Steve's 2 Cents

WGBH update - feedback reply

2009-11-24T05:43:00.001-05:00

I did send in feedback via the WGBH website and received this email in reply:

Dear Mr. Sherlock,

Operating a multi-format station like 89.7 is very challenging in today’s media environment. While many of our loyal supporters may understand our programming schedule and what genres air when, most other radio listeners follow single formats: talk radio, rock, oldies, etc. Sustaining the mixed format we’ve had in place on 89.7 has become financially difficult. We are confident that running a more focused service will help 89.7 grow and strengthen into the future.

We recognize that this is a disappointment to the followers of the folk and blues programs that will move off our air when the schedule changes on 89.7, and we value the comments you have shared with us. We are very proud of the many contributions that WGBH and our hosts have made to folk and blues in Boston and New England. The Boston audience for folk and blues will continue to be served by other stations, like WUMB 91.9FM Boston, WNEF 91.7FM Newburyport, WFPB 1170AM Orleans, WICN 90.5FM Worcester, WOMR 92.1FM Provincetown, New Hampshire Public Radio, WHRB 95.3FM, WZLX 100.7FM Boston and WUML 91.5FM Lowell, and elements of folk and blues will continue to be heard as part of our Celtic and jazz programming on 89.7.

We hope that you will find other programs and services of value on WGBH that are worthy of support.

Sincerely,

WGBH Member Development and Services

Produced in Boston — shared with the world.

So when the phone rang this evening (at dinner time) and it was WGBH calling for me to renew my support that I had done so well over the years, I was glad that she had my history right in front of her. It made my point all the more effective.

Sorry, but since you have changed your programing, I have therefore changed my support model. I'll go provide some financial support to stations that appreciate the folk market place.

She wanted to know if I had sent in my feedback, I let her know I had.

She wanted to know if I had received a response. Well, I really don't call that a response. It looks as some one cut and paste from the prior notification and didn't even bother to sign it. It could have been an automated reply.

I asked her to record my comments and refusal to contribute as due to the program change. She acknowledged she would.

Aneta Hall's recap on Web 2.0 Expo

2009-11-23T21:02:00.000-05:00

Lots of good info on the recent Web 2.0 Expo from Aneta Hall:

Web 2.0 Expo – 10 favorite presentations you want to share with your boss

job search notes: software to manage the search

2009-11-23T06:30:00.000-05:00

How do you manage your job search details? How do you track the list of contacts, the actions and scheduled followup items?

Do you use

a spreadsheet
pieces of paper
or are they organized in a binder?

How about considering a software tool?

I met JR Rodrigues when preparing for the LaidOff Camp. He has developed a simple program based upon contact management software that will manage your job search effort.

It offers a free trial version. There is nothing wrong with a free trial.

The full license version is only $29. A decent price point, relatively low cost for those currently looking for work.

I downloaded my free trial version and will start playing with it today. If you'd like your own copy, you can go here to download the free version.

Or you can wait until mine expires 12/3/09 and see if I decide to purchase the full version.

For more information JR's program, visit jobhuntepxress.com/

For more information on JR, you can find him on LinkedIn

Beyond the dream

2009-11-22T05:44:00.001-05:00

Carolina Correa is recently from Pawtucket, RI (where I grew up) who spent time at the Boys & Girls Club (although it was just the Boys Club in my days) and is now at Assumption College (my alma mater) and doing very well for herself. She was selected to be Youth of the Year!

Way to go, Carolina!

The video can be viewed here

She is promoting education because "without it you can not achieve your dream!"

Persistent woodpecker

2009-11-21T19:08:00.002-05:00

Yes, he is quite persistent. He is leaving the corner trim board of my house looking like Swiss cheese.

Persistant woodpecker leaving my house looking like Swiss cheese, originally uploaded by shersteve.

The one that came by this afternoon either was a red-bellied sapsucker or a hairy woodpecker. According to the bird guide I looked it, it looked to be the hairy woodpecker but the hole pattern seemed more like the red-bellied sapsucker.

