Consulting Services and eBay

Finding consulting clients is challenging.  Directing potential clients to websites is "ify" at best.  Many of the independent consultants I network with say that their new clients almost always come "by word of mouth" from existing or previous clients.

In exploring more options to "spread the word"--beyond social networking sites such as LinkedIn, FaceBook, and Twitter, I have signed-up my Joelmonty.net website for some promotional services to get them recognized more by search engines.

I am listening to an audio book where the protagonist has marketed an "off-beat" consulting service on eBay.  I already use eBay and get my billing and payments through PayPal.  It makes sense to work with eBay to market my consulting services, especially my virtual consulting services.

From what I have seen on eBay's Consulting Services pages so far there is plenty of room for my services.  Now I have to work on the most effective ways to use eBay to market these services.

Virtual World Webinar Creation

When planning the design of a Virtual Worlds Webinar, it is important to know the capabilities of the Virtual Worlds so that participants in the Webinar can take full advantage of all of the capabilities offered.

I am in the process of creating such an event.  See this follow-up blog post regarding the design process.

Apple's Innovations and Steve Jobs

ABC World News made Steve Jobs their person of the week this week.  Starting out of his garage in 1976, Steve Jobs has seen Apple grow and its innovations pervade the marketplace of ideas and technology.

My first PC was an Apple--shortly after it was invented.  In 1990 I wrote my dissertation on a Macintosh at the university computer lab and purchased my first Apple in 1991.  I have been using Apple and Macintosh computers for years--then had to convert to Windows-based computers for business and later for schools.  (I am still a Mac-fanatic at heart.)

I have fallen in love with my iPod Touch (32Gs) and use it in the wifi mode for everything from surfing the web to e-mail to listening to audio books and more.  The iPad (Apple Tablet by whatever name it may end up with) appears to be a larger version of the iPod Touch--just with updated software and some Macintosh capabilities built in.  (Of course I want an iPad and an iPhone.  I'd be an early adapter except for the new economy.)

A suggestion to Steve and Apple based on my research on improving reading and academic performance, get the iPad to synchronize unabridged eBooks and eAudioBooks so that students can read and listen at the same time.  I've done that with students, especially English language learners, with good results.  In practicing Spanish, I've also listened to a book in English and read the unabridged book in Spanish simultaneously.

I hope that the app process for the iPod Touch and the iPhone will work for the new iPad as well.

Jobs in the New Economy--President Barack Obama's Messages

President Barack Obama, in his first State of the Union address last night made jobs a number one priority and asked the Senate for a job bill incorporating what the House has already proposed.  In the details below the headlines, President Obama spoke about creating new "green" jobs and talked about lots of construction, railroad, and nuclear jobs.  He did not say much about jobs for the experienced middle manager who won't have a new job to go to nor an old job to go back to.  Small Business can do much to create new jobs and the proposals of the Obama administration for Small Business are no where near as clear as the ideas for construction and energy jobs. 

President Obama stressed that he wanted to support Community Colleges--they will play a critical role in helping adults adjust to new jobs. 

A key area for growth for small businesses is for independent consultants with change management and training backgrounds to network in order to work with emerging technologies and to create the job training new employees will need for these jobs.  As they do that they can look for contracts or grants from the Federal government to provide appropriate training to help people step into these new jobs as they are created.

Steve Jobs, in promoting the new iPad, spoke about many of the innovations Apple has provided since 1976.  This kind of technology could well be the baseline for new training initiatives and for education in K-12, community college, and university systems.

NSB-Project

Yesterday I was approached by a former colleague who had volunteered with me on a CPR Sunday project we did for the American Red Cross and the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in November, 1991.

Her goal was to create a new community service project or event for New Smyrna Beach, Florida.  At this point it is just a dream and I agreed to help her get it started and planned.

DrM-Resources has set-up a collaborative project page and is posting discussion questions to start the brainstorm.  After watching Julie and Julia, I believe that the evolution of this community service project/event would be a good candidate for a blog, focused on the positive and on overcoming challenges.

The blog could both document the planning and be a resource to others considering taking on such an event.  CPR Sunday was based on a successful event held in California and the NSB-Project could be the start of a series of projects/events to benefit communities throughout the USA and the world.

We are at the planning stages and have only two people actively registered on the collaboration web site so far.

Comment Policy for DrM-Blog

Comment Policy for DrM-Blog

Comments are welcome as long as they are

1) they are positive,
2) they relate to the subject of the post they are responding to,
3) they contain no promotional links which have not been endorsed in this Blog.
4) they are authored by someone who can be contacted by e-mail

If a comment is rejected, it is probably because one or more of the above conditions is/are not present in the comment.

