Running To Catch The Sun

by Jonathan Fields | 08/27/08

The man literally burst forth, panting and shirtless…

He was in his fifties, deeply tanned, wearing only pajama bottoms. And, he was running, zigging and zagging in the sand. Trying desperately to stay upright as he sprinted to catch the object of his desire. From his hand, a camera dangled.

He needed to capture this. He needed to remember it.

He needed proof. It was that stunning.

And, yes I had to agree. It was.

5:58 a.m.  Not a person on the beach but the two of us. I, in deep meditation, he running, panting and clicking to save his life.

A Foolish Consistency Is The Hobgoblin Of Little Bloggers?

by Jonathan Fields | 08/25/08

Much has been said and written over the last year or so about the importance of being a consistent blogger.

And, I’ve added to the discussion with my own thoughts, posts and ideas.

By consistent, I mean:

A few months back, Maki wrote a great post over at DoshDosh.com about the power of patterning your readers with editorial calendars and creating an expectation of consistency that provides comfort and fuels loyalty.

Instant Or Incomparable, What Matters More?

by Jonathan Fields | 08/22/08

Simple question, what’s more important speed or precision?

On the one hand, we live in a world where, increasingly, we expect everything to happen in the blink of an eye. Especially where I live, in NYC, where the city literally never sleeps and we’d rather chew glass than wait for anything.

Let’s face it, we live in a just-in-time world and economy.

And, the rapid decrease in free time is leading people to place a higher value on products and services that, in some way shape or form, give them back some time.

Drive-By Book Reviews: Myth Of Multitasking, Jumpstart Your Workspace

by Jonathan Fields | 08/20/08

new drive by book reviewIt’s been a while since I’ve done a book review. Since my policy is only to review books I’d recommend, sometimes it takes a bit of time to get to the good ones.

This week, I’ve got two and the theme revolves around productivity:

So, let’s dive right in…

The Myth of Multitasking | Dave Crenshaw

What’s it all about? The title pretty much says it all, the book explores the problem with trying to multitask and reveals the dark underbelly of what’s become a badge of honor in the modern business world…it doesn’t work.

Can One Word Get You Slapped Or Hugged?

by Jonathan Fields | 08/18/08

It was so subtle, I almost missed it…

But, still, it was right there. Lingering. Making my daughter feel worse about herself, without her really getting why.

A few minutes earlier, she’d been deep into the process of creation, her friend at her side. Two 7-year old girls drawing, decorating, pouring their hearts onto paper and pastels. Pronouncing she was done, my daughter turned to her friend, looking for approval.  But, what came out of her friend’s mouth was…

“Actually, that’s really pretty.”

Eat, Tweet, Vote: Twitter, Blogworld and SXSW

by Jonathan Fields | 08/15/08

Can twitter actually land you a major speaking gig?

So, I’ve talked about twitter as a virtual water cooler and a tool for business and access, but now we can add virtual speakers agent to the mix.

Earlier this week, I was considering going to the Blogworld conference out in Vegas, September 20-21st. But, I didn’t know who else was going. So, I jumped on twitter and asked who was heading out to the City of Sin in a few weeks. A handful of people replied, moving me closer to going.

God’s Grace Or Dumb Luck, Embrace What You Have

by Jonathan Fields | 08/14/08

I almost broke down yesterday…twice.

The first time was in the O.R. at Cornell Medical Center. My daughter, my little girl, was going in for a minor surgical procedure. They let me suit up in fake paper scrubs and a goofy blue shower cap. Then the nurse walked us, hand in sweaty hand to the staging area.

We walked into the O.R. and I could feel my daughter’s grip tighten. She got quiet. As if the bold white walls and bright xeon lights were draining her lightness. But, she was brave and as they laid her on the table, I walked around continuing to hold her hand and trying to joke.

First Slogan Smackdown Now Up at SmallBizTrends

by Jonathan Fields | 08/12/08

So, I’ve started a new series over at the web’s rockingest small business blog, SmallBizTrends.com, called Slogan Smackdown. Here’s a taste of this week’s article:

Ever wonder if your slogan or tag line was doing what it was supposed to do?

Well, living in New York City, I see somewhere in the order of millions of slogans a year, some great, some funny, a few are memorable, but, all too often, business slogans are completely ineffective (often bordering on downright awful).

7 Unwritten Rules For Social Media Newbies

by Jonathan Fields | 08/11/08

I broke nearly every rule as a social media newbie

And, I got flamed for doing it. It wasn’t fun, but it helped me understand, fairly quickly, that online communities are no different that real-world communities in many ways. They all have their own cultures, themes, causes and rules…many rules. And, the most challenging thing is…

Many of the most important rules are unwritten

Now, since I am someone who’s, more than once, championed people joining online communities, I figured I also have a responsibility to share a bunch of the unwritten rules that are common to many social media hangouts. So, here are my…

Is Financial Security a Myth?

by Jonathan Fields | 08/9/08

Simple question…

Is financial security a myth?

Is it something that can be strived for, then actually attained? Can we work for it, save for it, invest for it, then arrive at that day where we say…

“Yup, this is it, I am secure!”

Or, is financial security something that exists more in the mind, something and can never be truly had?

Put another way, does a person with $1 million in the bank feel any more secure than another with $100,000?

What about $10 million?

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