Todd Lyden

Guiding Light

2023-10-20T08:20:00.001-04:00

Most folk who know me, know I lost my father when I was 14 years old.

However, before he passed, he shared a timeless secret with me—a practice that would shape my life in ways I could never have imagined. He didn't teach me meditation in the traditional sense, with incense and crossed legs. Instead, he showed me how to meditate by gazing at a lone light on the ceiling.

When I was very young, I had night terrors that would wake me in the middle of the night. I'm sure it was terribly frustrating to calm a child from that. But my father had the way.

I never understood how he came to the practice. But over the years, I've come to understand that my father's unique approach to meditation was, in fact, a profound lesson in mindfulness and presence.

In a nearly pitch black room, he would tell me to find a speck of light, not unlike a star. Then focus.

He would say, "Just watch the light, like you're watching a story unfold. Be the observer, not the thinker."

In those moments, I learned to be still. I learned to let go of the worries that cluttered my mind and simply be in the present. It was my father's way of showing me the power of meditation, even before I knew what that word meant.

As I grew older, I explored various forms of meditation, but I always returned to the simple practice my father had introduced me to. I realized that, in essence, meditation is about finding your own "light on the ceiling" and using it as a focal point for mindfulness.

Now, as an adult, I continue to meditate by gazing at the light on my own bedroom ceiling, just as my father did. It's a way to connect with him, even though he's no longer with us. I find myself often stargazing and it keeps his memory alive and teaches me that, in the midst of life's chaos, there is always a guiding light to return to.

My father's gift of meditation was more than a simple technique; it was a legacy of presence and peace. I carry his wisdom with me in every moment, and as I lay in the darkness, gazing at the soft, comforting glow on my ceiling, I am reminded of the man who illuminated my life.

New Life

2021-05-15T17:49:00.005-04:00

It's weird, sad and slightly freeing.

I've been headed towards a completely different life for a lot longer than I even knew.

It took me a while to catch up to realize it was happening.

Thankfully, I was cognizant enough to see it finally and mostly ready for it.

It's amazing when you have the rug completely pulled out from underneath you. The adjustments are jarring.

I made mistakes, but like most I learned from them, adapted, and tried my best to do better.

The reason you see that truck next to a storage place? That's the sum of my life right now.

Never take for granted that you will work hard for something or someone, and it will end up meaning very little. You are guaranteed nothing, owed nothing, promised nothing. Anything and everything can be taken away in a heartbeat.

I wrote this to my kids a while back:

I tried to be the best father I could be based on what I knew when I knew it and how I could. One of the lessons for your life needs to be: you need to be functional and working yourself to work with others. Sacrifice is necessary sometimes, but at your own cost is ultimately detrimental to everyone.

I closed with a note similar to what I have said here, but reminded them that any relationship and anything given is a choice.

I am grateful I can make my choices now.

Check out my appearance on the The Toddcast Podcast

2021-05-11T09:12:00.002-04:00

Click and watch the podcast recording of my appearance on the Toddcast Podcast

Such a fun time!

Thanksgiving 2020

2020-11-22T14:59:00.002-05:00

The Necessity of Journaling

2020-08-20T09:29:00.004-04:00

I've undergone a radical change in my life recently.

I'll leave the details for another time, but needless to say- it was not entirely desired, anticipated, and completely different from the road I thought my life was going to be on for the better part of the last two decades.

I've read tons of self-help articles. Watched myriad YouTube videos about self-compassion, self-love, self-care...

Three things have stood out in previous experiences and this one that have made a huge difference from the last time my life diverged as much as it has this time.

1. Mediation, self-reflection, is a total game changer. I did this before and it works. How you do it doesn't matter. There are plenty of places that talk about how, but the first time I knew this and it worked- which is probably why I am relatively sane this time around.

2. Completely different this time. I have my dog. Zuri, the yellow lab. She has been a life-saver in many ways, but the main is to illustrate and remind me of the possibility of unconditional love. We fool ourselves into think that it is even a good ideal to have for personal relationships of any stripe, but it is not a possibility. Sure, it would be a nice ideal, but no human can perform the way a dog can.

3. The final key difference: journaling. Again, I do not care how you do it. I did it with a therapist for the first time and it was revelatory. The process of taking the time to maintain thoughts and occurances, document reactions, and then go back to understand. This was a life saver as well. It helped make sense where none could often be found. It provided a sounding board when often there was no other option. Finally, it requires discipline and habit that you need to get through some days.

