Ted Paulson

Changes... finished ish

2011-02-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to let my four faithful readers know!

I moved my blog. In an attempt to create a new platform and try to begin writing as a side job. Also, to work towards communicating to a broader audience. As well as, try to add in getting me into grad school. Ta-Dah!

www.theopaulson.com

Check it out. Add it to your google reader or other wonderful things you read blogs from.

I will no longer be posting here but will keep it active for a bit so everyone can find me.

Cheers.

Changes?

2011-02-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

Hmmmm

Decided to go all in on this blogging thing (thanks to my man Brian Wroblewski's unending encouragement). I will be updating and changing a few things. I might do a few small posts until it the new awesomeness is up. Stay tuned!

Tee hee

Choices or Luck?

2011-02-18T12:06:00.000-08:00

Life appears to be a serious of choices. What to eat, what to wear, where to go, how to get there, etc etc etc.

The older you get, it appears that the less choices you have.

If you already have a job- the where you are going and what you are doing is mostly decided for you each day. Sure you can take the scenic route to work, buy a new car, put in different tunes, but honestly... window dressing foo.

Sure, you can start smoking crack and beat up your boss... but really... most of us make mundane choices due to the circumstances we are in.

So luck plays a huge role in our lives. (Of course, luck favors the prepared, hard-working sun of a gun).

How many of you have that friend with the wonderful job, awesome salary, stellar (seemingly) life? Who always seems to be in the right place at the right time.

Or the friend who always seems to be between jobs and struggling? What's the difference between the two?

I say between 50-75% Luck. Think about it.

Right now, I am waiting to hear back from Grad schools about heading off to get a PhD in Sociology. I have choices. Which schools to apply too, how to apply, what to write about etc etc. My grades and scores all set. So now I wait. (Well, Emory said no so I wait on three more schools).

So now I chalk it up to luck. If my scores are good, my recommendations quality, my personal statement worthy... it takes people to say, YES, to me. People with lives, standards, ideas, pre-concieved notions, and brilliance.

So now I wait for my lucky turn. That moment where someone gives the Paper Version of me a chance and says YES.

So what are my choices? Wait.

Wait on the Lord oh my soul
Wait on the Lord oh my soul
Wait on the Lord oh my soul

Be strong and take heart
Be strong...
..and wait upon the Lord

What if I do not get in? Well, thats for another post. That is a whole nother set of choices.

When dreams shift...

2011-02-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

Let's just say these past 12 months have been full of shifting dreams. It was about this time last year that I finally felt like I knew what I was to do next. Go back to school to get a PhD in sociology. Work in the field of Sociology as a professor working on these issues that plague my soul each day.

Why?

I love working on complex social issues and creating simple changes with a lasting impact. I feel like this route is perfect for achieving my goals and dreams.

Then something happened... yup Pregnant with #3! (not me, my wife).

So dreams shifted... can we make this happen still? Should we? Should I change which schools I am applying to?

That is when we decided that the best course of action would be to relocate to Atlanta. That's when I found Emory University. Up until that point, I had looked west coast and around Chicago. But Emory is stinking great. From the fact that they do everything they can to have a green campus including encouraging students to bike to school with some neat incentives. To their impressive history in actually engaging the world around them. That, and their sociology program is top notch.

Lets just say Emory moved up to the top of my list.

Then today happened.

Yup. Got that DENIED letter. The, oh no, now I am sad letter.

So now what? Random email to the dean of the grad school later.... I wait.

Wait on the next two schools (University of Chicago and University of Georgia).

Maybe find one more school to throw in my application last minute.

Either way, dreams are shifting again.

This poem has been running through my mind lately. I have no idea when I last read it. Probably in 8th grade to be honest. But it resonates with me. The cadence, hilarity, and simplicity of it has stuck with me throughout this application process.

A Dream Deferred
By Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Well, back to selling fruit and vegetable packaging and hoping that I can take one step closer to realizing my dreams.

Helping the Poor...

2011-02-15T12:46:00.000-08:00

Just read this great Freakonomics article about what happens to the losing super bowl team T-shirts.

The argument in this article (A flood of free T-shirts may or may not hurt local textile manufacturers and ends up hurting the people they are trying to help) is a great discussion highlighting a very central idea: Helping the Poor is actually quite difficult.

How do most people help the poor?

Toss a few bucks into a red kettle with neato bell ringer person.

Give to Red Cross.

Give to a local food bank either with cash gifts or excess food.