A Matter of Energy and Power--and Spirit

On January 23, 2010, I wrote a post on serendipity and synchronicity.  Writing that post reminded me about James Redfield's Celestine Prophecy and the Insights.  The third and fourth Insight were about energy and a struggle for power.  The fifth Insight was about tapping into the internal source of Spiritual energy--the energy flowing from God in all things and all people.

The way to overcome the struggle for power was to tap into our own inner source of Spiritual energy and to give freely of the overflow--sending it out to all things and all people.

In my own life I have found that tapping into the Spiritual power and giving freely (without attachment to outcomes) of the overflow helps me experience more joy and abundance and to see the positive energy around me.  James Redfield talks about it in The Celestine Prophecy and I experience it in my own world.

Sandra Bullock did an excellent job in the movie, 28 Days, in which she portrays Gwen Cummings, a person addicted to alcohol and drugs.  She is given a choice of jail or rehab and she chooses rehab.  Her experiences in the rehabilitation center and the choices she makes during and after rehabilitation make the movie an excellent reminder of choosing life rather than choosing the addiction.  There is clearly a struggle for power shown in the movie when Gwen's boyfriend at the beginning of the movie tries to influence Gwen Cummings to stay with her addiction.  The movie clearly depicts her claiming her own power and resisting efforts to bend her will.

In the Celestine Prophecy movie this struggle for power is depicted in the energy fields around the people trying to influence each other.  While the energy in real life is more subtle, the ideas ring true and I am aware of the power struggle when someone engages me in conversation on the telephone or even in e-mails and in ads. 

Thinking about the struggle for power that Osama Bin Laden demonstrates against the West brings me back to the third, fourth, and fifth Insights. 

While The Celestine Prophecy is a novel, I have found an excellent source for insight into practical spirituality for everyday life.  Many of the ideas expressed in The Celestine Prophecy are also part of the spiritual teachings from many spiritual paths.

Tapping into the connection with God that is inside each of us is a key to being aware of the loving and joy that fills and surrounds us and all things.  Remaining aware of that connection is both a challenge and a goal.  When actually filled with this loving energy that I will call Light, it is easier not to be influenced by people trying to steal power and influence behavior.  Sending  the Light for the highest good of all concerned (with no attachment as to outcomes) is a way to ask for God's blessings to be manifest in ways and times which are for the highest good of all concerned.  This process certainly fills me with loving and joy.

Communicating and Marketing Value

Communicating and marketing value are challenging, especially via the Internet and in today's economy.  Social Networking sites such as LinkedIn, FaceBook, and Twitter may help.  Search engines such as Google could help and, due to the sale of ad words and tags to make people rise to the top of searches, these engines may actually interfere with the ability of people to find the value they may be looking for.

Knowing how to adjust a website to offer a landing page that delivers value is a marketable skill.  Unfortunately, many people market this skill without having any particular skill to market.

One of my goals with DrM-Resources is to offer value.  I have a variety of interconnected websites and share information about what DrM-Resources offers.  Now I need to find ways to help people find it, even if this means creating another "landing-page" website that is more focused on the value people are interested in.

Triple Bottom Line--People, Planet, Profit--The Three Pillars

We have moved from a concept of "the bottom line" to the "triple bottom line."  Organizations need to work from more of a social consciousness and the triple bottom line includes people, planet, and profit--sometimes referred to as the "three pillars."

When we are in a challenged economy, it is easy to focus on the "older bottom line" (net profit) rather than the "triple bottom line" (taking care of the people of the organization and its customers/clients, the planet [green economics] and net profit).

Serendipity--Synchronicity--Synergy, Interconnectedness of Coincidences

Serendipity reflects the interconnectedness between seemingly random coincidences.  Synchronicity relates to the timing of the events and suggests that they are unlikely to occur together by chance. Both of these concepts tie into the "First Insight" in James Redfield's novel, Celestine Prophecy, and film.  Serendipity is also the theme of a romantic movie. 

Our lives have amazing interconnectedness.  When we experience seemingly random coincidences and connections, it is important to be open to explore the possibilities of both serendipity and synergy.

As we are more and more aware, no one exists in a vacuum.  Our lives touch each other--often in ways we do not consciously understand.  In the concept of chaos theory, the beating of wings of butterflies off the coast of Africa can produce hurricanes that hit the East coast of the United States. 

To bring serendipity and connection to the forefront, it is often important to talk with others about what is happening.  In two separate instances this week, I mentioned what I was doing with companies in two different cities and people who work out at the Delnor Wellness Center came forward and said that they, too, were connected with these companies.

