Postcards From Myself

Yes, I know. That is the title of Barack Obama’s most recent book. I have just started reading it and I must tell you that it is quite good. Even if you don’t agree with all of his opinions, which mostly I do, it is very good to read someone who cares so much about the country, its people, and its government. To that end, I thought I would post some links to political sites I have been visiting recently that have proved quite interesting.

The first two are simply the sites of the two top running Democratic candidates:

Barack Obama - a good site with lots of resources and information.

Hillary Clinton - again, the homesite of the campaign. And you can even get a free bumper sticker.

Second, a site that can help you figure out who stands for what and who best matches your viewpoints. This site has great charts of the issues and also a questionnaire that will match your answers to the candidates.

On The Issues - there are some pop-ups, but the site is worth it. Just make sure your pop-up blocker is on.

Finally, because of my leaning towards Obama, I wanted to point you to a personal blog for the Obama campaign. This would be the Positively Obama blog. The person who runs it, Terry, posts some very insightful information on not only Barack Obama but also the campaign in general. Plus, as an added bonus, if you are a supporter and share why you can get a free bumper sticker.

I am a great one for giving advice. Some might even say that I have a habit of telling people what to do - whether they want to know or not. But you know who my most difficult customer is? Yup, me.

Two example that hit me within the past day have to do with this blog and another project I am working on. The one with this blog is a no brainer. One of my favorite moments in literature is when Alice, of Alice in Wonderland, asks the Cheshire Cat which way she should go. He asks her where she is trying to get to. When she replies that she really doesn’t know, then he tells her that “it really doesn’t matter which way you go then, does it?”

How true that is of me and this blog. The one thing I am missing is a mission statement - or simply a goal statement. How do I know if I am achieving my purpose or not if I don’t know what that purpose is.  Figured that one out today. A real “DUH!” moment. Sorry.

The second one has  to do with another project I am trying to get off the ground. On my to-do list has been this line “Work on X project”. I can’t seem to ever get it done either. Well no wonder! What does “Work on” mean anyway? Complete the entire thing? Too big, and what is the entire thing. It is just really a stupid thing to put on a list. Kind of like “fix car” or “learn the guitar” or “establish world peace”. It simply isn’t going to happen.

What is on my list now? A line that says “Establish rough draft of project plan for X project”. Ok, now that one I can do. And then from that project plan, I can create a better plan with timelines and details. And those individual items, the kind that are doable, will then go on the list. Makes all the world of sense right? Define the project in terms of small, manageable tasks. So if it made so much sense, why didn’t I do it before.

Sometimes I think that I am such a dense client that I ought to charge myself more!

OK, I normally don’t post about this stuff, but this is stuck in my chest and making it hard for me to breath. Yes, I also know that I need to calm down, cut out the caffeine, and take things a little easier.

Anyway, why do people keep harping on the same thing they have already gotten an answer to. This is especially true about subjects that you can do nothing about!

Case in point. Last week we had an upswing in spam out my office. Nothing huge mind you, but people started getting maybe 10 a day instead of 5. I call that great! But, of course, since there were “offensive” words in the spam people got all bent out of shape. But, this is also just a general upswing. I checked with providers and other sources and found out that many places were experiencing this, that the spam filter guys are reacting, and that it should cycle back down soon. Fine. Good. So, I let everyone at work know this. I sent out an email detailing all of this.

Just as an FYI, we use a triple approach to filtering. First, all of our emails pass through anti-virus and spam filtering via TrendMicro’s products. Second, once to our main mail server, we use a product from Sunbelt Software called “Ninja” to provide additional spam filtering and allow the user to control whitelists and blacklists. Finally, on the desktop, most people are using Outlook or Entourage which has an additional junk mail filter. This can be  pain to maintain, but we get approximately 10,000 emails per day. This system reliable cuts that down to about 1,000. Yes, 90% are junk. Of the 1,000 that then get through, maybe five to ten percent of those are still junk - but they are the hard one. Usually catalogs, mailing lists, and such.

So what do I get today? Four days later? An email from one of the same people ask why spam is still high. They still have increase in spam and, horrors, some of the emails that used to be ok are no going into quarantine. So, let me get this straight, we have experienced a 50% increase in spam over the last week, so you are getting more. But also the spam filters are being more aggressive to get rid of it, and that is inconveniencing you too! Arrggg!!!

And yes, I know I need to be sympathetic. But I also have a hard time being really upset by someone getting ten extra emails per day. Truthfully, is that such a huge thing compared to everything else that is going on?

Until someone invents a total telapathic spam filter; and people quit using their work emails to register for on-line shopping, emails, and contests; and until we stop publishing corporate email addresses on our website, it isn’t going to get much better. And I am getting very tired of repeating this over and over again. I have real work that needs to get done.

OK, rant over. I think I feel better. Sorry if this offended anyone.

So my daughter see today that I have a website and she asks why. I told her that it is for posting ideas, insights, news, photos, and things like that which people might be interested in. “OK”, she says, “but do people talk to you on it?” She pressed the question. So I had to admit, no, they really don’t. I don’t get many comments. Then came the real question, “so why do you do it?”

That hurt. Why do I keep writing and posting when I don’t get a lot of feedback. Well, I do know that people read my sites because I see the traffic reports. The hits tell me people are visiting if even for just a short time. But, what about the no feedback? No comments? Well, I do get the occasional comment. I every once in a while I get an email. But more importantly I get to get these ideas out of my system. Writing them down here is simply cathartic. By getting them out of my system I think I feel better and, in general, less cluttered.

So, if you would like to leave a comment, I would appreciate it. But if you chose not to I will understand. And I will keep writing and posting. Oh, and in answer to her other question, no, I would not prefer to used MySpace. Even though I do have an account there.

Last week I had to go to a work conference, horrible life, up in the mountains of North Carolina. We stayed at The Grove Park Inn in Asheville, and enjoyed all the amenities they had to offer. One of the things we did, when I wasn’t berating vice presidents of telecommunications companies, was to drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway to visit Mount Mitchell. This is a beautiful place and even in the heat of the summer where Charleston was around 100 degrees and Asheville was around 93, up near the summit of Mount Mitchell the temperature was in the mid-60s. For those of us from the hot and humid low country, it almost called for a sweater.

I took a bunch of pictures with my new camera, and some of them even came out. Obviously I have a lot more work to do just to become even basically proficient with my new Nikon D40x, but I did have a good time. and for your viewing pleasure or horror I have posted some of those pictures to my gallery. Just check them out by clicking on the above thumbnail or here.

Also in that gallery are pictures I took at the antique auto museum that sits behind the Grove Park Inn. It is an interesting small museum with, unfortunately for me, only on MG. But there are some very nice example of early American big iron. Additionally there are a few pictures from the crafts museum that sits next to the car museum. Pictures of the grounds are also there.

Finally, take a close look at the very first pictures. Our education system at work! This was on the sign of a Holiday Inn across the street from the Fairfield Inn where we stayed on our way up. It was the Airport / Arden exit before Asheville. We were being cheap on our own money before spending the company money for the real business nights of the stay.