You know... easy stuff. Helping the poor in a simple sense of giving is easy. I can give small amounts of money readily (and we all should). We choose to tithe 10% to our church who uses a good amount of their budget to support local and international projects. But it still is simple and easy.

How do we solve the problem of people being unable to eat daily?

A crazy combination of increasing job opportunities, changing how micro and macro economics functions, increase access to wealth for producers (instead of distributors), etc etc etc etc...

I could keep going and make a big ol long list. Helping the poor in some small ways is relatively easy and everyone should give some of their excess to help the poor. But what about your neighbor who is about to get kicked out of their house? What about the large amount of people living around the world on less than $2 a day?

Helping the poor is complex. But the root of the problem?

Most of us frankly don't care enough.

As evidenced by our daily choices. So how do we change? Begin with seeking out and understanding the stories of those who are poor. See where that takes you... changed my life.

Random idea of the day: Live off the land

2011-02-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

I have done some thinking lately about wealth distribution and food shortages.

Everyday people go without meals. Maybe it is one meal, two meals, or all three. It is a simple fact with profound implications for how we live life.

100% of the food I eat is bought.

Probably 10-15% of the food I eat is direct from the farm. (Meaning I buy it from the dude or dudettes that grew it).

Some untold amount of cash money is used to maintain immaculate lawns and landscaping all across the US.

There are certain fruits and vegetables that are quite easy to grow.

So I have this idea. What if I research exactly what it would take to live off the land? Not 100% but lets say 75% of the fruits and vegetables I eat. (There are just certain aspects to raising animals that is, well, difficult). It would mean learning food preservation techniques and re-learning growing practices used for generations.

The main goal is to leverage wealth or excess cash normally spent on convenience foods into food that then lowers our cost of living while increasing financial and physical benefits.

What would happen?

I think there are a few societal changes that would happen if more people tried this.

1. A greater appreciation for food.

2. Shift in the mental economics of food. Now, if I am hungry, I go to the store or a restaurant and purchase food directly. This economic idea would mean I have to harvest, prepare, and plan for my food and eat what is there not what I want. You remove the direct link of cash to food.

3. the biblical principle of gleaning could be re-introduced. Last year there was a huge apple crop in Michigan. A record crop. Meaning many many orchards left edible fruits on the trees because it was too costly to harvest. They could not sell it for enough to cover labor, storage, and shipping. Some orchards invited local food banks to pick what they wanted. Most just left it. Not out of any spite (many farmers I know give lots of windfall cash to local food banks and charities. Like an insane amount). But with the principle of gleaning, there is an understanding that those without can come and take what they need.

4. Reduce greenhouse gases and raise the prosperity of the local farmers. Now, grocery stores purchase fruits and vegetables from all over the world (California, Chile, and Mexico are some of the biggest off season suppliers). But if I am growing everything in my backyard, I got and look a few yards over to the local farmer to cover what I cannot grow.

5. Change the food deserts into a food oasis. Certain urban areas have limited access to fresh foods. But some organizations are doing something about it by turning vacant lots into farmable land. If more people grow more food, then there are more resources to grow food for the poor. (At least, it makes sense in my head). Which would yield greater access to food that could be coupled with a willingness to share with those in need.

6. A greater understanding of diet, energy, and health.

So, I have this semi-wild idea to buy a home and turn the backyard into a small farm. To experiment with age old growing practices to supplement our food costs. Hopefully, reducing our reliance on convenience food and decreasing our food budget.

The problem? Start up costs. I literally do not own anything that would help in a garden. Nothing. It may be cost prohibitive to even begin. But the long term effects may be enough to give it a go. Learn to grow some simple foods, learn food preservation to have access to quality food year round, and change the way we eat. Who knows what could happen.

Where I want to live one day...

2011-02-14T11:56:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot about moving, our future, and where I want to live. Since I am waiting on an acceptance letter (sometime in the next 4 weeksish) and we are prepping our house to move... it's been on my mind.

So cities I want to live and work in after getting my PhD:
1. Atlanta- Top of my list right now. I want to actually move somewhere and entrench until the kiddos graduate from high school. Thats my number one goal. I think it'd be great for the kids and a great city to live and work in. Plus, centrally located to work on projects along the East Coast. Great social history to study.

2. San Francisco- never been there but the nostalgia and wonder of the place draws me in. Decent weather. Unique community. I would jump at the chance to work at Stanford or Berkeley. Plus, wouldn't a deeply committed Christian fit in perfectly at Berkeley? Love it!