I've maintained the thought journal but I think the one that helps the most is taking the time each day to share a brief though in my own "TV show" with Zuri: https://www.instagram.com/toddlyden/channel/

I am sure IGTV is going to die now because any time I commit to a platform for pretty much an extended period of time, I kill it.

However, take a moment at the beginning of each day to mention something that might help others and focus on the one element of my life that provides sustenance and love really helps me.

So do you need watch it? Nah. Do I need to do it? For now.

Either way, I would recommend if you are struggling with ANYTHING- take a moment to find a way for yourself to journal.

A #New365

2020-07-06T22:23:00.001-04:00

Well, I was sort of looking for my NEW 365daysofHappyforTodd.

I found it.

Today, starts a new clock towards towards the end of another year. A New Year.

I'll be kind, but for those that know- please help me celebrate.

I could get all #cliche and talk about #newme #startingover #yadayadayada

But, I don't want to.

I just want to commemorate. Not a lot of people looked or cared about #365DaysofHappyforTodd

That's okay. I was doing it for me.

I would like your best "getting through" song though- that would be cool!

Just like this #NewTodd sounds lame right?

Working Yourself Out of Job

2020-06-20T08:21:00.000-04:00

I wrote this blog post a few years ago: https://www.toddlyden.com/2011/06/my-job.html

Wow, how times have changed.

One has graduated from a radiology program is a gainfully employed human being. Amanda, keep doing what you do.

One is about to go to college for a program he loves with friends he loves. Josh, you are going to do GREAT things.

One is entering her second year of high school in one of the most turbulent times of ANYONE's life- and she is still one of the most caring and optimistic people I've ever met.

I like to think as a parent I had a role in all of this.

In my old post, I describe being a parent as the toughest job you'll ever love. I love that I can say that these three made it easy.

The sad job about being a parent? You work yourself out of job. That kinda sucks. But look forward to being there for these awesome humans as they continue to do their best.

Will touch up my tattoo soon, but it like these guys isn't going anywhere soon

Takes a Lickin'

2020-05-17T16:07:00.003-04:00

I want to tell you a story, but I am going to show you the result first.

You can see on my largely shorn and large cranium in the picture toward the back left is an indentation.

That little dark line that's about an inch long.

The story is from a late 70's winter in Northwestern Pennsylvania where I spent my grade school years.

One winter, as the kids in the neighborhood did, I went out to play across the field to play next door in the snow.

It was typically cold and snowy as you would expect. Like feet deep. Not the wimpy precipitation of eastern North Carolina (which is exactly why I live here and not there).

My mother bundled me like that little kid in "A Christmas Story." I had the snowsuit on. Multiple layers of socks. Gloves, a toboggan.
I began to step out into the cold from our back porch where there was an old screen storm door. As I opened the door and stepped out, a GIGANTIC icicle came down and landed smack on my head.

Now I was pulled into the house as I cried the tears of a child who had been almost brained.

My mother rubbed my head, asked if I still felt okay to go outside and sent me on my way (she might have given me childrens' Tylenol, I don't remember).

I trudged through the snowy field between our houses and went into the house of our next door neighbor. My friend's mother helped my take off the top of my snow suit and then my heavy toboggan.

There was blood running down the sides of my head. She quickly discovered the wound at the top of my head that you can now see the scar of.

My mother took me to my pediatrician. It seemed I remember them much better as a doctor then we remember our own kids' physicians largely because it was easier to access and also because I required so much more attention as a kid then my kids ever did.

I recall hearing: "He might have died if you hadn't put on the hat and snow suit." I was saved by a thick toboggan.

Any way, to this day, I could always feel this reminder etched into my head even through an unshorn head of hair, but especially now that I keep a tight chrome-like look to my noggin.

I also remember an old saying: "Take a lickin' and keeps on tickin'." Old people like me will know which company that refers to.

Always be a little extra safe... you know instead of sorry.

Locked Out of Linkedin?

2019-08-16T11:01:00.003-04:00

I hate being a nitpick.

But you Linkedin users who are using your business email to signup and use the platform might be in for a rude awakening.

You DO NOT OWN that email.

You WILL LEAVE that position someday.

And when it happens, man...

I'll let Andrew Brandt explain it much better than I, but how hard is it to just use your personal email?

