Show Me the Beef!

Over the course of nine months, I have made an investment in learning about Social Media. Some hands on (I have a twitter account @tishpiper and Tweet for other concerns) and done some Facebook for a non-profit and chocolate company. Yet I have this nagging feeling that I am just plain too old to get it or, for that matter, be able to successfully engage with the new media. That nagging stems from some Tweetups and the general age group involved with SM.

But wait ... I have to admit that I learned how to use a slide rule before calculators were readily available, yet I still think I am viable in today's world of nanotechnology, device deluge and apps for this and that. Good technology is intuitive and I still possess the ability to think.

So what's the problem? Is the technology of today only understandable by those under 35 years of age? Or are we "older" folks are just getting aced out because of preconceived notions by youth and business that breeds "New is the only good"?

In one Social Media presentation, the speaker had a slide with "No Rules" as the basis for engagement and then gave example after example of how to play by the new rules. Even at my advanced age, I thought how ridiculous.

Really, you have to play the game better and with those who have more savvy and experience before I toss in my towel. Show me the beef! (For those old enough to remember.)

Room For One

Last weekend, I saw the most amazing thing while I was stopped in traffic. A guy in a navy blue, four door sedan of undetermined origin pulled up along side my car and I just glanced in his direction. The car was filled with empty plastic bags!

I mean the entire car with the exception of the driver's seat was filled with plastic shopping bags ... the kind you get in a grocery store kind of plastic. The bags reached over the back seat and spilled onto the back deck. There were some bottles of generic Ginger Ale loose in the mess, but the bags were compressed enough to stay in place. Sunlight was glinting off the bags nestled half way up the door windows.

And, to add to this vision of chaos, there were stacks of newspapers on the dashboard. Only six inches or so ... the guy could still see through the windshield. The newspapers were yellowed with age.

Now, some people's cars are like traveling toilets but this car was the epitome of personal trash collection. What would have to be present in this man's life to surround him with the remains of food shopping excursions?

I had just ordered "Zen to Done: The Ultimate Simple Productivity System" by Leo Babauta and "Unclutter Your Life in One Week" by Erin R. Doland, David Allen. If ever there was a reminder to purge my life of the unnecessary, that car certainly sealed the deal with me.

It Doesn't Take Much Or Does It?

Saturday, I had an amazing conversation with a fellow NLP 'er and we discussed the various aspects of our lives with respect to the power of personal change. Each of us has had some transitions in life that, in retrospect, have turned out to be hidden pearls. By that I mean, situations that were definitely emotionally and mentally challenging, yet over the course of time have created richer and fuller lives.

The adage, "No pain, no gain" comes to mind.

In order to grow and develop, some pulling and parting occurs and can be temporarily devastating for us. The key word is temporarily. We may chose to hang on to that devastation for days, weeks or may make it our permanent condition until we opt for something else. The choice is ours.

Some people may object to that notion, that it is our personal choice, and that outside forces have taken our choice away. Something or someone outside of us has created the havoc and we are blameless victims. That thought only works if you chose it.

You cannot control anything outside of yourself ... and within yourself you have the reserves to control how you chose to respond to life's dilemmas, problems, and pains. Only if you want to.

I suspect that the decision to take charge of our change centers around our ability to embrace it and learn it well. Then move onward.