3. Anywhere south of LA- How can you not live in a place that is normally sunny and 70 degrees.

4. Central America/Brazil- A large swath to bunch together but all for the same reason. Beutiful culture weather and local. Wonderfully diverse economic and social systems to study and be a part of. And the food... yum.

5. Nashville- Visited before and loved it. Unique city. Seemed like a great place to live.

6. Runners Up- Denver, On a nice river or lake in Florida, or Charleston, SC.

Themes:
Nice weather.
Neat and interesting social dynamics in the city to study and seek change.
Did I say nice weather?
Access to great areas to study and live.
Oh and weather.

Can you tell it's winter?

Cold...

2011-02-10T14:33:00.000-08:00

It's Cold...

Random Update time!

We are listing our house next month. (wowzers). But are pondering how to list the house. Our house is devalued and our best route might be a short sale. No exactly optimum you could say.

We are 95% sure we are moving to Georgia and are just waiting on that acceptance letter that is due to arrive sometime in the next 30 days... This weather makes me want to get in the car and go now.

We are nearly debt free at this point! Wheoo. In about 12-15 months we could be 100% debt free again. Yeah!

I've had a migraine for the past two days so I am a bit out of it... will blog something meaningful in a few days.

Ponder This

2011-02-09T16:57:00.001-08:00

Do you wait for the right pieces to fall in place before beginning or do you create something from nothing?

Or is it somewhere in between...

Ideas

2011-02-08T12:11:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot about ideas lately. How they grow, where ideas start, how they change behavior... etc.

Let's look at a few ideas:

1. Women have the right to vote.

2. Recycling is a good idea.

3. Eat local!

4. Slavery is illegal.

Simple ideas right? 99% of the people in the US (and most around the world) would 100% agree with these 4 ideas. But look back at recent history and you can see times when these were not exactly true.

Did you know a huge opponent of women suffrage (That's the fancy word for right to vote) was women? Yup. Women keeping women down.

Recycling... Every culture reused like crazy before that whole let's build giant factories movement. Reusing was a way of life. But things like, hey let's poop in this river, that'll be fine. Was also normal. Then we built big factories pumping waste into rivers and added tons of packaging to foods and voila! Excess waste that does not breakdown. Now, almost every community and household in the us recycles. Not enough, but we do. My 4 year old knows its a good idea and even my 2 year old knows that some things go in the recycle bin and some in the trash.

Eat Local! Did you know that food preservation (ie canning) saved our way of life. The fact that we can buy food grown in mexico, canned in Arizona, and shipped to Illinois without even thinking, changed how we ate. Allowing folks everywhere to eat healthy and substantially year round without fear of famine. Now? Eat Local reigns. Farmers markets, fresh produce, backyard gradens... how? Food is so easy to gather now that a movement to eat food in our backyard reigns. TV dinners and lots of canned food? Seen as unhealthy eating when a few generations back, it was necessary for survival.

Slavery... do we need to even explain this one?

Ideas change. Ideas mold. Ideas blossom, flourish, and die. Right now, we live in a world of instant ideas. I can read dozens of blogs in minutes of wide ranging content and information. Yet, we live in a world of closed minds and locked in ideas.

So how do we create massive cultural change? By infusing a new idea. How would an idea like- we should drive only when we have to- change transportation? Or if everyone believed that everyone had a right to eat a meal. Or everyone has a right to a job. Or every young person should have the best education possible. How would these simple ideas create massive change?

I am thinking of doing a few projects to find the origin if ideas. The tea-party movement fascinates me by its massive growth and influence in just a few years. Plus, I find some of the core ideas of the tea-party movement to be missing the point by creating division. So how did this movement begin? What ideas are core to its growth?

I love the fact that I can meet someone living in Oregon and Boston who can repeat the same catch phrases and ideas of a political movement after having never met one another.

Goal: Change the World

2011-01-26T10:11:00.000-08:00

Why not?

Changing the world is a sweet lofty goal said by many young college students before they have to start paying the bills. But my goal is to change the world. In some way. Some how. Not in a cliched, I planted a tree, way either. But a true shift in the way the world works.

I have no idea what project or area I want to work on. But I hope that on my death bed I know that I was a good husband, father, grandfather, and that I left my thumb print on the Earth in some way. (Ultimately leading to the Truth that it was God's thumb print through me).

So go and change the world. Why not? Find something you love to do. Use your God-given talent and apply it.