#365DaysofHappyforTodd

2019-07-26T13:04:00.000-04:00

I like to think that most people think of me as a pretty happy person.
I am, for the most part.
I went through some 360 Leadership training earlier this year and did some goal orienting and yada yada yada.
Anyhoo, the end result was some good introspection.
One thing that occurred in the outside looking in was that I actually have a lot to be happy about and gratitude is something to be shared and enjoyed.
Not to be bragging, not to be a show-off, just to say "I'm happy, and thankful."
Did you know that they can tell if you are depressed by analyzing your Facebook?

https://www.wired.com/story/your-facebook-posts-can-reveal-if-youre-depressed/

So, I saw something call the 100DaysofHappy and of course there are 365daychallenges, you name it.
I decided to challenge myself to share at least one thing every day that makes me happy.
I'd LOVE to know what makes you happy too.

Use the hashtag #365daysofhappyfortodd (seriously, no one is using it).

Share on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook- and be on the lookout here...
Starting July 27- which is my birthday, but not the reason for happiness alone.
Want to celebrate with me? Share the happy!

Post-Endgame MCU Team Theory

2019-05-09T11:50:00.000-04:00

I've got this crazy idea.
I think Marvel left the playing field open in the post "Avengers:Endgame" landscape for a new super-team.

Back in the pre-Netflix days, there was a super team called "The Defenders."

It's not much of a spoiler to disclose that Dr. Strange has come out intact after Endgame (they've announced a sequel movie).

So right out of the gate you have the first member of this team up as you can tell from the comic cover.

The second member, who always has trouble being in Marvel films due to rights issues with Universal is Mark Ruffalo's Hulk.

He is a little different after the movie, but still available and would be a fantastic addition.

The odd-man out in the cover is Namor the Submariner.
Marvel has claimed that they wanted to make a version of this for years, but it was buried in the Fox deal because he was always lumped in with the Fantastic Four.

I have never liked the idea and now that DC has their Aquaman series rolling, I think the boat was missed, but there are some whispers that he might be introduced as an antagonist to Black Panther in his next film. This makes sense, but like a good anti-hero, Namor (like Hulk) could easily work with the team dynamics of these guys.

Finally, we get to the last piece and one of the more interesting parts about the Defenders. After these three, other characters became a rotating roster of characters. Silver Surfer eventually joins and the entire roster changed out at multiple points.
However, the MCU has left one CRUCIAL character who was nearly always part:
VALKYRIE.

Now, doesn't that sound like a blast? She already has a relationship with Hulk. If you didn't or could not use Namor, find another NEW character and off you go!

I would love to see Tessa Thompson playing against these guys and whoever they could eventually introduce... and maybe even bring a TV Defender over like Luke Cage (who was also a legit Defender at several points).

So what do you think? Possible?

My 2018 Movie Review Post

2019-02-25T19:37:00.000-05:00

I have not done a movie review post since 2016, but I thought I would take a look back at 2018 and see how I did with the US movie box office.

I posted in order the movies by US take and was amazed how many I did not bother or haven't seen as of yet.

1 Black Panther - while we shouldn't be surprised considering the pedigree and the resources behind this picture, it is still remarkable how successful this movie is on virtually every level. Yes, it does have some shoddy CGI towards the end and the finale battle doesn't quite work or feel quite right, but otherwise as the recent Oscars bear out- the individual parts all worked in such concert it is amazing to think that this was only the third feature from the director.

2 Avengers: Infinity War - a multi-year exercise over different franchises and creators has come to fruition with the ultimate crisis team-up film that feels like something I might have read in comic nearly thirty years ago. It works mostly due to the deft hands of directors the Russo Bros and the yeoman work keeping years of comic history and movie coordination via Kevin Feige.

3 Incredibles 2 - this is probably the second best sequel of a Pixar movie (Toy Story 2 still wins), but considering the bar is so high with the first Incredibles, this one feels like a slight let down. It functionally repeats most of the same beats with flipped parents. Shame...

4 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Wow, I had no interest in seeing this after the re-tread of JW and the sorry looking trailers.

5 Aquaman - the surprise of the year. Wow, you will believe a Momoa can swim. Who knew that a horror director with some Fast and Furious experience could create one of the more fun, inventive, and gorgeous comic films in recent memory?

6 Deadpool 2 - not the let down of the Incredibles, but also faded in the shadow of its predecessor. Funny, but not as good as it needed to be considering the first movie.

7 Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018) - no, just no.

8 Mission: Impossible - Fallout - Tom Cruise will be making these films at 75 with Chris McQuarrie directing. They make it look effortless now.

