Albertideation

Hey there, I’ve moved over here! http://albertideation.com

albertkaufman — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 19:26:24 +0000

And, since you found me – come join my newsletter – I send out one about Urban Farming, one for friends and family and one for my business. Join up and I’ll send you my thinking, periodically.

Sign up, here.

Burning Man “Pee Bucket Challenge” Raises Awareness for SPS

albertkaufman — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 18:07:14 +0000

Ah, the Shroom, a must have for the playa

The Shroom

The “Pee Bucket Challenge” has lit Burning Man social media on fire, raising awareness for SPS, one urine-soaked, pee-moistened, sometimes asparagus-tainted Burner at a time. The stunt goes like this: People make a video of themselves dumping a pee bucket over their heads, post it on Facebook, Instagram or other social media sites, and then challenge friends to do the same within 24 hours or donate $100 to SPS. (Many do both.)

The Pee Bucket Challenge raises both money and awareness for amyotrophic collateral sapathyeosis commonly called Sparkle Pony Syndrome. About 5,000 Burners now have the disease, which attacks brain cells leading to campmates sitting around and doing nothing but thinking of their own beautiful selves. Untreated, the condition ultimately leads to total spectatoritis. Life expectancy of the uselessness as a campmate is typically five to seven burns from the time of diagnosis.

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For my subscribers: re-subscribe after Wens.

albertkaufman — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:20:51 +0000

Hi, if you subscribe to my blog, thank you. I’m moving to a self-hosting situation on Wens. and will lose you as a subscriber. Please re-subscribe on Thursday, if you’d like. Also, I have a monthly newsletter called The Eleven. If you’d like to subscribe to that, you can also sign up @ http://albertideation.com or here anytime. I hope you’re having a great day.

Albert Kaufman

LTE to Oregonian on cellphones

albertkaufman — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 22:38:55 +0000

Dear Oregonian,

I read the article recently about the teacher who finds her students texting and her reaction to that experience. I gave up my cellphone 2 years ago and have hardly looked back. I first did it because I didn’t like the disruptions in my life – phone calls, texts, you know the drill. While others have been stepping up more and more towards smart phones, I continue my distance. It’s interesting because I’m in the high-tech industry, have been for the past 15 years as a software tester and now a teacher of social media and email marketing. You’d think I’d be swimming in mobile technology – but I’m anything but! And I Love It!

As a businessperson I do think it’s important to be available to all possible inputs out there – phone, text, email, social media (OK, perhaps not FAX). I also enjoy LPs, Cassettes, CDs – yep! But when it comes to mobile, I feel my unplugged life makes me a calmer person. It makes me a less-distracted one – I’m becoming a better and better driver because my attention is improving rather than being scattered. And, I think it’s even an advantage in business as when I’m talking to someone, they have my full attention – I am not about to be interrupted during our talk. I never take a call, or interrupt something for something buzzing or ringing in my pocket or on the restaurant/café table (please don’t!, it’s a tech turd, actually!).

Yes, I can’t always be reached by people who I love. Yes, I miss out sometimes on last minute invitations or impromptu gatherings. Yes, I’d love an app to do this or that. But no app is going to plant garlic cloves. No app is going to stir a pot of chili. No app is going to replace a hug – in fact, my sense is that apps increase the distance between us – taking our time with community and friends and focusing our attention elsewhere.

Without mobile technology my life feels richer than it ever has. If you’ve never done a tech-fast before – give it a try. There are many great articles out there about how one works and their benefit. Who knows, maybe you’ll join me someday (unless you’re already there) and give up your cell, altogether. You can do it. You might even like it!

With gratitude,

Albert Kaufman

PS – see other writing I have done on this topic: Why I originally gave up my cellphone, and The Cellphone game

This just in from the NYT on 8.26.12 – get rid of the tension…

If you’re packing for the playa, a couple quick reads

albertkaufman — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 01:32:36 +0000

This one by Mark Morford of the San Fran Chronicle (I recommend subscribing to his weekly column…) is very good. And then there’s this… for those staying at home, but a reminder to those going, too

From Aspen Madrone, goddess. “As I feel you all prepare for the burn, embody the words of Mo Lohaus. may i burn the man at home this year”

may i burn the man at home this year may i finally become a full participant
may i kick the culture consumption habit cold turkey and get on with resonating funky genius and vulnerable enthusiasm