Either way, they love that corner of the house. Apparently they get attracted y the buzzing in the power liens and mistake that for the insects that they think are hiding in the wood.

Quote Collection

2009-11-21T09:16:00.003-05:00

Picking up on Christopher S Penn's suggestion to include a quote page, I decided that it was a good idea. I have long collected quoted. I share good ones I find in my email signature at work. I haven't done that with Google Mail yet, but there is no reason not to.

This collection will grow as I relocate those I have here from my other source files.

This collection will also grow organically as I find new ones. I'll try to put the news ones on top to make it easier for you to check in and see what's been happening.

Here is my collection of quotes.

"The chances that you can top a trusted provider on the very thing the provider is trusted for are slim indeed. Instead, you gain converts by winning at something the existing provider didn't think was so important." -- Seth Godin

"Celebrate small victories often. Mourn failures quickly. Do what's necessary without fanfare." -- Chris Brogan

Our example to our children, to our families, and to the world around us is constant. The question is not whether or not anyone is watching, the question is what are they learning as they watch. -- Kirk Weisler

“A knowledge of truth is of little value unless we apply it by making right choices” -- Rebecca Weisler

“Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.” -- Benjamin Disraeli

"If a man empties his purse into his head, no one can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." -- Benjamin Franklin

"Always do right - this will gratify some and astonish the rest". -- Mark Twain

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." -- Helen Keller

''Think as you work--for in the final analysis, your worth to your company comes not only in solving problems, but also in anticipating them.'' -- Tom Lehrer

"I have always thought the actions of men the best interpreters of their thoughts." -- John Locke

"We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds." -- Aristotle Onassis

"There are only two things of importance. One is the customer, and the other is the product. If you take care of customers, they come back. If you take care of your product, it doesn't come back. It's just that simple. And it's just that difficult." -- Stanley Marcus

"What we can or cannot do, what we consider possible or impossible, is rarely a function of our true capability. It is more likely a function of our beliefs about who we are." -- Tony Robbins

"We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, with so little, for so long, we are now qualified to do anything, with nothing." -- Mother Teresa

"If you would taste truth and beauty and grace, you must reach for the fruit of a tree planted deep in the soil of irrational commitment." Roy H Williams

"One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others." -- Lewis Carol

“Words are living things for they are filled with the breath of life. Giving them the power to create or to destroy, to give life or to take it away.” -- Kate Maxwell Stephens

"The goal of life is to take everything that made you weird as a kid and get people to pay you money for it when you're older." -- David Freeman

"Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb." -- Sir Winston Churchill

"Faith is believing that one of two things might happen, she said, that there will be something solid for you to stand on or that you will be taught to fly." -- unknown

"It seems to me, she said, that we only really see something when we allow ourselves a different point of view." -- same unknown reference as above

"Everything in the universe is connected, of course. It's a matter of using imagination to discover the links, and language to expand and enliven them." -- Tom Robbins

"With computers, the answer is always yes or no. My job is to figure out how to ask the question." -- Andy Shook

"The thing is, we still live in a world that's filled with opportunity. In fact, we have more than an opportunity -- we have an obligation. An obligation to spend our time doing great things. To find ideas that matter and to share them. To push ourselves and the people around us to demonstrate gratitude, insight, and inspiration. To take risks and to make the world better by being amazing."-- Seth Godin

''They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.'' -- Benjamin Franklin

"You need to take a hold of your destiny, or someone else will." -- Author Unknown

"Cheerfulness at the workplace has nothing to do with function and everything to do with purpose. We get what we think." -- Author Unknown

5 for Friday

2009-11-20T06:19:00.000-05:00

1 - Peter Drucker would have celebrated his 100th birthday yesterday. This retrospective from the Economist looks back at his work and writings.

2 - Joanna Young has a book. Indeed all the best of her Confident Writing blog posts are now in a book format for reference. More information on the book and how to obtain your copy can be found here.

3 - For some serious photography, Chas Jarvis shows off how he put together his "ground control" device. Cool!