9 Ant-Man and the Wasp - This Marvel franchise is probably my secret favorite because it has such small stakes (pun intended). While it clearly fits into the overall picture of Marvel, it exists so well out in its own world. Peyton Reed deserves to helm the eventual Fantastic Four film based on his work on this film in particular. Beck is still one of my favorite composers in the Marvel universe for what he brings to these movies.

10 Solo: A Star Wars Story - ugh, so unneeded. I was ok with Rogue One, but clearly the problems have overwhelmed the production of these "story" films. They took one of the coolest characters in the history of film and made him, dull?

11 Venom (2018) - wow, Aquaman is the biggest surprise, but this movie was a close second and apparently was trying to give a run for its literal money. I enjoyed the heck out of this.

12 Bohemian Rhapsody - hopefully, my youngest never sees this, but it was ok. Nothing Oscar worthy here unfortunately. A good solid bio-pic but only two steps in production from being a TV movie.

13 A Star is Born (2018) I don't think I've seen any of the other ones... why start now?

14 Ralph Breaks the Internet - I see no reason for this, maybe will watch when it comes to Netflix or whatever Disney is going to be streaming.

15 A Quiet Place- You will believe that Jim from the Office can direct one of the best movies you've ever seen. This was a gem of a scary movie. And his love letter to his kids will break your heart.

16 Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse- best Spider-man movie ever? Probably. Believe the hype.

17 Crazy Rich Asians- Wow, who knew there were this many Asian actors in Hollywood? Great work- good rom-com, best ever? Meh.

18 Mary Poppins Returns - SEE #14

19 Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation - There was a second one???

20 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald- Nope, just no way.

21 Halloween (2018)- heard it was good and will see eventually I'm sure.

22 The Meg - Statham needs a new manager. Still haven't seen.

23 Ocean's 8- I fear this because I would want it to not suck. Will see soon.

24 Ready Player One - no thanks. Spielberg, why?

25 Bumblebee- Will see eventually, and have hope for it considering the reboot look and relatively Bay-free.

Rural Voters HATE Hillary

2017-09-14T19:14:00.000-04:00

via GIPHY

I can't believe I'm finally writing this but why not? Hillary is so tone-deaf to how she lost, I don't need to read her book to understand how Trump was able to beat her with or without Russian assistance.

Let's just look at the county where I work which is quintessential rural North Carolina and increasingly representative of rural America.

At the end of the post, you will find the results of the last six elections going back to 2000.
EXCEPT for Bush's re-election year in 2004 (which you will notice was VERY close), the DEMOCRAT has carried the county by at least a "clear majority."

UNTIL this past election.

That's right. A county that clearly went for Gore in 2000, Obama TWICE (with even an increase in votes for his re-election), CLEARLY rejected Hillary Clinton.

Now before you turn this into a Clinton thing. Be clear: Bill Clinton CLOBBERED Bush in 1992 in Bladen with 55% of the vote and then repeated that statistic against Dole in 1996.

No, this is clearly a Hillary Clinton thing. Nearly 1,000 people that voted for Obama said "no" to Hillary in 2016. Now Trump MIGHT have picked up most of them with his nearly 800 vote increase over Mitt Romney as the Republican, but that still left a large number of voters who just did not vote for either. As of June 2017 in Bladen County, of 22,599 registered voters, 13,247 are Democrats and only 3,478 are Republicans. However, there are 5,835 unaffiliated voters. Wow, that is a huge crossover.

Unless Democrats learn the lesson of Obama-fatigue and Hillary-decline this election, we are likely to see another Trump four years.

2000

Gore	54.0%	5,889
Bush	45.6%	4,977

2004

Kerry	49.6%	6,109
Bush	50.1%	6,174

2008

Obama	50.7%	7,853
McCain	48.7%	7,532

2012

Obama	50.5%	8,062
Romney	48.6%	7,748

2016

Clinton	44.4%	7,058
Trump	53.8%	8,550

Paraphrasing, Re-Wording, Copying, Stealing

2017-07-20T13:09:00.000-04:00

Seriously, there are times when I wish I weren't so jaded about the state of what happens on the internet.
Here are the results when you run that sentence through Google: https://www.google.com/search?q=I+wish+I+weren%27t+so+jaded+about+the+state+of+what+happens+on+the+internet.&oq=I+wish+I+weren%27t+so+jaded+about+the+state+of+what+happens+on+the+internet

I ran that same sentence through several FREE online plagiarism detectors. Thankfully, Quetext did not find a copy. Searchenginereports was 100% clean. Even NoPlag.com came back ok.

