Sometimes it’s the small things

They say don’t sweat the small stuff.  And that’s pretty true.

But at the same time, sometimes the small things (in a positive way) can make a difference.  Just as you should not let the small annoyances bring you down, you should let the small things pick you up.

Like changing the batteries in the car remote.

Wow.  What a difference!

Happy new year.

Produce or Consume

It is so easy these days to consume information – there’s of course the older mediums of books and newspapers; as well as movies, radio and tv; and now the newer internet-enabled delivery of this type of content – blogs instead of magazines, podcasts instead of talk radio, youtube instead of movies (or streaming feature length films instead of heading to the video store or theater), digital cable with the hundreds of channels instead of a few over-the-air.

But as the access to consume this content has gotten easier, so too has the access to produce it.  Digital cameras, still or video (although the differentiators between those devises are disappearing more and more every day) along with FaceBook or other sharing sites make it possible for anyone to easily publish imagery to share.  Sharing written content is even easier to do (though that doesn’t speak to the need to have something meaningful to say..)

And so I often find myself sitting down to watch tv, read something on the computer, etc., wondering whether I shouldn’t spend more time contributing.  As I read blog posts or view photos that others have created, I wonder whether I shouldn’t be spending that time creating my own work to share, rather than simply consuming others’ work.  Which is not to say that there’s not value in consuming what others have created – there’s a lot to be learned out there – it’s more just a recognition that at some point, you’ve consumed enough and it’s time to give back.

I guess these thoughts are stronger now, as I’ve got this backlog of photos that I want to get around to posting, as well as a few thoughts that I’ve been stirring around with writing about.  That plus the ‘season of giving’ and all makes me think about what it means to give instead of take.

But it’s more than that – I also think about what FaceBook or Twitter means to me – and what I like about those services – and inevitably it comes down to people who take the time to produce – whether it’s thoughts, photos, videos – or even sharing a link to a funny or topical piece that someone else has created – it’s when others are generating content for me to consume, that’s when I appreciate those services.  Which inspires me to be one of the people who creates value in those communities, rather than one who just checks in and reads what others have produced for them.

This past month as I’ve been preoccupied with lots of other ‘off-line’ activities I haven’t produced much and I’ve found myself consuming more.  But as I’ve said, I’ve got a backlog that I hope to share in the coming weeks.  If only I could get through all of my podcast listening and blog reading..

Back to the grind .. Kind of

Well, I’m back home and done (finally!) with thanksgiving turkey (though there’s a lot of soup in the freezer) and so now it’s back to reality. Time to find a new job and prepare for the coming of another year.

I’ve got a lot of photos that I need to upload .. but it’s going to take me a while.  I’ve got a lot of processing to do – trying to winnow the digital pile down to a meaningful amount that people will find interesting.

And even thought the holidays are once again upon us, I still need to spend some time on the job search.  The savings can only last so long, after all.