Become someone worth following.

Goals?

2011-01-20T07:42:00.000-08:00

Lets just say I am a bit anti-goals. They usually creat extreme anxiety in me. Doesn't matter how smart the goals are...

But I am trying to find a new way to set goals. More like setting the right course on my life journey. (sound self-helpy enough?)

So here goes...
1. Wake up earlier.

I like sleeping. And I like staying awake late. But they don't add up to a productive lifestyle. So, yup. Gonna try.

2. Run some.

My wife wants me to run a 5k with her. Great goal right? Well, as soon as we talked about running one together, I stopped running. Bonkers I know. So goal... Run some. Run somewhere. Run.

3. Read and write some.

Find something interesting. Read about it. Write about it. The biggest problem for me is the cost of books I need. My local library is okay, but does not exactly stock large amounts of sociology materials. Eh.

4. Start tracking things that interest me.

I love seeing how ideas flow and grow. So I am dreaming up a way to map the spread of ideas. First task I want to try? Creation of the tea party. I find its growth fascinating.

See how my goals are not exactly smart? But I think they will work. Cheerio!

Take back the 20!

2011-01-09T11:31:00.000-08:00

I sell fruit and vegetable packaging to farmers and wholesalers. Fun times.

It means I run into a lot of very conservative republicans. From some of the farmers to the other sales reps. Some of you know a lean a bit more leftwards. I call myself conservatively liberal and liberally conservative.

Then I see Sarah Palin's webpage called takebackthe20.com. (Recently taken down but here is a picture of the webpage here). Lots of blogs and websites are showing the website and commenting on it. Well, it just so happens this picture shows bulls-eyes over current democrats sitting in positions republicans are targeting.

And then this happens. Coincidence?

Things I have heard in my fun traveling and at trade shows.
"We oughta put a bullet in that guy's head." -Referencing a certain Democrat in the senate.
"All rag-heads are terrorists, why search me?" -in context of talking about the new airport security.

And on and on and on

I remember a report a few months back about how we have more to fear within our borders from conservative radicals then from foreign terrorist. I believe it. The anger and vitriol is quite scary.

All it does is create a more fractured US and increase dissonance. Creating a world of fear where we do not trust our neighbors. Where we view people negatively based on very simple factors. Race, religion, language, culture. etc. I am actually way more afraid of your average white rural to semi-rural inhabitant. NRA loving, gun toting, racist. The extremist in our borders. Hidden behind a vale of patriotism.

So what do we do?
A few random thoughts:
1. Call acts like those against the Arizona rep acts of terrorism.
2. Change the rhetoric to a more healthy- wholistic view of our nation.

Beyond that, I am at a loss for word and hope that in the next few years I can come up with some better solutions. So our unhealthy ideology can shift to what God intends for us.

One last thought. It saddens me how many Christians lead the charge in prejudice anger...

Dear World

2010-12-13T11:12:00.001-08:00

I finally finished all of my grad school applications.

Yup, done.

Finally. Phew.

For some reason, it was exceedingly difficult to finish. That whole weight of the world on my shoulders dealio.

So University of Chicago, Emory University, and University of GA... I am ready and willing foo.

The Postal Service going down

2010-11-12T12:35:00.000-08:00

The good ol postal service is struggling.

That's right- the iconic American mail delivery system is losing lots and lots of cash.

I love the postal service. My grandpa's mailman used to come inside and sit down for a coke everyday. In my hometown- they would walk door to door in the city limits. Just awesome.

I love getting mail. Real mail. It is different, unique, fun... but I hate the mail.

Why?

Two reasons: Bills and junk mail.

Yeah, yeah, same old same old.

I get pounds of junk mail a day. And most of it is daily mailers sent to every household in the neighborhood. Coupons to places I never visit, political mailings (that is a post in its own), and lots and lots of junk.

One company I frequent sent us three LARGE catalogs.

I never open the daily coupon mailer now.

So postal service, want relevance? Quit clogging my mailbox and my recycle bin. quit profiting from filling landfills.

Now bills? Companies I use that send a paper bill (some still don't have the option to go paperless). Send me only my bills. No advertisements (5/3rd, citibank, every CC company). Send my bills. Don't waste my mailbox with fake mail meant as an advertisement. I am sure it is profitable for you but it makes me hate the mail and you.

Okay, USPS, what do you do?