Why do I ramble about this? Because I have found yet one more example of "re-worded" plagiarism of one "business consultant" of another's work.

I won't tell you where I found these examples, but based on the dates of the sites, this paragraph came out first in 2015:
"The definition of success is a very personal one. It’s unique to each individual and only they can know if they’ve reached it. Unfortunately, most people say they haven’t attained it. A final word from Mr. Twain, “There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things, and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded.”

The second one is recently published online within the last month:
"The definition of success is a personal one. It is unique to each of us and only we can say if we have reached it. Unfortunately, most people say they have not attained it. As the saying goes, “There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things, and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded.” (Mark Twain)"

Now, I don't know about you, but I was taught in school that this kind of copying was wrong. You might call it a paraphrase. There is even a paraphrasing tool, http://paraphrasing-tool.com/, that gave me this interesting re-do of Mr. Twain.

"The meaning of achievement is an individual one. It is one of a kind to each of us and no one but we would say be able to on the off chance that we have achieved it. Sadly, the vast majority say they have not accomplished it. As the truism goes, "There are essentially two sorts of individuals. Individuals who achieve things, and individuals who claim to have fulfilled things. The principal bunch is less swarmed." (Mark Twain)"

That might be the literal definition of paraphrase, but essentially- it is still copying. Thankfully, a recent article from LegalBeagle clarifies:
"If you do any of the following, you have committed plagiarism: copy what someone has written or take someone's expressed idea and pass it off as your own without giving the owner credit, fail to put a quotation in quotes, change words but copy the sentence structure without giving credit, and use so many words or ideas from someone else's writing that it makes up most of your work."

Sadly, we can only protect ourselves, because it does not appear that others will look out for us in this regard. But hey, just for you... don't copy and it's not a problem.

Original post can be found here.

Dear Founder, Don't Be the Bad Waiter

2017-07-18T19:00:00.000-04:00

Photo by Alvaro Serrano

Dear Founder/Marketing Head/Product Development/Customer Funtime Lead,

I am just writing this vague and boilerplate email to repond to the Nth Billionth email I've received from one of you with regards to your freemium, SAAS product/app of choice.

Look, if I had questions or concerns about your product, I am a smart enough guy to find the email, contact page, or bot that you call a chat module to get an answer.

If you want feedback, you really do need to give me enough time to actually use your product. Emailing me a mere day or two after I have only signedup for the product is not enough time for me to evaluate something.

It finally occurred to me that you are like the waitress who comes back to the table right after dropping the food and asking if I like it before I've even begun to chew.

So please, stop.

Just don't bother. Use your email for advertising or something else, but pestering a potential client like this is a pretty good way to make sure I stay a potential client and not an actual one.

Sincerely,
Todd

Clean Up Your Linkedin

2017-06-14T17:05:00.000-04:00

909.
That's how many "connections" I had amassed on Linkedin since January 2009.
Well, I just "Hoovered" my connections. I went down the list, bit by bit, and removed a whopping 203 from the pile.
Sadly, some of the folks had passed.
I'd say about 1/4 never really used the platform at all even if I knew them well enough.
I'd say another 1/4 might have meant to use the platform, but switched jobs, lost interest, or just didn't bother. It was surprising the number who had duplicate and even triplicate accounts (?)
I was really surprised by the number of what I would consider "high profile" people I know that have poorly executed Linkedin accounts.
I'm not in an area where Linkedin is perceived as a networking opportunity, but it is.
I get requests DAILY from people I have no clue who they are. Somehow they found me. For some reason, they deem me important enough to get in their circles. I suspect it was just because it looked like I could connect them to someone.
This isn't like Twitter where its just a numbers game.
I know there are people I asked to connect with that I might have only tangentially known, but figured that it would be worth keeping in the modern Rolodex that is Linkedin.
This is ACTUAL people. Trying to make actual connections, eventually.
And that is why I punted over 200 from my list.
I have been asked on occasion to make that connection for people who are number one in my circles but number two or three for someone else.
This is why I recommend that if you are going to at least try to take Linkedin seriously that your connections are about quality, not quantity.
Do you really want to connect two people that you BARELY know?
Could you RECOMMEND everyone you eventually connected with?
I barely recognized a huge chunk of my connections and didn't know a bunch.
Well, no longer. I cleaned house and can feel good about my connections on Linkedin.

