The CaffiNation Podcast

I had a teacher in Middle school Mrs Harper, who tasked me with finding a quiet way to work out my nervous energy when working on a project. “Find or make a ‘fidget‘ ” she said. It has to be small, light, and silent. Now I just use whatever debris is handy. I have her to thank for the best productivity tip I ever received. Do you have a fidget?

I need to have busy hands. When I’m working on a problem or waiting to get something done I make things, i doodle, i draw constantly, not well mind you. The larger the product the more raw materials from the office landscape i seem to use. If I ever work on a huge project i might disassemble something important. For especially big projects keeping my hands busy is just enough of a distraction to clear my head and allow my mind to move forward. Think Lucky Bat from a Few Good Men.

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In the spirit of the Adopt a Newb Day 2008 celebration which is fast approaching I wanted to answer a frequent question I get asked . And I might ask the same of you. What do you get out of Social Media, and Social Networking sites, and how can they help my (insert podcast, blog, dairy farm)? It is a very valid question for the amount of time I spend on twitter, checking myspace, facebook and anything else where you can friend someone? It is a very valid question, and surprisingly it doesn’t have a simple answer. This article also sprung from a recent article by Chris Penn concerning the value of social networks when compared to choosing a school based on its name.

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Consider this a Public service announcement, and a thread starter.

You all should know these things but sometimes they are better off written, read aloud, and repeated. I’ve codified three basic rules you should follow when posting online, if you value a harmonious existence. And despite what you may think not all people do. It takes courage to be divisive, to polarize or to pick a side. And more often than not standing by those guns will win you both favor with some and loose the respect of others. Some people can not take advice nor information from people who think differently than they do. All that being said, if you are online for the fun, if your a student using Facebook for a hoot or a mild mannered accountant just looking to reach out this article is for you. (more…)