Simple.
Limit mail delivery in non-profit centers to business only for 5 days a week. Send the regular mail twice a week. Saturdays? For real? I don't need 6 days of mail. And I am sure folks in rural areas and city centers don't either. Twice a week is perfect. That keeps the local post office from closing down but also cuts cost. Yes, jobs are lost in the process, but the mail system is broken. It would become a more working mom friendly job. Part time. Sort the mail monday, deliver tuesday, sort thursday, deliver fri. The next step is closing down small rural outposts and redundant post offices.

Limit junk mail. I know political mailings and daily mailers are your main profit center. So? It kills customer appreciation and service.

Redefine customer service in your postal centers. I prefer the electronic box than waiting in a long line for a cranky postal worker. I use UPS in spite of its increased cost. Oh, and I hate finding out about increase stamp prices 30 seconds before it happens. Weird.

Become more reliable. I loved the political mailer I received a day after the elections. Or the fact that letters can take over a week to travel 5 hours. Or that I have no idea when my package will arrive.

Sell of unnecessary mail trucks. How many teenagers and college kids would love driving one of these around?

I love getting mail, but 3/4 of my daily mail goes directly to the recycle bin. Directly. I recognize that the 3/4 of mail I hate pays for the rest. So what? Raise stamp prices with the promise I will not receive any junk mail I have not asked for. What will business do??? Advertise in the paper again. Newspapers saved!

I love the post office. Postal workers rock and work very hard. But I don't like subsidizing junk mail.

Create!

2010-11-11T07:28:00.000-08:00

I want to create.

It is in our nature to create.

but the Internet and high-information world actually hinders creativity?

whoozawhat?

The internet creates followers. Seth Godin has an uber-popular blog. Mark Cuban as well. They are business savvy dudes who rock. Their followers can say they are part of a tribe or acting like Cuban... but in reality they are un-original. they are but copies.

I think of people who comment on websites profusely. Even mocking the writers (Peter King has some snarky retweets on this subject, love it!). That is not creative.

Or the professional athletes that try to be like T.O. First, become good.

Infuse your work with creativity. Learn from the best (great writers read) but use it as a launching pad to do something better or different. Copycats are boring. Creative, unique users create a beautiful world. Reading great blogs does not make you great. Become someone worth following.

VOTE!

2010-11-04T20:04:00.000-07:00

I voted.

It felt... great.

I recognized today how much my voting habits and political ideas have drastically shifted in the past 10 years.

I went from thinking poly sci people were a little weird to pondering emailing a local politician to offer my services. (I am laughing at that statement as my services consist of... well you can read it here to see what you think).

But I did feel like I joined in and can voice my opinion more clearly now.

Voting is the perfect way to express an opinion. Show support for a cause.

The sad part is watching the folks I voted for losing. (I am typing this Tuesday night- waiting on some results)

Will my vote alter the course of humanity? Not really. Will my vote change an election? Probably not.

But does my vote count? Yes.

If only for the feeling I have right now.

Go politics!

Complication

2010-11-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

Every issues is complicated

Every issue has backers just as loud and influential as the other

Ignorance can be just as loud as wisdom, if not louder

So to enact real change in real people's lives is complicated

Politics yields a short term view based on retaining your seat

People with money tend to influence policy

I hope to find a new way to spread ideas and influence policy with a long term approach

Tackling complicated issues slowly and methodically

With a long-term vision

And enacting real change

Politics!

2010-11-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

I want to do some political consulting.

What experience do I have? Well... uhh.... I have voted. umm

Anyways

There are certain aspects of politics I love to observe. How ideas flow across a large body of people. How certain rhetoric yields votes. How party lines and voter turnout affect so much of the results. How real solutions to real issues are not as important as talking points.

I love it! The passion. The exuberance. The great masses of people voting. Yeah.

But what I want to consult on are two different areas. One is the social policy issues. How to construct policy, how to create the wording so that more people can understand your position, and how to create actual plans for actual issues. That is my heart and soul. Secondly, I want to consult on how to get information out to motivate folks to vote. This is the fun side.

We live in a crazy information rich world. I can google anything right now and read tons and tons of articles on real specific topics. Like crane usage in the bahamas. Go 11.6 million hits. Yup. Most politicians rely on website, signs, stickers, mailings (which I despise), door hangers, and public meetings. The more cash you have the more TV ads and radio ads you can do. But what else?

I would love to help a politician create a plan that disseminates their information much more broadly, deeply, and memorable. I also would love to help get the votes of the 18-25 year old crowd, a key unknown swing group. The young voters that are normally the least motivated to vote but are easiest to influence.