2016 in Movies

2016-12-30T19:30:00.000-05:00

Somewhere back when, I used to talk about movies on this blog. I thought I might take a look at the box office winners this year to see what I have seen and give you some of my thoughts... I went down as far as 25!

1. Captain America: Civil War - Did exactly what it needed to do. Wish that we could have seen the movie without the "civil war" that was PROBABLY planned BEFORE they got RDJ involved.
2. Finding Dory - Not a bad sequel, but really added nothing to the overall appeal of a much better predecessor.
3. Zootopia - One of the gems of the year. This will be rewatched if not rehashed with the eventual sequel.
4. The Jungle Book (2016) - Sorry, I could NOT get past the CGI backgrounds. I don't care what people say, the animal effects were largely ok, but I could never see past the GREEN SCREEN on this one. And a sequel?
5. The Secret Life of Pets - STILL HAVE NOT SEEN. Good or bad?
6. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Edit about 45 minutes and this could have been a "good" movie. There are admirable parts, but the whole is dragged down by some silly ideas.
7. Deadpool - The most rewatchable movie in the last five years. Hilarious, actiony. Hopefully, original.
8. Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them - I'm surprised I'm this far and have only NOT seen one of these. This Harry Potter retread was fun, but unless you are a true fan, it just does not have enough of the magic of the Potterverse to warrant caring about.
9. Suicide Squad - Sadly, over-edited by the studio, but still insanely (literally) servicable movie that did what it needed to do. Like or hate, there is more likely to be more SS than Superman in the immediate movie future.
10. Doctor Strange - Cumberbatch proves that he can carry this film. Slides magic into the Marvel movie universe in a believable way.
11. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - Heart-breakingly good. CGI issues aside, which I did not care about, the story carries straight into the next one and works. Best use of Darth Vader EVER.
12. The Mermaid (Mei ren yu) - Heard of this Chinese movie. Wonder if I can Netflix? Hey, it's on Starz!
13. X-Men: Apocalypse - I can't believe how much Singer crapped the bed after earning the good will back on DOFP. Only Jungle Book had more green screen this year.
14. Kung Fu Panda 3 - still haven't seen.
15. Warcraft - Could not pay me to watch.
16. Jason Bourne - I wanted to see, but once the movie opened and got trashed, I stayed away.
17. Ice Age: Collision Course - they will keep making these until Ray Romano is dead. They add just enough to keep interest and not bringing them out TOO often.
18. Independence Day: Resurgence - still haven't seen, but based on word of mouth, there is reason to believe I won't ever see.
19. Monster Hunt - Saw this described as the biggest movie that North America has never heard of. I remember seeing the trailer, but this Chinese import never broke through.
20. The Legend of Tarzan - still haven't seen, but have hopes considering it was by David Yates.
21. The Angry Birds Movie - see Warcraft.
22. Moana - Can't believe that I have not seen this one yet. 23. Star Trek Beyond - Still have not seen, but want to.
24. Now You See Me 2 - Might watch if it comes on TBS.
25. Trolls - Sorry Justin, but I have no interest.

So I've seen at least half of the top 25 movies of 2016. Seven of them were made/produced by Disney and of those 6 are in the top 11. Wow.

American Voters: Biggest Losers

2016-11-03T17:30:00.001-04:00

There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.

Letter to Jonathan Jackson (2 October 1780), "The Works of John Adams", vol 9, p. 511

We were friggin' warned about the two party system. And we've ignored the admonition for so long, look at the election it has wrought us.

This Anti-Media.org article from JP Sottile has it nailed in the title: "2016: The Final Season of the United States Reality Show." The article goes on to compare what we are living in as the "Jumping of the Shark" in the show.

Sadly, the truth is there and the reality to show for it: a LITERAL reality show candidate versus a woman who by most accounts has done literally almost ANY thing to be president. It's like selecting a president via Fear Factor.

I have a teenager who just turned voting age in time for this election. Guess what she is going to do (probably): NOT VOTE. And can anyone blame her.

The reason I got the gumption to write this post is because Louis CK, who I normally enjoy, took to late night TV to suggest that those that don't vote are just @-holes.

Dude, clearly you have your preference, but for the rest of us that see that you have two candidates who just kinda stink- this is not an election to berate someone for ONLY seeing two evils.