4 - Google has continued to expand their Sites product and now offers more templates.

5 - And finally my daughter Carolyn, studying abroad this semester just spent a weekend in Egypt and has an interesting tale to tell of her "Walk Like an Egyptian"

What good things did you find this week? Care to share? Add them in a comment.

job search notes: Incite Rides Again

2009-11-19T05:54:00.000-05:00

Mike Rothman comes to a realization, finally.

I was laid off from eIQ yesterday. I know it was a tough decision for the folks up there. Business decisions can be that way. I feel for them that they feel bad. They shouldn't.

Am I disappointed? Yes. But not for the reasons you'd think. I really enjoyed working with some members of the team, and I'll miss that. Some parts of the job were fun and interesting. I'll miss that too.

But most of the stuff I won't miss. At all.

As I was thinking back, it turns out the tenure of my last 3 vendor jobs has been exactly 15 months. I know, kind of strange, eh? Don't think they have an actuarial table to predict that. Yet this last experience has finally brought me to the realization that working for a vendor isn't the best use of my skills. Sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake.

Read the full posting here: via Security Incite Rants by Mike Rothman on 11/17/09

How long did it take you to come to a realization?

What do you do with left over frosting?

2009-11-19T05:44:00.000-05:00

Besides licking the spoon (cook's privilege).

A good use for left over frosting is to spread on graham crackers and make a sandwich of frosted grahams. The first day, the grahams are fresh and crunchy. The second day (after wrapping in plastic or a zip loc bag) the frosting has softened the graham and it becomes decadent.

Served with milk, it is very high on the scale of ultimate pleasures.

top of the morning to you!

2009-11-18T12:50:00.002-05:00

Clouds create a sunlight sandwich this morning. What's for lunch?

top of the morning to you! clouds create a sunlight sandwich. what's for lunch?, originally uploaded by shersteve.

Lunch was a slice of pizza and a Greek salad. Yes, a Greek salad. If you hadn't heard, I have it on a good source that to order a Greek salad in Greece, you actually have to order it that way. The normal salad is cucumber slices and tomatoes with vinegar and oil.

Hadn't heard that? You can read more from my daughter Carolyn's blog, Greek Life as she compiles her experience from a semester aboard.

Enjoy!

A different view today

2009-11-17T09:54:00.003-05:00

The sun is shining. Bring some shine to the folks you see. Smile!

A different view today. The sun is shining. Bring some shine to the folks you see, originally uploaded by shersteve.

job search notes: confidence, tweeting, keywords

2009-11-16T06:21:00.000-05:00

1 - Keeping up your confidence is a key to the successful job search effort.

Myers story echoes that of many other job seekers who have been shell-shocked by successful careers suddenly yanked out from under them, cut adrift in a flooded job market. The lack of confidence that comes from unsuccessful bids to find jobs starts to wear on their confidence.

“In the beginning of a layoff, there’s no reason to think that your skills won’t be transferable and you’ll find other opportunities,” says Leslie Sokol. “But when you begin knocking on doors and nothing happens, the confidence starts to turn to pessimism. We become more doubt-activated, and when that happens, then we’re really in trouble.”

Read the full article at Out of Work Chicago here

2 - You can now integrate your tweets into LinkedIn. Yup, they also just announced an app for that here. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. What is your message? Who are you targeting? If you think that the answers lie within LinkedIn then go ahead.

3 - More good advice from Marci Reynolds:

Regardless of the keywords and phrases for your desired position, you should present yourself in an authentic, honest manner. Choose the verbiage that best matches your unique and impressive qualifications, experience, training and education.

Read the full article from Marci here

And the rain comes down

2009-11-14T12:19:00.002-05:00

here in Franklin this Saturday!

And the rain comes down here in Franklin this Saturday!, originally uploaded by shersteve.

On other days, it has been observed going sideways.

Just hard and down today.

WGBH canceling folk? Say it ain't so!