So how would I do it? If I were running in an election right now. Especially a house of representatives candidate that is focused on a smaller geographic area. (Some of the ideas wont work as well for senators because of the wide area they have to reach- it is more about breadth then depth for them).

1. Talk to every single political oriented club in the high schools. Tell the story about how to run, what it is like, how to formulate issues, answer questions etc.

2. Create youtube ads that are simply different. (easy to say, hard to do). Enlist local college kids to create ads.

3. Create a weekly talking points email outlining the areas you are focusing on communicating this week. It is issue driven moving away from any type of attack ads or finger pointing.

4. If you have colleges with a large local presence, talk to every political club and poly sci class you possible can.

5. Use twitter and facebook to get out your story. Provide useful information not political banter.

6. Get a really good photographer to take great pictures. Its amazing what the visual representation can do.

7. Use local businesses as much as possible for campaign needs. Stay local.

8. Utilize a blog to highlight local needs. Tell the story of your area.

9. Find a common message- or one sort of elevator pitch or common thread and make sure everybody you ever meet knows it by heart.

10. Do every free promotion possible. Get on every radio station, local tv, exclusive interviews, student papers, bloggers, etc. The more you are seen and heard, the better.

11. Use as much permission marketing as possible. Would you like to be a part of our weekly email? Would you like to be a part of our facebook page? Invite people into a community and a movement more than bombarding them with ads.

12. Use automated monthly giving in place of one time asks. Grandma can put $20 down now or $20 bucks a month for now until election day. $100 bucks now or $100 bucks a month. Automate and create a monthly financial relationship.

13. Do something useful. Host a clothing drive or food drive. Volunteer to run concessions at the local football game. Better yet, provide the high school kids a free tailgate with awesome local food. And you better be grilling those burgers, don't be a hand shaker. Be a worker.

As you can see, there lots and lots of ideas in my brain. Some good, some used a lot already, some- who knows. The main ideas I have are to disseminate simple ideas across a broad spectrum of people. Creating a movement of people.

The republicans and the tea party are GREAT at this concept. Every flyer, sign, ad, and robo call sounds and feels similar. See how that changed this election? The democrats seem to do well after republican stinks it up (see Bush Presidency). But show extreme weaknesses in regular elections.

So want to hire me?

The American Dream!!!!

2010-11-02T11:52:00.000-07:00

I just read this CNN article about another 19/21 year old superwhiz creating the next great app. http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/11/02/seth.priebatsch.scvngr/index.html?hpt=C2

In other words, this kids makes some serious dough. Yeahhhhhh

I love the american dream. Work hard. Do well. Be somewhat of a good person (with a slice of greed and mean streak) and voila! Riches. Fame. Great job. Hottie wife and some stellar kids.

American dream! It's the reason so many have come to this country ever since its inception. So much so in fact that the folks who were here first are a minority now. (Chew on that immigration reform).

Then I got this realization after reading and studying for the past decade. The American Dream is real to some. Millions of people in fact.

But not everybody. In fact, for most, the American dream is just that... a pipe dream.

There are plenty of folks who have worked their butts off for years only to be fired. Who did their job so well, and were outsourced. Who are quality people with great skills, who were passed over for the boss's kid. (I am the boss's kid so shhh).

There are tons and tons of well-educated hard workers who are unemployed right now. Just ask Michigan.

So what is the answer? Move to Sweden! They have the most upward mobility of any country... (its true and funny at the same time!).

The real answer?
1. Hiring practices. Most companies like to hire employed people. There is some benefit to making sure someone is actually employable (ie they have a job) and it feels good to poach someone else's grand employee. Yeah! So, if you hire people don't be afraid to hire unemployed folks. We did at our work and hired an awesome dude and he changed a ton of how we did things. Great hire. Don't be afraid of risk. Hire unemployed folks.
2. Cap CEO and executive pay. What you commie hippie! Well, lets put it this way. If you have a large global company that rocks. Why not use your power, influence, and money to do good? Superman style. Take a million or two away from the head honchos and fund scholarships for employees with management potential. Get them their MBA's. Or fund low wage workers to send their kids to 4 year colleges. If somebody works for you for 30 years on the line- send their kids to a state college all access pass. Increase health care for families with real sick kids. Gees, even create a foundation that employs local unemployed single mothers at a larger salary so they can afford to get off welfare. (Don't tell the economist I said so). Watch the TV show undercover boss to see this effect on a small scale.
Even medium and small sized companies can do the same. Do good with windfall money. I would bet you could find a half dozen fortune 500 companies that already do something of this nature. And a dozen more that the executive board would vote today for a 1-2% decrease in pay and benefits to give out scholarships to employees kids. Done.
3. Concentrate public aid and non-profit aid towards wage increase work. Most federal, state, and NGO aid aims towards getting folks into work not focus on upward wage mobility. A minimum wage job is not a great job by any means. Some families can make it on two min wage earners, but it is tough living. Focus on getting aid recipients into salary work and above minimum wage work. I will let your imagination work on this- but my secret plan that I will share someday is called a 50 to 50 plan. Hmmmm.

