Author Archives: Steve Mays

Your online presence

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A thoughtful and well-linked post by Jim Mathies, wondering how a potential employer might reflect on his (Jim’s) online persona. I’ve posted on this topic a few times and thought about it again last week following an interview with a young man who was interested in a job with our company.

The job in question is web-related so I asked if he had anything online that I could look at. “Not really,” he responded. He read a little surprise on my face and added, “I have a My Space page.”

When I pressed him for a look, he reluctantly pulled up his page, which launched to the sound of music that could best be described as “urban.” And there was a nice photo of the young man striking a bit of a “gangsta” pose. (Like I’d know)

He seemed a little uncomfortable so I attempted to reassure him that I’d rather see his My Space page than some dry, lifeless resume.

But, as Jim’s post (and the NYT article that prompted it) reminds us, a lot of who we are it “out there,” just a Google or Technorati search away. I have no doubt I have written something that would keep a prospective employer from hiring me. But I wouldn’t want to work for a company that would not hire me based on something they read here. Younger bloggers might not have that luxury.

So, do you let the world know who you really are by letting it all hang out on your blog? Or, do you craft a sanitized, lifeless, carefully worded resume? Most pros would argue for the resume and they’d probably be right. Unless I was doing the interview.

Blogs really just next-generation Web sites

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“…blogs are really just next-generation Web sites. Every company will have a blog-like (interactive, two-way) component on their home page a couple of years from now. And the word blog may not be used.”

— Debbie Weil at BlogWrite for CEO’s. Ms. Weil references a survey of marketers (49% won’t use blogs in the next year) that reflects what we’re seeing with many of our customers. I agree that someday (soon) all websites will be blog-like but we won’t notice or care.

Former Learfielders meet up at CW event

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Two former Learfielders met up in Nashville yesterday where they were working the big country music event called Fan Fair. Chuck Zimmerman is blogging the event for New Holland Tractor. Ben Krech is a (the?) production director for XM Satellite Radio which, obviously, has a bunch of CW channels. Chuck shares a brief (6 min) interview with Ben. I mention this because they’re friends and because each has moved into interesting new media directions.

Political bloggers meet in Las Vegas

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Potential presidential candidates, campaign representatives and Washington reporters were in abundance Friday at the Yearly Kos 2006 Convention, a three-day gathering of bloggers in Las Vegas. Markos Moulitsas, the founder of the Daily Kos and the blogger for whom the meeting is named:

“Both parties have failed us. Republicans have failed us because they can’t govern. Democrats have failed because they can’t get elected. So now it’s our turn.”

Uh, our turn to do what? Never mind. As someone who jots about radio and blogging frequently, I found this observation interesting:

“The blogosphere has become for the left what talk radio has been for the right: a way of organizing and communicating to supporters. Blogging is nowhere near the force among Republicans as it is among Democrats, and talk radio is a much more effective tool for Republicans.”

You can read the full story here (Thanks to Henry for the pointer).

Idea for documentary film: Send Kay, Darin and John to YearlyKos 2007. Crew follows each around the convention. Kind of a living Left, Right and Center. Assuming, of course, Darin gets released from blogger rehab by then.

Living Healthy (33) – Colon Cancer

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If you are under the age of 50, skip this post. In Living Healthy Podcast #33, Dr. Domke talks about colon cancer. Very bad juju. Second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. But easily treated if detected early and much of the half-hour podcast deals with colonoscopy screening. Long-time readers will recall that smays had his first screening a couple of years ago and it was a walk in the park. Seriously.

I hate being nagged and would never recommend it but if you have a loved one that is over fifty and has not had a colonoscopy, ask them to. Then insist that they do. Then make their life a living hell until they do. Like Henry says, how many chances do you get to save someone’s life?

Category: Best End-of-Movie Shoot-Out

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My nominee is L. A. Confidential (1997). Lots of longer, high-explosive endings, but I have to put LAC on the short-list. If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll remember a scene where Russell Crowe’s character is in a bar, talking to some tough guy, when he (Crowe) reaches down and grabs the guy by the family jewels. I couldn’t help but wonder if the scene wasn’t inspired by Mississippi Burning (1988). Gene Hackman got a similar grip on Michael Rooker. For 100 Bonus Points, can you name other movies where somebody grabs somebody (else) in this sensitive area?

Tipping point for blogging at Learfield

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The head of our company made a pretty big announcement this morning, about some high-level promotions. But the exciting thing for me is how the announcement was made. Our CEO posted it to the corporate blog. And I think he did it from Ireland or Paris or somewhere. Now, I’m sure someone sent around the requisite Word document but the blog was the medium of choice for getting the word out to our employees (and the world). The Big Guy could have called a big company-wide meeting or circulated some kind of “eyes only” memo but he didn’t. Someone probably did a news release but even that was something of an afterthought. Clyde’s post is better. It’s a real, live person…speaking in a human voice…telling one and all what’s going on at our company. How hard is that? Damned hard.

The five things that matter

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I’ve been feeling a little ancient lately, but Halley Suitt reminds me that’s not one of the five things that matter. Five for five.

Some days, I feel so so so so old. I feel a bit like Methuselah, who, if you recall, lived 900 years. Being old, you forget sometimes what it’s like to be young. You just don’t get it.

I feel old when I talk to people who are something like 18 or 23 or 36 and they are all caught up in stupid stuff that doesn’t matter and once you’re a little aged like me, you want to tell them … “but, that thing, … that thing you’re worrying about, … see, you don’t get it yet, … but that doesn’t matter. Just doesn’t matter at all.”

Of course it would be rude and annoying to say that kind of comment, so you keep it to yourself.

So the good part of being old is knowing what really doesn’t matter. And that what does matter, you can count on the fingers of one hand. You know they would have given us hands with 17 fingers if all that stupid stuff counted.

There really are only about five things that matter:

Thumb: You love someone.

Pointer: Someone loves you.

Middle Finger: Your work: you have the bravery to do what you love and really become yourself and screw what anyone else thinks about it.

Ring Finger: Connection to people, family, friends

Pinky: Eat, drink, be merry.

Newest Learfield blogger (the Ramblings of Rick)

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Say howdy to the newest Learfield blogger (the Ramblings of Rick), Rick Kennedy. I normally give newbies a few days to get their feet under them, as it were. But I have a feeling Rick will stick. His first post is a gracious nod to a few of the the other Learfield bloggers, including smays:

Perhaps the most diligent blogger I’ve ever known is Steve Mays. He’s not an “old guy”, but is an older gentleman. He’s of an age from which one wouldn’t expect much computer savvy, let alone tight, quality blogging. He blogs every day, lets loose his conviction, political views and general moral fibre (or lack thereof) and packages it all in very entertaining and informative prose.

Older gentleman? Let’s face it…from 58 you can throw your walker and hit 60. But it’s tough to see in print, even in the middle of some very kind words. Colonel Sanders is an “older gentleman.” Mark Twain is an “older gentleman.” (Okay, they’re dead, but you get my drift) I want to be your Funky Web Monkey. Or, your Pile Drivin’ Digital Daddy. Almost anything but an “older gentleman.” (Sigh)

But let’s not make this about me. Let’s keep an eye on The Ramblings of Rick and encourage our new Brother in Blogging.

Update: I couldn’t sleep, worrying about “Ramblings of Rick” as a blog title. I humbly offer the following as alternatives:

 

Ricky, Ricky bo Bicky Bonana fanna fo Ficky Fee fy mo Mickey, Ricky! Dot Com
Brother Rick’s Traveling Blogathon
Rick Shaw, Kung Fu Blogger
Rick’s Place
Rickaford Nation