for everyone), but it’s essential for me. When my ego gets wrapped up in the work, it’s too easy to start defending those lame positions mentioned earlier.

·       Forget the empire. I don’t want to be an empire builder. I’ve got my responsibilities and I attend to them. If I acquire an empire, I’ll probably never notice.

·       No gossip. I fail too often at this one. Gossip is talking about stuff that you haven’t confirmed as true. Unfortunately I slip into gossip mode too often, and I think it’s because I’m so willing to talk things out. Though censorship is a sign of politics, ironically a little greater control over the internal censor is probably well advised.

·       Focus on it. What’s the business issue at hand? Focus on it. Straight outta Druckerland. The key is to be sure I’m not being myopic about the issue I’m focusing on. Sometimes the issue is broader than my current focus.

·       Apologize later. As opposed to asking permission first. This is really just a corollary, but the willingness to act first instead of asking permission sometimes helps me avoid other people’s political quagmires.    

How to avoid office politics.

Saw this blog article today and thought it was good. It comes courtesy of the Slacker Manager blog.

How to avoid office politics

By Bren on work life

Considering the source, you may just want to skip right past this post, since I’ve only paid attention to political maneuverings long enough to learn how to avoid them. I’m not much of a political player at work. A few years (and positions) ago, an older colleague of mine was regularly berating me (in a caring way) for not paying attention to the political process at work. I just didn’t have the stomach for it. Still don’t. Sometimes to my detriment, actually. But I’m cool with that–at least I can sleep at night. And I mean that literally. The craziest stuff will keep me awake, so staying non-political, at the very least, is a surefire way to ensure better sleep. I assume that folks who are political at work also sleep well…they just have a higher craziness tolerance than me.

The why
The primary reason that I stay apolitical is that it takes up too much space and time, and I’ve already got enough things to worry about. Plus, I don’t get the sense that being political would appreciably contribute to my overall efficiency or productivity. So I stay out of it.

The how
This is both simple and sublime. I strive to just be me. Here’s how, deconstructed and in no particular order:

·       Wear no mask. By “mask” I mean those identities that we assume in order to fit in better, feel more comfortable in a situation, or get people to loosen up around us. I don’t do it. Some folks think it’s a good idea to change like a chameleon to suit the situation. I think that’s a recipe for disaster. I try to be me, all the time. The guy that walks into your office is the same guy that walks into your colleague or boss’s office. One face, no mask.

·       Be transparent. Not invisible, just without guise. All my agendas are clearly visible. You want to know what I think? I’ll tell you. The words I say might make one or both of us uncomfortable, but I’ll do my best to soften them without diluting their truth.

·       Flex and bend. Rigidity is a sign of rigor mortis. I strive to be flexible and willing to hear opposing points of view. Defending a lame position for any reason is, well, lame. I don’t assume I’m the smartest person in the room, and I generally take the opinions of others at face value (this is where being apolitical can be painful, but only in the short term).

·       Listen to ‘em. This helps with the flex and it helps with the ‘no mask’ thing. Learning to really listen is dangerous to my status quo. Truly listening means I’m extending myself beyond my own boundaries, at my risk and for the benefit of the other. It’s hard to do if you’re unwilling to be transformed.

·       Park the ego. This is a difficult one (and probably is for everyone), but it’s essential for me. When my ego gets wrapped up in the work, it’s too easy to start defending those lame positions mentioned earlier.

·       Forget the empire. I don’t want to be an empire builder. I’ve got my responsibilities and I attend to them. If I acquire an empire, I’ll probably never notice.

·       No gossip. I fail too often at this one. Gossip is talking about stuff that you haven’t confirmed as true. Unfortunately I slip into gossip mode too often, and I think it’s because I’m so willing to talk things out. Though censorship is a sign of politics, ironically a little greater control over the internal censor is probably well advised.

·       Focus on it. What’s the business issue at hand? Focus on it. Straight outta Druckerland. The key is to be sure I’m not being myopic about the issue I’m focusing on. Sometimes the issue is broader than my current focus.

·       Apologize later. As opposed to asking permission first. This is really just a corollary, but the willingness to act first instead of asking permission sometimes helps me avoid other people’s political quagmires.    

Motivational Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Tuesday 18 April 2006

Morrie Revisted ....

I recently re-read Tuesdays With Morrie. Some people think that the story - although true - is a little soppy. Or at least people think the message Morrie was trying to convey is soppy.

Well I think his wisdom is worth hearing and here are some of the aphorisms and advice he left us with ..