So American Dream. My take? It is a mixture of luck, parental wealth, hard work, focus, luck (being in the right place at the right time) and some more luck. Oh and some luck. Did I mention luck? Work hard, keep your chin up, and get lucky... wait... that last part came out wrong...

The Problem with Ideas

2010-11-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

Ideas are generated by people.

If someone has a great idea, that is used unwisely, it becomes a bad idea. If a bad person has a great idea, the idea becomes a bad idea.

Take communism for example. That is a near swear word in the good ol' US of A.

But there are some (I emphasize some) great ideas born from early communist thinkers. There are some great ideas born out of present day communists. BUT- communism, brought to its fullest, is a very bad idea for all citizens.

In my quest to work and teach in the field of Sociology, I have found that I love some early communist thinkers (and present day communist thinkers) ideas. Some.

Why?

They remind me of things Jesus said and principles laid out in the bible. Care for the poor. Give what you can to the poor. Take in your neighbor. Take care of widows and orphans. Share what you have. In humility, consider others better than yourself.

So when I talk of things like interdependence (Yeah, Karl Mark in the Communist Manifesto used the term, oops), I mean it more in the biblical sense. My actions do affect my neighbors. My hoarding effects their eating.

When I talk about how CEO's of big ol companies make ridiculously too much money in comparison to the common worker. I mean it. The common worker has a ton more barriers to buying into the company than ever in history. The idea of starting out on the line and owning or entering into upper management, is a near anomaly.

So the quest is to separate the idea from the person.

Which in a story based culture is really difficult.

So be someone who we can tell a good story about and create ideas.

Randy Moss! What?

2010-11-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

I like sports. I think sports and sociology have a neat mix. You deal a lot with power struggle, class differences, racial issues, employment issues, and a whole host more.

Randy Moss is one of my favorite players. When he is on, man he can go after that ball. But he is know as a bit of a nutter. Let's just say he: a) takes plays off b) plays hard sometimes c) believes he is the best ever d) known for playing power trips for better contracts.

Not that different from a lot of superstars. But you can tell he does this to his own detriment.

I also think he has to be honest 24-7. He can't not be honest. That is why he does not do interviews and gets fined $25,000 by the league for it.

But this takes the cake. He goes off on this random long tirade of sorts and trashes his new team while talking about how amazing his old team was.

So they cut him. In a perfect power struggle moment. Star getting paid millions gets cut by a coach trying to usurp his power.

Childress can't control Favre so he cuts Moss.

Moss can't shut up so he puts himself in position to be cut.

And it all comes down to one simple fact: Produce on the field and people will want you on the team no matter what. Just ask TO.

So Randy Moss. Here is to hoping you catch on to a team and produce. Get paid by some idiot GM and ruin another team!

I love the NFL!

I work from home

2010-11-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

Yup, I am one of those.

The new breed of telecommuters. Yeah! My home office is in Rockford, MI so my 4 hour daily commute wouldn't be grand. Plus, I am in sales so I drive my bahooga all over the midwest for parts of the year. So it's nice to live in my territory.

Here is why I love working from home:
1. Making sales calls in my PJ's.
2. Making sales while still eating my breakfast.
3. The commute. It is about 4 feet. It takes more work to eat breakfast than get to work.
4. Showering sometime after 12.
5. Being at home when kids are sick or when something great is happening. Like first steps or birthdays.
6. Rarely dealing with office mishaps, stress, or gossip.
7. Only have to do the work necessary for the job. If my work is done for the day, so am I. No more pretending to work when the boss walks by if there is nothing left to do.
8. A greater understanding of what my wife does each day. She is stay-at-home plus she runs her own biz part time. So I get the amount of work she puts in each day.
9. My boss is 4 hours away. Ahhhh.