Becoming aware of the synchronicity of events relies to tuning into both the interrelatedness of the events and the timing of the events.

Jobs--Taxes--Age--Government Contracts--Grants--Marketing

President Barack Obama spoke about jobs in Ohio today.  While the stimulus packages are designed to support job creation, existing limitations on selection of contractors sometimes create a "catch 22" in that the money for job creation does not go for job creation.

It is challenging to be in a position to bid on a government contract or to go for a government grant.  Many organizations promise to educate and to help would-be contractors or grant recipients for "nominal" fees of $5,000 or $7,500.  While government contracts or grants could certainly be higher than those fees, most start-ups or experienced workers laid off from their jobs cannot afford these "nominal tuitions."

What is a challenge is that, in today's economy, age, experience, and education often limit job options.  When employers are looking for employees in this economy, they often would like to find someone on the "low-end" of the experience and education spectrum who might be willing to work for an annual salary significantly less than the salaries needed by more senior employees who are trying to replace retirement funds or to support their families.

If some of those people could move to become part of a network of government contractors, they may actually be able to create jobs for themselves and their peers.

Perhaps some of the stimulus package needs to focus on helping start-up contractors and people with good ideas for grants to learn what they need to learn in order to be successful in working with the government on these contracts and grants.

Kids and Electronics--more structure needed for learning

On January 20, 2010, ABC 7 Chicago broadcast the results of a study saying that kids are using electronics seven hours per day.  In this study students who were "wired" for seven hours per day were not improving their grades.  A few students had limits on use placed by their parents and their grades went up.

In 2007, NEA Today  published an article, Don't Turn 'Em Off, Tune 'Em In! (2007, September). NEA Today, 26(1), 17.  Retrieved July 28, 2009, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1360186081).  In this article, the magazine encouraged schools to guide students in their use of electronics technology.

In my research, listening to digital audiobooks on iPods and MP3 players can improve academic performance and reading skills for students.  What the current study indicates is that students need more structure around their use of the electronic technology available.  It can enhance learning--when made a part of a structured approach integrating technology and learning.  Without the structure, students "go for the fun" without "going for the learning." 

In other research, I have found that learning takes place when we engage actively in learning activities.  If the activities we engage in are not tied to learning, the learning potential and value may be lost.

President Barack Obama--First Year in Office--January 20, 2010

President Barack Obama completed his first year in office today, January 20, 2010.  In an exclusive interview on ABC News Nightline, he speaks openly and frankly with George Stephanopoulos.  President Obama reflected that he is concerned that it is difficult to have people continue to operate on shared vision and values.  He was elected on a platform of change and has found it incredibly challenging to change the "status quo" in Washington, D.C. politics.

Too many people are enamoured of politics and their parties rather than on the real issues of the middle class of the USA.  President Obama noted that he chose to put health care to the forefront of his agenda because of the horror stories about health care he had heard from people around the country during his campaign.

Regarding support for Haiti, President Obama said that the USA needs to be able to support people (especially neighbors) in need rather than just showing force in war.

I believe that President Obama is doing his best to deliver on what he proposed to do when he was elected.  Jobs and health care are closely tied together.  The present health care bill represents a compromise and, according to President Obama, about 90% of the Senate bill matches that of the House.  While some people are opposed to the bill it is clear that we need to change health care in the USA.

Right now health care plans are affordable only while someone is working.  Even COBRA payments (which run for 18 months when someone leaves work involuntarily) are too high to afford unless supported by the Federal Government.

Jobs are a major challenge.  Many highly qualified people have been laid off and cannot find work that values their education and experience or that pays them enough to take care of their families.  The government is helping to extend unemployment benefits and those benefits do not really pay all the bills.  People need to work and are actively looking for work--and are still not finding it.

I believe that President Obama faces the dilemma that the public is impatient and finds it hard to maintain focus on shared vision and values.  Because people are not getting their needs met in a timely way, they are upset with the government--even though the causes for their upset predate President Obama's administration by many years.  The vote in Massachusetts shows that the public still wants change.  That someone would run just to oppose what President Obama is trying to accomplish seems to fly in the face of reason--though that is the way much of the problem is created.  People appeal to emotion and vested interest groups--for example, the Oil industry, the Health Insurance industry--know how to use media to stir up emotional response.

I believe President Obama is doing a good job and needs more help to "get it right" for the American people.  The organizations he started during his campaign seem more like lobbying groups appealing for money than for real problem-solving resources.  They just become another voice making what President Obama referred to as "noise" (think of it as static that you hear between stations when tuning a radio).

