Category: Personal Reflections

I’ve been a fan of Wil Wheaton’s Radio Free Burrito for years. It’s hard to conceive he’s been putting those things out for a decade. Anyway, today’s episode: Radio Free Burrito 43: my next mistake, hits on a few things that I’ve been thinking about lately.

He talks a bit about Taylor Swift and how crappily she’s been treated by the media, and by a certain cadre of the internet. I, too, have been discovering more in her music than I expected. And what made me take a deeper look was the grace and humor she’s shown while facing down the trollish brutes. Gotta love and admire anyone like that.

When talking about Pax and the hater-vibe he was feeling, he struck a nerve that’s been raw. In geek circles lately, there’s this whole “gatekeeper” thing going on. I hate this mentality. Perhaps it’s because I’m an old school geek from back when geekiness lined you up for bullying (at best). When you found ANYONE who shared those interests and passions, you felt delight, a thrill in someone else “getting it”. Those geeks I grew up with were a remarkably inclusive crew. Hearing people proclaiming “you’re not geeky enough” is both absurd and infuriating. You’re not outcast enough? Really? Of course, I’ve long felt frustration with those seeking to keep others out, to find some kind of purity. The purity of the experience comes from love, from passion. It’s the damn feeling, the joy in something, that makes it wonderful.

Of course, I’ve long been a proponent of diversity in all things. And I guess here is where I’ll stand. Wil is geeky enough, Taylor is too, and I’ll bet you are as well. Jeez, folks, lets all go watch Star Wars and get over ourselves.

I consider myself a global citizen. Born in Rhode Island, my life has taken me throughout the US and around the globe. I have a broad view of the world, though my core geographical identification is with Seattle.

My career brought me to several key Seattle area institutions, including Starbucks, Microsoft and a project or two at Amazon. I have a solid understanding of general business principles, technological solutions, writing, PR, internet and social media marketing. I have built websites (with a particular love for WordPress), myriad PowerPoints, intricate Excel spreadsheets, tracked million dollar + budgets, deployed Google Apps and Microsoft Office Online solutions (Office 365’s predecessor) , launched built networks, written press releases, edited and managed newsletters, and developed long-term strategies.

My focus has been on “getting things done”, while keeping an eye on the future. I seek solutions that make change, that grow and develop.

This morning’s glimmer from “Advice from 30 year old me to 20 year old me”:

“A few people will change your life forever. Find them.”

Searching, seeking, a pilgrimage of personal growth. Finding such humans ensures you grow. Such people challenge you, driving you past your internal resistances.

However, I seek more; more than to simply absorb greatness from others. I seek to Be One Of These People. If one person grows from my presence: success! Afterwards, “the more the merrier”.

What, really do I benefit embodying the values of leeches and mosquitos? Sure, at a primal level, I gain. But, I also lose. Human relationship is transactional. One-sided benefit destroys relationship and eventually leaves one isolated, alone. Lost to the greedy, immature mind: synergization, gestalt. Collaboration creates things greater than by an individual. Things greater than can even be conceived by the one. A zen quality therein, methinks.

Working in Real Estate, I’m currently dealing with a distinctly frustrating lender issue. The other agent (we represent the sellers) has been great. Also, the lender’s mortgage staff have been great and responsive. But we have an appraiser who the descriptor “slow” is a glorious understatement. So, a few points of frustration on this. One is obvious: everything is backed up due to the sluggish progress of one individual. However, the bigger point of aggravation comes from this appraiser’s routine failure to produce documentation in a timely manner. Being on-time is the rarity, as confirmed a few discussions.

It’s easy to be frustrated with the appraiser, however, that’s not entirely fair. When routine incompetence isn’t addressed, that’s a management failure. I understand that banks and appraisers need to maintain an “arms-length” relationship. However, a documented pattern of failure shouldn’t, well, can’t be tolerated. It is terrible customer service, and reflects poorly on the whole institution to the other stakeholders.

It’s bad enough to accept mediocrity. Accepting incompetence? No, don’t do it. Don’t!