"A meaningful life will not be found in the next job or the next car. The way you get meaning in your life is to devote yourself to helping others and creating something that gives you purpose."

"The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn't work, don't buy it."

"Everyone knows they're going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently."

"Do what the Buddhists do. Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, 'Is today the day [that I will die]? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?"

"Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live."

"In this culture it's so important to find a loving relationship with someone because so much of the culture does not give you that. But the poor kids today, either they're too selfish to take part in a real loving relationship, or they rush into marriage and then six months later, they get divorced. They don't know what they want in a partner. They don't know who they are themselves--so how can they know who they're marrying?"

"I decided what I wanted on my tombstone...A teacher to the last..."

"So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they are busy doing things they think are important. This is because they are chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."

"Forgive yourself before you die. Then forgive others."

"... I embrace aging… It's very simple. As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed at twenty-two, you'd always be as ignorant as you were at twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It's growth. It's more than the negative that you're going to die, it's also the positive that you understand you're going to die, and that you live a better life because of it. "

"...There are a few rules I know to be true about love and marriage: If you don't respect the other person, you're gonna have a lot of trouble. If you don't know how to compromise, you're gonna have a lot of trouble. If you can't talk openly about what goes on between you, you're gonna have a lot of trouble. And if you don't have a common set of values in life, you're gonna have a lot of trouble."

"Death ends a life, not a relationship."

Morrie Revisted ....

I recently re-read Tuesdays With Morrie. Some people think that the story - although true - is a little soppy. Or at least people think the message Morrie was trying to convey is soppy.

Well I think his wisdom is worth hearing and here are some of the aphorisms and advice he left us with ..

"A meaningful life will not be found in the next job or the next car. The way you get meaning in your life is to devote yourself to helping others and creating something that gives you purpose."

"The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn't work, don't buy it."

"Everyone knows they're going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently."

"Do what the Buddhists do. Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, 'Is today the day [that I will die]? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?"

"Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live."

"In this culture it's so important to find a loving relationship with someone because so much of the culture does not give you that. But the poor kids today, either they're too selfish to take part in a real loving relationship, or they rush into marriage and then six months later, they get divorced. They don't know what they want in a partner. They don't know who they are themselves--so how can they know who they're marrying?"

"I decided what I wanted on my tombstone...A teacher to the last..."

"So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they are busy doing things they think are important. This is because they are chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."

"Forgive yourself before you die. Then forgive others."

"... I embrace aging… It's very simple. As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed at twenty-two, you'd always be as ignorant as you were at twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It's growth. It's more than the negative that you're going to die, it's also the positive that you understand you're going to die, and that you live a better life because of it. "

"...There are a few rules I know to be true about love and marriage: If you don't respect the other person, you're gonna have a lot of trouble. If you don't know how to compromise, you're gonna have a lot of trouble. If you can't talk openly about what goes on between you, you're gonna have a lot of trouble. And if you don't have a common set of values in life, you're gonna have a lot of trouble."

"Death ends a life, not a relationship."

Positive Sayings for Life

Positive Sayings for Life

Friday 7 April 2006

The Way We Are ....

My wife and I will be gabbering on about how it is to be either Northern Irish, or from Northern Ireland or Ireland or whatever ... Basically its about National Identity... Its presented by Gerry Anderson and its on the radio tomorrow at 11.30am on BBC Radio Ulster ....

A.

The Way We Are ....

My wife and I will be gabbering on about how it is to be either Northern Irish, or from Northern Ireland or Ireland or whatever ... Basically its about National Identity... Its presented by Gerry Anderson and its on the radio tomorrow at 11.30am on BBC Radio Ulster ....

A.

Inspirational Messages by Lord Krishna

Inspirational Messages by Lord Krishna

Monday 3 April 2006

The Flying of Kites ...

.. is in today's Belfast Telegraph ...

A.

The Flying of Kites ...

.. is in today's Belfast Telegraph ...

A.

The Way We Are

We, as in my good wife and myself, will be on the radio on Saturdays April 8th and 15th. The show is called The Way We are and will be broadcast on Radio Ulster between 11.30 and 12.00.

I also found out that my story "The Flying of Kites" will be printed in the Belfast Telehraph next week. So lots of positive things happening on the media front :) .

The Way We Are

We, as in my good wife and myself, will be on the radio on Saturdays April 8th and 15th. The show is called The Way We are and will be broadcast on Radio Ulster between 11.30 and 12.00.

I also found out that my story "The Flying of Kites" will be printed in the Belfast Telehraph next week. So lots of positive things happening on the media front :) .