We need the kinds of changes President Obama is proposing and I strongly believe in his idea of having the USA show its concern and ability by supporting neighbors (and others) in need rather than trying to impose what we want on other nations.  We need to defend ourselves, of course, and the way the terrorists are currently operating makes that especially challenging.

I wasn't particularly pleased by George Stephanopoulos' attitude expressed during the interview or by the way he seemed to cut the President off to make his points.  Hopefully the President was allowed to communicate what he wanted to during the interview and I thank ABC News for its efforts on behalf of the public.

I also want to thank President Obama and his family for their dedication and commitment throughout this first year of his Presidency and to wish them well for the years ahead.  I believe history will show President Obama to have been an exceptional leader working in exceptional times.

Freeing Energy--Letting Go of Unfinished (Un-needed) Business

A friend of mine came over today to assist me in freeing energy.  I'm involved in lots of projects and, over the years, as I complete one series of projects, I have left-over supplies and materials that end up being stored in my home.

Some of those materials still have potential value for use (over-sized binders, for example, frequently needed by schools and school districts) and others have "passed their expiration date."

A friend to help with the sorting and to keep the focus on making the decision to "recycle, toss, or save" is a real service.  I have sometimes felt overwhelmed by the volume over time.  As they say, how do you eat something as large as an elephant (not that we would eat one of those)?  The response is "one bite at a time."  I learned that some of the things I thought I could recycle I had to toss.  We reorganized my garage (that has some school supplies) and created a staging area where I can move things on their way to the recycle center or the trash.

I'm looking forward to the time when I'm down to practical, immediately useful resources and the rest out--recycled or tossed.  I've made some first steps and have more to take.

I'm going to be delighted with the energy I'm reclaiming that has been tied-up (in whatever degree) in the unfinished projects or materials "with potential use to someone."

Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr

The USA celebrates Martin Luther King Junior's birthday with a holiday on the third Monday in January (close to his actual birthday of January 15th).  His efforts to promote freedom and equality for all people in the USA have really helped the citizens of the USA to recognize the freedoms and rights of others more today than in the times prior to Martin Luther King, Jr.  He has made a real difference.

We need to continue this effort--sharing those concepts and applying them to others who are on the receiving end of prejudice.  Equality of work and pay among the sexes is still a dream.  Many people who are "different" in skin color, language, sexual orientation, political or religious belief, are deprived of the freedoms most of us expect in the USA.

One of the ways we honor Martin Luther King, Jr. is to keep his ideas alive.  How are we doing on that day-by-day?

Legacy of Freedom--Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Martin Luther King, Jr.--More

Martin Luther King's birthday is a good time to reflect on the legacy of freedom we enjoy as citizens of the United States of America.  Thomas Jefferson, primary crafter of the Declaration of Independence and James Madison, a primary crafter of the Constitution of the United States of America along with Ben Franklin, George Washington, and others created a foundation of freedom celebrated in the United States of America since its founding in 1776.  Martin Luther King, Jr. and many others helped expand this foundation of freedom to include people of more cultures and races living in this country.  Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, began writing about women's rights in 1776 and they, too, have come a long way.

Each of us today benefits from this legacy of freedom.  It is our responsibility to maintain it and to extend it.  Discrimination exists in this country for lots of reasons including economics, race, culture, religion, sexual orientation, language, and many other ideas people use to distinguish one person or group from another person or group.

We have challenges to overcome--terrorists focusing on destroying American culture and values, natural disasters (such as the earthquake in Haiti) that requires authentic human response to met the needs of victims regardless of any differences we might be aware of.

President Barack Obama has been in office for almost one year.  In his oath of office, he promised to preserve, protect, and to defend the Constitution of the United States.  He is working hard to live up to his promises and to continue the legacy of freedom for his children and for all of us in the years to come.

Bloging and Writing--A Success Story (and a fun movie)

Bloging can certainly lead to writing and publishing, and for Julie Powell, it led to both a book and a movie.  I saw Julie and Julia for the first time today courtesy of Netflix.  Wikipedia.org has an entry about the movie and there is a blog that looks like the one in the movie.  The book is available from Amazon.com.  (I certainly enjoyed the movie, by the way.  Thanks, Julie.)

I started this blog on August 10, 2009.  One of my original goals was to have the discipline to do a daily blog that will allow me to begin publishing.  I have several partially completed books and, like Julie Powell in the Julie and Julia movie, I wanted a more reduced time-line.  Julie Powell focused on "365 days and 524 recipes".  I was more open-ended and, as a consequence, do not have as focused a product as Julie's blog.