There are nearly 9 million new voters in that ball park age of my daughter who have to look at the circus this last election has turned into and wonder- "why is voting such a big deal?" They definitely do care more about who is going to win some REALITY show contest much more than this crap-shoot.

But this comes back to a two party system that is more durable than a roach and as insidious as our Founding Fathers imagined. It is the enemy of true democracy. You are seeing more and more talk about two parties killing democracy in the United States.

When are or HOW can we do something about it when it is like a Terminator-esque Hydra that just keeps coming back every 2, 4, and 6 years?

Hold Your Nose, and Vote?

2016-10-20T09:22:00.001-04:00

I come back to voting every election year, mainly because I am so thoroughly disappointed in the outcomes of our two-party system.
And make no mistake, it is the party system that fails us.
I talked about "how not to get out the vote" - "vote even if you are disgusted?" UGH
I've always liked this article about shaming "non-voting."
I completely agree with the author: "No one should have to justify exercising a right; rights, by definition, justify themselves. Nevertheless, for many people, not voting is an entirely rational choice: The cost of learning about the candidates and the issues often outweighs the benefit to be had from casting a ballot whose odds of making a significant difference in the outcome are infinitesimal."

And for those that argue that you have a "civic duty to vote," please lay off the doody.
I like what this guy has to say about the idea.

Just because someone has the right to bear firearms does not give them a civic duty to bear them, right?
Just because you have the right to free assembly doesn't mean you have a civic duty to assemble, unless maybe you are Captain America?

This election, more than any other, is illustrating that the move towards approximately 40% of registered voters identifying themselves as independent is the only choice.

Will we still have an election result if all 40% just decided to forgo both options this year? Yes.
I wish we had a protest option like the 1983 remake of Brewster's Millions, when Richard Pryor ran as "None of the Above."
At least then, I wouldn't have to hold my nose to vote.

Why Are We Subsidizing the Party System?

2016-08-04T19:00:00.000-04:00

As a former political science student and teacher, one thing that has ALWAYS bothered me about the electoral system in the United States: why does the public PAY for party primaries?

I can understand the states being responsible for running their general elections to provide opportunity for their citizens to choose mayors, governors and all the way up to president, but for the life of me- why does the public pay for party primaries?

FROM: http://www.coolinfographics.com/blog/2016/8/3/very-few-americans-nominated-trump-and-clinton.html

Look at that graphic above. You can see how it works here: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/08/01/us/elections/nine-percent-of-america-selected-trump-and-clinton.html?_r=0
Only 9% of the American public selected either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump via the party primary process!

So, 9 out of ten of us are paying for the privilege of the remaining less than ten percent to have a chance to participate in what are private organizations selecting their general election candidate.

Wow.

Do you know how much that cost? According to openprimaries.org, over $425 million dollars this past election cycle.

Now, granted, states do choose to hold elections in primary season for other reasons. Ballots can have voter referendum on bond issues or other state elections. But would they choose to if they didn't have to? In my state of North Carolina alone, it was $9,000,000. But the amount is really NOT the issue.

Based on Pew Center Research, "...based on 2014 data, [of American voters] 39% identify as independents, 32% as Democrats and 23% as Republicans. Most polls have the registrations as high as 45%. Meaning that a minority of the population is subsidizing the majority's ability to select.

I'm with this editorial columnist: make the parties pay for their own elections.

Being a Parent

2016-08-02T13:52:00.000-04:00

While back, I wrote a post on Father's day about being a father and how being a parent is a job.
I wistfully look back as I look forward to another school year quickly approaching and the evidence of my "work" is becoming less and less my handiwork.
Our youngest has just moved on to middle school. Josh has moved into high school and the oldest has graduated from high school and about "start" her life.

We've had a tacit arrangement with the kids. We do NOT want boomerang kids coming back to haunt us. So they have always been told, they are staying with us until they are REALLY ready to go out and that includes the joke that college has become.

Sadly, despite the fact that I have spent a good chunk of my career working in higher education, I know that it is a folly to think that sending a child off to college is preparing them for much other than to have a lifetime of loans.

Thankfully, Amanda has gotten the message. She has a plan to go to local community college for a degree and career path that has growth and upward mobility. You know as opposed to a bachelors in philosophy degree.

The weird part? Now looking at it, being a parent is a job really designed to work itself out of existence. Presumably, these beings will become their own and not REALLY need us any more.

At least, that's the goal.