2009-11-14T05:37:00.002-05:00

From Scott Alarik via Jake at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse:

As many of you know, WGBH will cancel its Saturday afternoon program, "Folk On WGBH" on December 1. This ends a historic commitment to American folk music on WGBH, that goes back to to the early 1970s. I want to urge you to contact WGBH, spread the word at your venues about this decision, and urge your audiences to contact them, too. WGBH needs to hear how much non-profit venues like yours depend on Folk on WGBH; how important folk radio is to the cultural life of this area; and how much it has meant that WGBH has always supported folk music.

People can contact Audience Services/ WGBH/ One Guest Street/ Boston, MA 02135, or e-mail WGBH through its website, WGBH.org. This is a time to make our voices heard.

Any frequent reader should recognize, I spend sometime most weekends with Folk on WGBH.

This move is likely to get me to reconsider my support for WGBH. Why send them some money if they don't provide a program I like to listen to?

Deja Brew - 6 kettles

2009-11-13T08:47:00.000-05:00

The crew gathered at Deja Brew for a night of brewing some fine beer. Six kettles this time with the following:

Deja Fest: Our newest O fest, nice and malty

McTartan’s Scotch Ale: McEwan’s Clone – Amber & slightly sweet, some smoke

Dean Park Pilsner: ACBBD – A smooth, refreshing light Pilsner

Llevar Porter: If you like Ravell , you’ll love this one. Vanilla accents

Hearty Christmas Ale: A hearty Ale, spicy, flavorful and inviting!

Queen Bee Lager: One honey of a lager. Smooth and easy, very light.

Here is the kettle with the Hearty Christmas Ale in progress.

More pictures later!

job search notes: Five for Friday!

2009-11-13T06:16:00.002-05:00

Don't be superstitious just because today is Friday the 13th. Check out these five links, learn and share with others.

Networking Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

from Spin Strategy - Blog by Tim Tyrell-Smith

Taking A Productive Day Off During Job Search

from Spin Strategy - Blog by Tim Tyrell-Smith

Seven Techniques to Make the Most of Any Conference

from Networking Insight by Jason Jacobsohn

Journalism: The Poetry of the '00s

from CommonWealth Unbound by Alison Lobron

Do’s and Don’ts Of LinkedIn Privacy Settings For Your Job Search

from (title unknown) by Marci Reynolds

And a bonus today for those interested in Franklin, jump on over to help celebrate the two year birthday of Franklin Matters!

And a special double bonus today, good friend of Fun, Bernie DeKoven has a great posting on how to have fun that came out of a post by Joanna Young at the Joyful Jubilant Learning blog.

job search notes: Try writing someone else's resume

2009-11-12T06:10:00.000-05:00

Stuck on your resume?
Feel that is doesn't really work for you?
Not sure what to modify to get the edge you need?

Try writing or rewriting someone else's resume. Stepping out of focus on your own will allow you to see the parts of the resume in a new light. To focus on the key words, the accomplishments told in a compelling manner.

When it is not your own words, your own background, you can step forward with a little more focus. When you have finished with theirs, hopefully you can step back to your own and look at it with a sense of detachment. And make good progress.

My monthly entry to the Joyful Jubilant Learning blog was on writing in a different format. Writing as if Shakespeare or Dostoevsky wrote. It is worth a read. You have my permission to click on over to read and review the article and the comments.

Have you tried writing a different format?
What did you learn?

Let's thank our veterans today!

2009-11-11T05:47:00.000-05:00

When you see a veteran today, thank them for their service to our country. Their service has enabled us to live the life we have.

My father, Gerald Sherlock, served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. One of his favorite sayings is that the real heroes did not come home.

job search notes: quick links roundup

2009-11-10T06:17:00.000-05:00

I am catching up to "business as usual" in these post-LaidOff Camp days. Without much embellishment, here are some links that should be worthy of following

Questions on using a recruiter on your job search?

from Out of Work Chicago by Veronica Ludwig

Job Seeker: 10 Things I Know About You

from Spin Strategy - Blog by Tim Tyrell-Smith

LinkedIn works with Twitter, and vice versa

from The LinkedIn Blog by allenblue

How to Handle Annoying Red Flags in Your Resume

from Work Coach Cafe by Ronnie Ann

Did you find any good articles to share?