I've had some feedback from friends which have helped me clean-up my blog entries and conversations with these friends and more have given me lots of ideas to post in this blog.  Every day I ask myself what I'm going to write about and the day always brings something forward.

I never know how many people are reading the blog and I post entries which can help anyone who reads it.  It is helping me to maintain my focus.

My plan is to look at my blog when I have 180 or so posts (or more) and to see if there are related blogs which could be chapters.  I'm not sure how much editing I'll need to do and we'll see.  I am an electronic publisher and can publish my book whenever I think it's ready.  So far, that "being ready" has been a challenge.

I looked at the summary of my blog--seen at the top of each page--and believe that my posts are delivering on the intention presented in that summary.  I'm glad to see that Julie Powell has a success story from her bloging efforts.  That holds more hope for me.

Linking Science to Creative Writing--Multidisciplinary Practice and Exercise for the Creative Imagination

A recent visit to Adler Planetarium's Cyberspace website and a second viewing of Avatar led to the creation of a new project at DrM-Resources.  The Adler-Creative-Writing-Project was developed to give middle school and high school students (and any adults who want to participate) an opportunity to try their hands individually or collectively at working with science "facts" (from the Adler Cyberspace website) and with ideas from science fiction and fantasy to create a science fiction or fantasy short story.

Too often students asked me why I was speaking about science in a social studies class.  Because middle schools and high schools are often set-up with courses that appear to be in isolation, science, math, and English (language arts) are not seen to be related.

Research indicates that more learning takes place when schools work with multidisciplinary thematic units (see the paper on multidisciplinary thematic units).  Award-winning authors in science fiction and fantasy create multidisciplinary novels that have elements from many different areas.

Let's see what can happen with a project like this.

Disaster Relief--Earthquake in Haiti--Help that Counts Now

Tuesday's 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck a little more than six miles deep just outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and the 40+ aftershocks measuring 4.5 to 5.3 on the Richter scale have devastated much of the concrete and stone structures throughout the area.

Tonight initial estimates of 50,000 dead are just guesses.  Because the roads have been broken up, it's even harder to move supplies and materials to where they are needed.  People on the ground are out of supplies and much is needed.

The American Red Cross (and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies) are active in response to disasters around the world.  I had Red Cross disaster training and volunteered with the Red Cross for more than 33 years.  I know first hand the good they do in disasters.

I also know that, in these initial days, the most important way to make a difference is to make a monetary donation--even as little as ten dollars by credit card.  If you are tempted to buy food or water or medical supplies, just donate the money you would have spent.  The American Red Cross has already earmarked $10 million dollars for Haiti and some funds are needed to create that amount.  Logistics of getting disaster supplies collected and in place quickly requires money and small amounts can be pooled quickly and can make an enormous difference.

You want to make sure that your donations go to what you want them to go to and that your credit card information will not be compromised.  The best way to do that is to go through existing organizations that you know are authentic.  I'm providing links for donations to the American Red Cross and Doctors without Borders--two which I know deliver and who we can believe in.

I donated to the American Red Cross International Response Fund yesterday and the Red Cross has now established a Haiti Relief and Development Fund.  You can donate to either or both of these funds or more by following this link or the link to the title of this post. 

Doctors Without Borders is another organization which does good work throughout the world.  They are already actively operating in Haiti and have a way of directing donations to that effort.  Take a look at a video released in December that documents some of the work they are doing in Haiti.

This is a second post for the day (Thursday, January 14th, 2010).  I didn't want another day to go by without posting about the need to respond to this international disaster.

By the way, I felt that is a great app available from the iTunes store for the iPod Touch and the iPhone.  It gives world-wide earthquake data and is always up-to-date.  I highly recommend it for anyone interested in tracking earthquake activity.

Port-au-Prince, Haiti is on the same time as New York City.  The temperature during the night is about 70 degrees F.  The temperature tomorrow during the day will be up to 92 degrees F.

Amazingly, Skype, Twitter, and cell phones with solar batteries are the ways people are communicating.

Citizen Science Projects--Zooniverse and Galaxy Zoo 2

In December, 2009, Zooniverse launched a new project, Galaxy Zoo 2 after a successful introduction of the first Galaxy Zoo project in 2007.

These are "citizen science" projects in which people around the world are invited to work on science projects using astronomical data generated by a variety of scientific sites and to help scientists resolve questions and exploration by observing and reporting on data by using their computers.

More than 200,000 people are involved already and there are four new projects.

Part of the challenge is to make even greater use of this learning and scientific resource and to involve adults and children in meaningful research that contributes to our expanding understanding of our universe and beyond.

Who knows what we'll learn?

