More of my websites

I started a WordPress site some time ago in order to explore the platform. Recently, I relaunched it as my poetry site. I’ve heard so very much about focusing your sites. So, I’m trying to do something with that. Besides that one, I also have NotJustSeattle.com, where I focus on the local. Soon, I’m going to port my tech writing to its own site. This will also, then, be my professional/business presence. I’ll move my portfolio there, too. Trying to find another name besides “Setzer Consulting”. Feels too bidding. I’ll try to have the URL for in to that.

So, please check out my other sites and stay tuned to see how things change.

July Fourth Fun

This July Forth, one of the key things I’m doing: cleaning out my inboxes. I’ve been quite over-full with activity, and this was one area sacrificed.

Brings back to the front of mind a continuous quandary: information flow. I have a huge array of interests, thus have subscribed to a huge number of email lists. And, like today, most of what I’m doing is dumping those emails into the trash. Even the ones being saved to “read later”. That’s something happening less and less: “reading later”. Slowly, I continue culling subscriptions. It’s hard, really hard.

Iteratively, I’m defining/refining my interests. And weeding out what I won’t read, or keep the most up-to-date with. This weeding has been the most painful. Even with knowing I can look things up instantly. Perhaps it’s a legacy: I’d keep magazine subscriptions of stuff that I cared about to “read later”. Though it might be weeks or even months later, having access to that knowledge was critical. Throwing them out meant losing ready access to that info. Now I am a simple Google search away. Just need to convince my brain.

I see these elements, struggling with the changes I’ve lived through. It seems, simply, that its mostly about becoming fully aware of the conflict. I view this process as psychic debugging.

Lastly, and don’t worry. I’ll still get out and enjoy US Independence Day. Cheers, all!

TikTok, LunaTik & Social Business

This company has interested me, the Apple guy and iPhone user. One of their devices is, in my opinion, the most effective case ever created. Not cheap, but wickedly awesome.

I’ve really not noticed their backstory, though. Watching this video really impressed me with the ways they utilized social media and tools like Kickstarter to get this product created. It really spoke to me about the way business is evolving, and how the world could shake out.
Anyway, it’s worth a few minutes of your time. Business is changing. Behold!

The Story of TikTok+LunaTik from LUNATIK on Vimeo.

The Limits Of Web Solutions

Today, one of the main sites I work out of is struggling with a DDOS attack. Well, it’s actually been the past few days. This site tracks my workflow, and houses my to-do list. Being locked out has moved from annoyance to inconvenience to problem to serious issue.

This has me wonder, though: is technology really ready for “prime time”? For those of us who have shifted our calendars, tracking systems, CRM to the web, what is at risk? A relatively simply action can create significant paralysis.

To be clear, I’m not ready to abandon all my tech solutions and grab paper and binders yet. But I am considering what I can do, analog or otherwise, to be better able to react to these nuisances. There is no guarantee that any website will remain in business tomorrow. There are technological snafus. How do I minimize the risks inherent with going all-in with tech/web solutions? I’ll be meditating on that for the next few days. 

Social Media: Work vs Magic

Magic. I’ve seen this idea many times, item X will “save us”, ” make us rich “, “make critics vanish”, what have you. Looking to some tool as a savior, the proverbial ” magic bullet”; all our problems will vanish. Nearly daily I see emails promising “Pinterist will make you rich”, along with myriad, similar titles. Magic sells, but never returns on that investment.

Social media won’t make you rich, make critics vanish, nor any issue disappear. No blog post, tweet nor Google+ share will, either. It’s way these efforts are called campaigns. Regular posts, with thoughtful content, over several channels, and with engagement, interacting; that’s how an audience is built. Gaining fans, then nurturing those relationships, that’s the gift of social media.

MaydayPAC and Hope for Democracy

I am excited by this project: Mayday, creating a crowdsourced SuperPac to end all SuperPacs (SuperDuperPac?). I’ve long admired Larry’s work, and also have been concerned by cash’s influence in politics. For me, this has the potential to be a profound pivotal moment of the internet age and social media driven democracy. This coming Monday (June 16) at 8:00 pm EASTERN time, Mr. Lessig and Amanda Palmer will be hosting a video conversation that I expect will be very much worth your time. If I can at all make this work with my calendar, I will be online for this.

Update: Here’s some recommended “pre-reading”:  1) http://thebea.st/UhhBVV  2) http://bit.ly/MD-TNR  3) http://bit.ly/MD-Medium