Fall yard work finds some burrs

2009-11-08T16:51:00.002-05:00

Fall yard work finds some burrs still with me. What sticks for you?, originally uploaded by shersteve.

still with me as I head back into the house.

What sticks for you?

supposed to be

2009-11-07T05:54:00.000-05:00

Today was supposed to be the LaidOff Camp event we had been planning for pretty much since July. The day was going to be full of busyness around the event. Last minute things to do.

Supposed to be greeting people, introducing folks to each other, making connections, learning, sharing, exchanging tips and tricks that have worked ...

Supposed to be yet canceled for lack of confirmed registrations. Only one third of the required number we needed to break-even had registered. We couldn't afford to take the financial risk. We are an all volunteer, non-profit group.

The Team will regroup. We will get together an plan something for Feb or March 2010.

We will need your feedback on what we could have done differently.

We have heard we should provide a registration option for those who don't want to pay by credit card online.

Should we still plan for the event on a Saturday? or plan for a weekday?

What would you want the event to be like?

You can help us prepare for our next try.

Chris Brogan wrote: "Celebrate small victories often. Mourn failures quickly. Do what is necessary without fanfare."

5 for Friday

2009-11-06T21:34:00.000-05:00

late in the day, but there is still time for Five for Friday!

1 - The one that caught my eye here was Wisestamp

Using Online Tools to Save Time During the Search

from WSJ.com: Laid Off And Looking by Jon Gray

2 - One I had found early this summer was LinkUp.com. It is a good and worthy tool to use.

LinkUp.com, A Job Search Engine For Company Websites

from (title unknown) by Marci Reynolds

3 - While I am overdue on my book review of Trust Agents, this is a good summary of the main points.

Trust Agents- An Introduction

from chrisbrogan.com by chrisbrogan

4 - Some honest writing from Kathryn Proulx, wife to Erik (www.lemonademovie.com/)

The Yin And Yang Of It – By Kathryn Proulx

from Please Feed The Animals by admin

5 - and finally, a good posting on a serious topic, privacy.

The Privacy Genie

from Media Bullseye by Jen Zingsheim

LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence - EVENT CANCELED

2009-11-05T22:01:00.000-05:00

Event: LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence - CANCELED

Date: Saturday, November 07, 2009 from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Location:
Living Waters Church
15 John L Dietsch Blvd
North Attleboro, MA 02763

For more information click here: http://laidoffcampprovidence.blogspot.com/

Regretfully, the event has been canceled. We only achieved one third of the required registrations for this non-profit, all-volunteer event to break even.

The Team will gather information on what we learned during this process and likely attempt to create an event sometime early in 2010.

Your registration fee will be refunded in full to the credit card you used to register.
Thank you for your interest.

Go right, right, right to LaidOff Camp!

2009-11-05T05:16:00.000-05:00

We have located a fine facility to hold LaidOffCamp Attleboro/Providence. The Living Waters Church in North Attleboro has been gracious and accommodating working with us to plan for this event. You may recall that they hosted the United Regional Chamber of Commerce Job Fair in September.

Living Waters is conveniently located off Exit 5 on i95. Whether traveling northbound or southbound, the directions are the same. Take Exit 5. Turn right at the end of the exit, turn right at the first light and right again into the first driveway.

Go right, right, right to LaidOff Camp!

Here are some photos of the facility to help you navigate around the building the day of LaidOff Camp:

The registration info also includes directions to Living Waters Church. In the meantime you can view the local map here.

Register for LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence here

Need your help

2009-11-04T08:27:00.000-05:00

I need your help.
What can we do to get 70 registered for the LaidOff Camp Attleboro/Providence?

Why 70?
That number allows this all volunteer and non-profit effort to break even on the facility.

Any advice you can provide is appreciated.