Aikido Principles--Insights for Action and Improving Results

Aikido principles are often symbolized by three shapes.  A square means "defend."  A triangle means "attack."  A circle means "flow."

Applying these principles on a daily basis when dealing with challenges that present themselves can help provide greater insight and improve results.

 How we react to challenges is often a habit.  For some, when asked to do something, the first reaction is to refuse (defend) (square shape).  This can lead to justifications of why we cannot or will not do what is asked.  For others, the first reaction is to attack (triangle shape)--self or others. (For example, asking questions like "Why do you want me to do that?  Why are you picking on me?")  A third response is to flow (circle).  This is usually the most creative resonse and can lead to the most significant improvements.   Any one of the three reactions can be appropriate, given the right circumstances.  If we want to build a positive habit and to see more positive results in our life, we need to develop the habit of reacting by moving to flow.

One example of moving to flow happened to me two days ago.  I was asked to submit a publication dealing with human computer interface.  While I had published related working papers, I didn't have one available on that topic.  Rather than to react with defend or attack, I chose flow and wrote a paper based on work I have been doing for the past few years.  I need to do more research and to revise the paper before submitting it for distribution. By reacting with flow to the challenge, I created a new opportunity to publish research and to share learning with others.

Early Voting in Illinois--Making Sure Your Vote Counts

Early Voting in Illinois--Because many things can interfere on the day of an election, taking advantage of the early voting option clears the way to do whatever comes up on election day while having your vote count. 

I voted today in Kane County.  Any number of things could interfere with voting on an official election day--weather, job responsibilities, and any number of other things.  Groundhog Day (February 2, 2010) is the official day for the primary election.

The ballots are ready, the candidates have made their pitches, and there won't be much new (though lots of repeats) between January 12 and February 2.  Once we have sufficient information to make a voting decision, the early voting procedures (at least here in Kane County) were very effective and easy.  I was in and out in only a few minutes.

Human Computer Interface and Learning--New Working Paper

Human Computer Interface and Learning

Today I was asked for a publication I have completed on human computer interface (HCI) and learning.  In looking at my research to date, I found that I didn't have one on that topic.  Most of my education research focused on best practice, curriculum, and assessments.  I have done a lot with Web2 and Wikispaces over the past year and just had never had the occasion to document what I had done.

After doing a little research on HCI, I created a new working paper today and have published it on my research page as the last article/working paper.  It's pretty short and I may revise it before I send it on to the Education Resources Information Center for publication.

I'm attaching the figure from the working paper here to give you an idea of what the launching page for students looked like last year.  You can visit it at http://drmontgomery.wikispaces.com.

(Click on the image below to make it larger.)

Collaboration Project--Practice for 21st Century Collaboration

In this first year of the second decade of the new millennium, collaboration is a key word.  How do we develop synergy and do more with less?  Collaborate.  What is an essential ingredient for collaboration?  Trust (slide 12). 

Social Networking is another buzzword for this new millennium.  Wikispaces is one of the tools which enables Web 2 interactive collaboration and communication.  Wikispaces has been recognized for its efforts on the part of collaboration for education.

In the past, many businesses were organized to reward individual effort and to downplay the benefit of true group collaboration.  Meetings were sometimes the only group activity and often produced  less than stellar outcomes considering the time invested in meetings.  For this reason, many companies have explored the use of Webinars--meetings held to share information with people working from their desks.

Wiki-style interactive collaboration is a different approach that has many potential benefits for business, education, and government. 

To offer an example of how to work with Wikis on a collaborative project, I've created a Collaboration-Project page on the DrM-Resources.wikispaces.com website.  I have started one sample project for a business and will be happy to create more for other businesses or for education.  These are examples of how collaboration can be helped by Wikis and there is no fee for participating in these example projects.

As people recognize the value of this type of collaboration, I am hopeful that more organizations will become clients of DrM-Resources.  We'll see how it goes.

Changing Weather Patterns in Florida--Absolute Zero Movie

A strawberry grower in Florida was interviewed on ABC Good Morning America Weekend on Saturday, 1/9/2010, concerning the impact of freezing temperatures on his plants.  He reported that he has seen colder weather in Florida for the past three years.  I grew up in South Florida and am very familiar with weather conditions there.  A friend of mine is thinking about purchasing a town house in Key Largo, Florida, and I was reminded of the Absolute Zero movie which talks about a polar shift where the ice caps melt at both the North and South Poles and Miami becomes buried in ice--overnight.

We are all aware of the global climate changes we are experiencing.  Whether or not these changes are being brought about by global warming or some other mechanism, the results are the same.  Ice is melting at the poles and many parts of the world are experiencing significantly different weather patterns.

