Postcards From Myself

I will tell you, I am impressed. There has been a lot of signing this last week. Now some will say that a lot of what President Barack Obama has done this first week is all show, but I entirely disagree. And some will not like some of the things he has signed, such as the closing of Guantanamo, but again I disagree. I cannot remember a president who has taken such strides within his first week of taking office.

This nation, and in fact the world, needs to see clear and decisive signs that there is change. The change that was promised in the election and the change that will refuel our economy, our spirit, and our reputation. Every thing that President Obama has done so far goes directly to those goals. From unequivocally outlawing torture to pushing through the economic stimulus plans, these are things that should not involve waffling or debate. We know how we, the US people, feel about these things and they should be acted on promptly.

I will also tell you this – I feel a change in people’s attitudes. Maybe it is just me or maybe I am just looking for it, but people seem to be encouraged even in this time of economic turmoil. There is a politeness and respect in the air that I haven’t seen since the days after 9/11. Someone suggested that this is also helped along by the good news from the Hudson River where all passengers walked away from that US Air flight. (A flight I have taken more than once, I might add.) But, whatever the reason, there is a welcome change in the air.

It is only the end of the first week though. There is still a long way to go. There are a lot of problems and a lot of hard decisions. Let’s hope we can all stick together, work hard, and put everyone back on the right track. The free bumper stickers, buttons and posters were great, but they will not get the work done. It is up to us, at the grass roots level to make sure that promises are kept and old school, good-old-boy politics does not creep in.

This hereby serves as my official notice – just in case you hadn’t already guessed – I am striking out on my own. Yes, I am leaving my current position and going into business for myself providing computer consulting, development, and instructional services. When I walk out of my office on November 7th, I will be walking into the full time (and more) world of Palmettobug Digital. Oh, and I will be spending the next few days painting and cleaning up the new home office.

There are many reasons for this, but the most important thing is that I am totally excited about the future again. I had gotten down in a lot of ways recently, but the old energy has returned and I am raring to go! I already have a number of clients lined up, including doing some work for my current employer, and I am developing ways to gather more. Every piece of this project – from the marketing to the actual work is engaging to me right now. I am actually finding it hard to go to bed and sleep because my mind keeps racing. Truthfully, I haven’t been this energized in years.

So, please wish me well and stay tuned. Also, please check out my site at Palmettobug.com and let me know what you think. It is a constantly evolving work in progress. And if you need any of the services I am offering, or know someone who does, I would love to hear from you!

And by the way, love this video!

The current financial problems both in the US and abroad have all sorts of media types coming out of the woodwork. Some are projecting doom and gloom while others are looking for people or parties to blame. But I am more interested in the articles I see on how to survive and even prosper during these hard times.

One of the main messages being put forth by the articles I read is that attitude will make or break you. If you are a pessimist and decide that things are going to be bad, then they will be. If you are an optimist, look at the bright side, and use that to find the niches and opportunities that work for you, then you can stay afloat.

This is not to say that you can be a happy go-lucky fool and just go about spending and goofing off. No, you still need to pay attention, be careful, and be serious about watching income and expenses. But, by having a positive attitude you will not only be able to see opportunities when they arise, but you will be more attractive to the people who put forth those opportunities. It is unusual circumstances that reward the unconventional thinkers.

You know, a good thing about rough times is that all the people who were just get-rich-quick schemers and opportunists have a tendency to go away. I was once told that one of the best thing about a really tough problem in a job is that it would eliminate those who didn’t know what they were doing and give the really good people a chance to shine. Well this is exactly the same thing with dedicating yourself to what you believe in during hard financial times. Believe me, that dedication and expertise will show, and this will help give you the opportunity to rise to the top.

So remember, the economic environment is the same for all of us, but you have the final say in how you deal with it – optimism or pessimism. The choice, and the result, is up to you.

I have been trying meditation, and tea, and walks, and about everything else I can think of. But do you want to know the truth? Well the truth is that I just really want to kill someone! There, I said it. Maybe that will make me feel better!

The problem is, and I am sure that a lot of you have the same problem, that there are lots of a-holes at work. Yup, amazing isn’t it. There are people at the office who just try to pass on blame, avoid responsibility, and simply seemed determined to screw other people up. Case in point – why would you wait until people involved on a project are out of town before you raise an issue. Oh, they aren’t responding while on vacation? Then immediately escalate, without letting them know, to the boss. The issue existed before anyone left, and people would be back the next day. This “escalator” chose that particular day to announce and push the problem specifically because there was no one there to offer a defense. It was a calculated action to get people into trouble. Really fosters a great team relationship doesn’t it?

Now here is the hard part. I am a firm believer in the fact that we are all dealt adversities in our life. What separates us and shows who we are is how we deal with those hardships. Yes, we all face jerks at work. What happens next is up to you and me. Do we turn into jerks in return? Or do we maintain our cool. So far I have been able to maintain my calm and not go back at this person. But when does that become just laying down and become a doormat? Since this person is a superior, there is only so much I can do without seeming out of line.

But like I said, I am going to burst soon. My blood pressure is up. My head hurts. And my face feels hot. And no, it isn’t just an isolated occurrence, and yes I am already on blood pressure medication. So other than killing someone, got any ideas? (And no, I am not seriously going to kill anyone.)

I have been off work for the holiday’s for the past ten days. Tomorrow I have to get up on what will be the coldest day of this winter so far and drag myself to the office. Pure and simple, I don’t wanna go. I like the people at my office, well most of them anyway, and my job is not a bad one on the scale of things, but would much rather be doing my writing, and blogging, and web work that do what I have to do.

Sad thing is though, I am in that trap that most of us create for ourselves. It is a trap of our own success. You work for years to do well at your job, become a valued member of the team, and to climb your way up the salary ladder. The problem comes when you realize that you would rather be on a different ladder. It is very hard to get from this spot to that spot while you are juggling balls high up in the air.

But, I am working on it. Between this a few other blogs, my British car site, and a two commercial sites, I would hope that I can make a go of it some time later this year. At the very least it gives me something to occupy my not-so-free-time and some very valuable experience with the “new marketplace”, social networking, and Internet advertising.

So basically that, and of course the normal fitness and weight-loss, is my New Year’s resolve. What is yours? What is your plan for the coming 2008? And, just as importantly, what drives you towards that goal?