on my
own channel, 24-7
may i see every public space as center camp and roll around on the ground with strangers lovingly and with worshipful presence
as we contact one-in-other
may i strut my feathers and leathers and muppet cape
and naked benevolent childish soul everywhere i go
feeling fully in character
may i trick out my apartment like a theme camp and invite people in off the street
to lavish them with exorbitant gifts
of presence and affection, lovingly prepared because i can
because i am rich and overflowing and giving is why i am here
may i share shattering rock-bottom truths
with everyone, as casually as tea
like old lovers with nothing left to prove or improve on in the utter safety of the silky oscillation
between me and we
may i strip the locks off my heart and hold open house
with everyone i meet on the bus in line for groceries
or at the gas station
granting them the hallucinated embellishment of fur, goggles, nudity and dust
and allowing myself full excitement
and wonder at who they might be
may i look past the surface
and see into everyone
recognizing pirates
alien ambassadors, superheroes and translucent mermaids
may i call my campmates
or show up at their houses
as easily and shamelessly
as i might wander up to their tents
and never need a reason
for pressing my nose on their cheek
or for flopping on the couch and snuggling
may i love fully, fluidly
everyone who pulls me deeper into living and put away any residual shame
about how my love looks
remembering: we’re in the desert!
remembering: we’re dusty and unkempt and beautiful! remembering: we are mad ones and saints and divas all and there is no expectation of tidiness
remembering: there will be grit and friction, there always is,
but in the cathartic blessing
of our meeting and self-discovery
no one notices
remembering most of all
that my emotional nudity is my ticket to the event past the gate and greeters
to unity and a friendly universe
and is always honored and gratefully received
may i hallucinate freely
seeing volvos as giant bunny slippers and hondas as mobile cupcakes
may i notice the installations of genius and wild vision
all about me
may i see the dreams made real in my daily built world
may i touch the wide round belly of the pregnant possible
with both my hands
may i witness those around me
strutting their beauty and hope
their frailty and unfinishedness
and quirky unique poised artful
equilibrium above the abyss of judgment and may i yell out my approval, and applaud
may i witness the gifting that happens
every moment
the trade of glances, smiles and kind words
that are as quenching and comforting
in this daily wasteland of formality and alienation as popsicles and mist baths ever were
may i burn the man every day
may i take his idealized ass down
may i take the icon of who i am supposed to be and gently release him to flame
may i take his habits, opinions, head noise timidity and ego-protective arrogance and lovingly douse them with gas
this is my religion,
humbly, devotedly, and persistently performed: THAT MAN will BURN
may i build the temple every morning
and honor and celebrate
those who have sung the song of my life, who have held my life
like their own dear infant in their arms
may i build the temple every morning
and be awestruck by its beauty every day as i smear it with prayers and tears,
and then at dusk
release it in holy smoke
may i smell it burn
and know that that was it: this one day was my whole life and it is over
and if i am blessed to wake once more…
may i do it all again
more fiercely, more passionately
more graciously, goofily and generously
until my life measures up
to the love i feel
as i walk, bike or ride an octopus through the eternal city of dreams in which my soul is at home
mo lohaus www.lohaus.mobi

Gifting Economy

albertkaufman — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:07:48 +0000

I was having a discussion with folks in the Portland Burning Man community yesterday, and here’s something I penned about gifting:

“Jason, I would say it’s not an exact science, and rather perhaps more of an
art form this giving and receiving. I’ve been working on something
recently that’s in a similar vein, Farm My Yard (http://farmmyyard.org ) and it’s been an interesting trip. I thought it would be an a + b = c kind
of experience, but instead, it’s full of thousands of variables and every
situation is different.

same with giving and receiving. it’s not that cut and dry. each of us is
in a very different place in life – may be same age, but diff class
background. may have same skin color, but different gender. may have
different life experiences – having had a lot, easy access to stuff; or
none at all.

that said, I take each situation as well as I can in the moment and use my
judgement, wisdom, and also make plenty of misjudges and mistakes along the
way.

thank God there has been Burning Man, because that has been an incredible
crucible for me to try this type of exchanging, gifting, asking/receiving,
activity out for the last 12 years.

one year I came back and started FreecylePortland – and I don’t mean that
as a show-offy comment, just that I think about this concept A LOT. and
try to live it, and share it, and yeah

hope everyone’s having fun preparing this year….

Then, later, I added this in. Feel free to play in the comments section!

I’d love to hear you take a few minutes and spell out what a gifting
economy is. your words, a few paragraphs, go.

winner is all of us.

I’ve gifted you with some of my understanding of gifting economy what’s yours?

Sunflowers in Virginia

albertkaufman — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:15:19 +0000

You may know that I do a sunflower project each year – saving the seeds from flowers I grow and sometimes getting them from friends (like Edie @ the Green Mountain Farm in Banks, or Syd in Banks). The flowers that Lisa planted in Virginia are looking great this year and I just had to share!

New Email Marketing Options from Albertideation

albertkaufman — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:16:30 +0000

Great news: I’m now an affiliate with these four top email marketing programs: Constant Contact, AWeber Email Marketing, Mad Mimi, and MailChimp – please see the right sidebar of my website for the links if you’re thinking of starting up a newsletter for yourself or your company.

I highly recommend getting an email newsletter going – it’s a great way to keep in touch with your clients/friends and a good, inexpensive way to share your thinking/ideas with the world. Please visit http://albertideation.com/ to find my affiliate links, thanks!

Slideshow on Facebook 7.12.12

albertkaufman — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 02:46:57 +0000

I’m doing a talk as part of a Constant Contact presentation at the Hotel Monaco in downtown Portland, on Thursday, July 12th. Here’s the slideshow I’ve prepared. Enjoy!

Interesting Cellphone Game

albertkaufman — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:38:16 +0000

Everyone puts their phones in the middle of the table. Whoever cracks first by touching their phone, pays for the entire meal.

The purpose of the game was to get everyone off their phones, away from twitter, facebook, texting, etc and to encourage conversations. In other words, help cure the “Anti-Social Social Media Craziness.”

Rules:

1) The game starts after everyone sits down.

2) Everybody places their phone in the middle of the table.

3) The first person to touch their phone loses the game.

4) Loser of the game pays the bill for everyone’s meal.

5) If the bill comes before anyone has touched their phone, everybody is declared a winner and pays for their own meal.

We had a blast. Conversation rocked. Everyone loved it.

Are You Game? Are you willing to turn the tide of anti-social behavior? What do you think?!?

(Thanks, Felix Roth, for the find on FB)