How do we prepare for such changes?  For a polar shift, I really don't know.  (I don't think anyone does.)  That would be catastrophic for the entire planet.  Has it happened before?  Probably.  It could also be linked to the Bible story of Noah and the flood.  Could that be what wiped out the dinosaurs?  Perhaps?  Could a polar shift be caused by an interplanetary impact (a large meteor, for example)?  Possibly.

In any event, movies can give us food for thought along with entertainment.

Book-Movie "Talks" in the Classroom

I introduced the topic of Books--Screenplays--Movies in a series of 11th grade English classes in Kane County, IL, today.  It quickly became clear that the concept of a "book talk" or a "movie talk" is seen by students as an artificial assignment.

After a little discussion, the class was willing to explore movies they have seen and to look at the sources for the movies.  Some came from real life (like Freedom Writers and Blind Side), others come from books such as Stephanie Meyers Twilight series and J.K. Rawling's Harry Potter series.

I introduced the concept of audiobooks to the classes and we explored the transformations from a book to a screenplay to a movie.  None of the students was familiar with The Thin Man and many had read one or more Harry Potter or Twilight books and has seen the movies.

For another class when students remember more of what they read and saw, an excellent exercise is to have them get into small groups and to share what they found important in the book and in the movie and how the movie differs from the book.

Today's conversation also included books that have been created based on successful TV Shows (Star Trek) and movies based on successful video games.

Actually talking about what they are seeing and reading is an important part of building a social awareness of communication in English.

Many students are planning on seeing Avatar this weekend.  It will be interesting to see what they can discuss about the movie next week.

Books, Screen Plays, Movies--Amazing Transformations

Books are fascinating.  When they are transformed into movies it is amazing what has to be done to condense the book and turn it into more direct action and dialog.  The Harry Potter series of books by J.K. Rowling are full-length books.  The movies are abridged versions of the books that still carry the basic themes and plots.  I recently re-read Dan Brown's DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons, then saw the movies and saw the amazing transformations required to create the screenplay and the film version.  Today I finished listening to The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett.  I am looking at the 1934 film and am again struck by the transformations.  The book has 31 chapters and the film runs for 75 minutes.  That film set the stage for many sequels for which the screenplays were written directly, using the characters developed by Dashiell Hammett.

Turning a book into a screenplay would be a great exercise in creative writing for language students.

Quality Movies--Then and Now

I was asked to rank quality movies today from a broad selection of movies, many of which were classics from the 1940s and 1950s--usually available from Turner Classic Movies.  I was amazed at how many of the "classic" films I consider to be of better quality than newer films.

Avatar is a new movie with new technology and may be in a different category from The Bishop's Wife.  Both are high quality movies, though of very different genres.

The Relationship Between Inflation and Unemployment in the Economy--Animal Spirits Revisited

In their book, Animal Spirits: How Human Psychology Drives the Economy and Why it Matters for Global Capitalism, George Akerlof and Robert Shiller show the relationship between inflation and unemployment.  As we move into this second decade of the new millennium, unemployment in the USA is still at 10%.  Inflation is relatively low (no social security increase for cost of living for 2010).  According to the book, zero inflation leads to an increase in unemployment.  When the economy works toward full employment, a nominal amount of inflation--with effective limits and safeguards set by the government--can be expected.

Small Business Consulting--Creating a Niche

Small business consulting--some companies make it their business to target small to mid-sized businesses.  What do small businesses really need?  Can independent or loosely networked consultants create a niche in local small businesses to create "win-wins" for all concerned?

What would these independent or loosely networked consulting professionals need to do to focus on a niche local market?

A story about a Business Opportunity--Is the Time Right Yet?

In October, 2009, I wrote a post about "The Wizard's First Rule".  Part of my motivation for that post was a recent experience of finding what I thought was a consulting opportunity very similar to the consulting opportunity brought to me by a headhunter in November, 1999.  A European-based technology consulting firm, affiliated with Philips in the Netherlands, had started doing business in the USA and was looking for senior business consultants to help with their work in the USA.  I joined AtosOrigin (Origin Technology in Business) and enjoyed almost two years with them until the Netherlands-based firm merged with a French-based firm and AtosOrigin was created.

In 2001, after the terrorist attack in New York City on 9/11, I decided to commit time to teach K-12 students.  Beginning in 2003 I taught in K-12 classrooms for six years.  While teaching I kept my consulting practice going part-time in the background.

What I see in the beginning of 2010 is the opportunity for professional consultants to join together to help for-profit, not-for-profit businesses, schools, and other organizations to meet the emerging challenges and opportunities of the new decade.