I will always view myself as a parent, but like so many jobs today. It is not a career with a 30 year life span at the same place. It evolves and means that what you did even two-three years ago is not what you are going to be doing in the next two to three years.

Course, this is true until we become grandparents. Which had better be a while off.

Do You Work with Lazy Consultants?

2016-03-20T23:46:00.001-04:00

I find it hard to believe how often I see small businesses and more importantly people who would work for small business who have no problem stealing from others.
Entrepreneur Magazine is a great resource for start ups and businesses looking to get some quick tidbits of info and knowledge.
They have a pretty standard Terms of Service for their publication you can find here: http://www.entrepreneur.com/page/225367
I've seen local and now not-so-local "consultants" pushing their material as if it was their own.
It's hard to believe we haven't gotten past the days when cut-n-paste enabled plagiarism wasn't eliminated, but I guess with so much out there, it is hard for a publisher to protect themselves.
But then again, maybe you ought not to do business with someone too self-involved to give credit to another or just too lazy?
Either way, take a look at the work of who you are working with to make sure they are not essentially thieves. If they can do it someone else, who says they won't do it to you?

Another Discontinued Product?

2016-02-03T08:50:00.000-05:00

I hate when something I like is discontinued.
The TV Show Firefly.
The Volcano burrito at Taco Bell.
Now, the "Linkedin Resume Builder."

It used to be that you could go to resume.linkedinlabs.com and login into your Linkedin account and then have a really nice tool to tweak your resume.

I've not had to do this for myself in some time. I have however for clients and while there are come interesting alternatives that might allow you to import your Linkedin Profile. None are particularly good as the original for editing and making a presentable resume.

I'd dare say the experiment has illustrated that there is a market for Linkedin to CHARGE for this service. "Sure, we provide you with a GREAT looking online resume, but you will pay to make it functional IRL." Don't be surprised if you see a paid for version of this service soon.

Highly frustrating and sad that people have not caught on to it as even this article from last month was still touting a discontinued product:
http://www.business2community.com/brandviews/grammarly/5-writing-mistakes-youre-making-linkedin-profile-01430992#ujqaoHShrHo6Z323.97

The Force Has Awoken Something

2016-01-06T13:02:00.000-05:00

I've already given my two cents about the latest Star Wars missive. You can listen here.

I wanted to talk about two things that really stood out for me about this latest addition to the Star Wars universe.

1. This is just a remake.
Yes. So what? JJ Abrams and company had a TALL order when Disney laid this one on them. First, the last Star Wars property had REALLY burned the fans of the original trilogy. Even a fan of the prequels has to admit that most criticism of the prequels is legit for the most part.
Second, this was a "sequel" to a movie that is nearly 40 years old. Wow, that'll make you feel old.
For those like me who remember seeing the original Star Wars in 1977, that's like a legit sequel to "Wizard of Oz" that came out that year. Can you imagine the lambasting that anyone taking THAT on would have to deal with?
Most of our kids and all of China have never seen the original movies- it is about to open this Saturday!
While us old folks get to remember the first time we saw this story being told on the big screen, these folks haven't. I can deal with the repetition to get a decent story, good effects, and new Star Wars movie on the big screen! Imagine being one of those that NEVER saw the original trilogy- I did with my daughter who has the Avengers as her Star Wars, but she felt the same way.

2. This get to my second point. A female led action scifi movie is about to become one of the biggest movies in history. This is GREAT. My daughter has gravitated towards strong female characters and I am so glad that Star Wars has one. She loved "Edge of Tomorrow's" Emily Blunt, but she had to share with Tom Cruise. She loves the Black Widow in the Avengers movies. I can't show her Aliens yet, but believe me- I think she is going to love Ripley when the time comes.

I was really moved for a variety of reasons when I saw this movie the first time, but these two points really stood out the second time I watched it (with my daughter).

Local Listings via Facebook?

2015-12-28T10:08:00.000-05:00

If you have a service or retail business with a brick and mortar location, you KNOW (or should know) the value of making sure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) are all over the map in the online listing services.

Yelp, Yahoo, Google, Bing, Merchant Circle, YP.com... the list is growing on a daily basis. Powerhouse Facebook is now entering the ring with www.facebook.com/services.

Why this actual might mean something is that it is a lot easier to garner reviews and comments that boost this rating via your friends, family, etc than it is to deal with Yelpers, etc.

If nothing else, this is a good reminder that you should take control of your listing on Facebook (and all the other services) while you can.

If you need a little help in this regard, let me know!