Here is the downfall of working from home:
1. Interruptions. The kiddos are able to open my door and say. The wife can ask me for help. I still deal with a lot of the fun stuff that happens at home.
2. Very little office relationships. I get up to the office a few times a year, but not enough to develop good in-person working relationships. Especially with fellow office mates that I do not regularly talk to.
3. Boredom. It can be boring doing the same thing everyday without the random surprises being in an office brings.
4. Office supplies! Sounds odd, but I have to buy my own office supplies. And I am cheap.

That is a little window into my world. Working from home is mostly wonderful. I love the freedom and the ease. I love being able to eat lunch with the fam sometimes. I love how technology allows me to work seamlessly anywhere in my home. There are some drawbacks- but man it is great. I have friends that commute 1-2 hours each way to work. Takes me longer to load my computer than get to work. Nice.

Someone is watching over you...

2010-10-26T14:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, ready to enter into the weird part of my brain I usually don't let people into??

There are some phrases folks use that always bug me theologically...

1. Someone must be watching over you.
2. You are blessed.

The first is usually used when someone avoids an accident of some kind or has a near miss. My questions becomes... is God not watching over the people that die? Or get hurt? Or lose something valuable? Or don't get the great parking spot?

I use the term "I am lucky to ____" a lot. I am lucky to be where I am at. I am lucky my kids are healthy and awesome. Etc. I have had people say. No, you are not lucky, you are blessed. So the unemployed homeless person is not blessed? And the person whose child was born super sick is not blessed? Or the person who lost everything is cursed?

I think we attribute things to God that are just plain regular everyday stuff. Sure, he is involved in everything, but maybe you avoided the accident because you reacted quickly enough. Maybe my kids were born healthy and fine because they were.

So I try to turn this around a bit shifting my thinking. I work to stay grateful to God for the simple stuff and the big stuff. I am grateful we have food on our table, that my wife just plain rocks, my kids are mostly great (they woke up early today...), and great friends. That way my life becomes oriented around gratitude (hopefully leading to humility- you can ask my wife how I am doing there) instead of wondering what God is involved in and not involved in.

And I try to (ready for cliche time) count my blessings. I don't claim to be blessed (as in the state of being blessed) but that my life has many blessings. Subtle difference. But that opens up a whole new way to look at the world that we live in. Where children go hungry while I eat at the Chinese buffet. Where a dozen Chicago Public School kids are killed each year by their peers. And on and on and on. God is involved in everyone every moment of everyday. Not more or less depending on our own morality, faith, church attendance, or like-ability.

So to say God is watching over me more than someone else or that I am blessed while someone else is not, creates a hierarchy of persons that I do not believe fits in the heart of God. It also creates crazy ideas that are often spoken by TV "Christian" personalities after natural disasters.

See, someone whose life is in shambles or full of unnecessary pain can feel abandoned by God. God says "I am with you always" not I am with those that are moral and upright and attend church regularly.

So instead of saying God must be watching over me
I try to thank God for every moment

So instead of thinking or saying I am blessed
I count my blessing

I think this can help us more aptly deal with pain in the world and the chaos of issues like poverty. How? Great question. Stay tuned...

Interdependence vs. Independence

2010-10-22T08:55:00.000-07:00

Most welfare/social service organizations (government, NGO, and non-profit) strive for independence. The idea being if you can support yourself completely, either through gaining significant employment or through the environment around you, you wont need government support.

I get wary of independence. It scares me a bit. I think a better mindset and understanding of our culture is interdependence. I depend on lots of people each and every week for lots and lots of things to get through our week.

Like our mechanic who keeps our cars running for a much lower price and higher quality than the average place around here. This mechanic was recommended to us from a friend who understood our financial situation.

Or our network of friends that help watch our kids when my wife and I both have to work.

Or my parents and in-laws who have given us money, time, and even a job.

Or my counselor who helped patch my life back together who was recommended by a friend who understood what I needed.

My independence is due to the network of interdependence around me. It also means I have a responsibility to those around me (that whole love your neighbor thing). I think striving for independence is not realistic and is extremely unhealthy. Especially for developing countries. I think of Afghanistan, a mainly tribal culture, adopting an independence strategy will fail. Striving for a large, interconnected, community that works towards the benefit of the whole with great freedom is a much better view of how to overcome poverty and live a successful life.

And a bit closer to the heart of God.

Oh, and I don't mean communism or socialism but care about those around youism. Take risks with lending a hand to those around you. Justice tempered with compassion and understanding.