What I thought I had found in October, 2009, is an opportunity I want to create in 2010. (See my list of services on my website.)  In my 30+ years of experience with consulting, I have learned that I am better off working in a group of professional colleagues where each can add his or her expertise, experience, and talents for the good of all--including the clients.

Is the time right yet?  We'll see.

Animal Spirits, the Economy, Attitudes and Business Opportunities

A few days ago--in the last decade--I wrote a post looking at animal spirits and the influence of human psychology on the economy.  (I am now on chapter 11 of the book and it is worthwhile to read and/or listen to.)

Five of these animal spirits are confidence,  a sense of fairness, corruption, money illusion, and stories.  As we now enter the new year and the new decade, we can look for a change in how businesses look at the world.  Confidence was shaken in 2008 and in 2009. 

Many businesses can be poised to take on new business opportunities if they develop a willingness to trust and can find trusted advisers to assist them in exploring the opportunities for change.

Those of us who are in business to provide coaching and consulting services to other businesses are now challenged by the evolving animal spirits of the new economy.  What, for example, are the right fees to charge for professional services?  If we charge what we used to charge, many businesses who could use the services will not think they can afford them.  If we reduce our fees to help businesses experiencing a lower profit-margin, will they realize that these are not our standard fees and, instead, are value-added fees to assist them to grow their businesses and to take advantages of new opportunities?

Attitudes in both business and schools are often resistant to outside coaching and consulting.  Our fee structures are not the same as those many decision-makers are used to.  Some schools develop relationships with local universities or community colleges and work with their faculty and graduate students.  Businesses may have a few trusted advisers they know from their circles of business contacts.

While social networking groups such as LinkedIn may offer opportunities for new connections, referrals and personal networking seems to be the most trusted source for new insights. 

We are still evolving into this second decade of the new millennium.  The concept of animal spirits is important in terms of being aware of the influences of human psychology on business and the economy and in helping professionals working in this economy to have insight into business direction and new business opportunities.

Happy New Year 2010!!--and a look ahead with the Avatar movie

Happy New Year 2010!!

The "balls have dropped" (or the fireworks have gone up)--whatever way people celebrate the new year on January 1st, it's happened.  There was lots of celebrating (according to the media photos on television from around the world).

One of the special things about this New Years is that we have a blue moon--the second full moon in a month (the month of December).  This happens rarely and the next occurence at this time of year is projected for 2028.

People have already come forward with their prophecies of better times in 2010 for jobs, for the economy, and for many other areas.

I went to the Delnor Wellness Center this morning and, while there were fewer people than usual, many people were beginning their new year by doing something healthy--me, too, aqua pilates.

I've already needed to open new 2010 folders on my computer for eCommerce and for other activities and have set aside a new storage bin for 2010 receipts, along with putting up the 2010 calendars, all the traditional things needed for the first day of a new year.

An "old wives tale" I remember from childhood is to track the weather (highs, lows, clouds, sun, wind, etc) the first twelve days of the year--as indicators of what those months will be.  While the temperatures will not be exact, a cold day on the sixth of January could mean a cooler month in June.  Clouds and precipitation may also be good indicators except that July in my part of the world probably won't include any snow.

I saw the movie Avatar in 3D today.  It's an amazing movie, heralded as a breakthrough in film-making that sets the stage for whole new experiences.  The movie was amazing and reminded me of Star Wars, though it also has reminders of Medicine Man and Dances with Wolves.  George Lucas' companies were involved in Avatar, along with many more creative people.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and can only imagine what it would be like in 3D at an iMax movie theatre.

Many elements of the book reminded me of concepts I recently came across in a series of books by Robin Hobb,  Forest Mage, Shaman's Crossing, and Renegade's Magic.  The attitudes of the warriors toward the forest people, called specks due to the unique markings on their skin, is similar of the attitudes of the terrans toward the natives of Pandora.  The bonding of souls to the heart of the forest mother is also similar, especially in Renegade's Magic. 

The force in Star Wars was throughout the universe and the mother force behind the tree of souls in Avatar is seen to be exclusively of the planet Pandora.  Even so, the concepts capture the imagination.  

What is interesting about Avatar is that the movie taps into many historical themes in our world culture and, while taking the polarities to extremes to show the drama, much of what is contained in the movie shows "how things work today" in many parts of the world (though not all of the technology).  Even the technology depicted as fully functional in the movie has been heard of in our time.  It will be amazing to see what influence Avatar may have on film-making, technology development, and human progress over the next decade. 

Watching this movie was a great way to begin the new year.