Saturday, February 26, 2011

Movie Review: The Kids Are All Right


Born and raised in an unconventional family, two teenage kids search for their sperm donor. Starring Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo, this movie takes an intimate look at a same sex couple and the challenges of raising a modern day family.

Review
In preparation for the upcoming Academy Awards, I wanted to see "The Kids Are All Right" because of the positive buzz surrounding this picture. Unfortunately, the movie failed to win my heart the way it appears to have done for others.

Going into the film, I knew very little about the story. I recall from the previews that some children went looking for their biological father after being raised by lesbian mothers. I assumed the movie was a comedy, but quickly found that it is an adult drama with a few funny moments.

The fact that "The Kids Are All Right" turned out to be more serious than funny didn't affect my judgement, but it oversold the lightness of the film. Sure, there were laugh out loud moments, but the film also addressed heavier subjects like aging, sexuality, and parenting.

Upon completion of the motion picture, I wondered why this movie was up for an award. Is it worth watching? Yes. Should it win an award? No. But then I don't always agree with how the Academy chooses its winners anyway.

If this movie were to win an Oscar, I believe it would do so because it puts the modern family front and center. To a conservative audience, this subject may be pushing the envelope a bit. It has nudity, sexual content, and drug use. However, the Academy may wish to reward its director and cast for having the courage to tell this story.

On a good note, there are plenty of laughable scenes and a pretty face (Tanya played by Yaya DaCosta)  to make the film entertaining, but I don't like where the story ended. Not that I need a neat finale, but it kind of leaves the audience in a jolted space.

The actors did a good job of playing their parts, but they all had the case of sensitivitis. That is being overly sensitive and emotional. I know this is a drama, but I kept wanting to yell, "Chill out already!"

Conclusion
Overall, "The Kids Are All Right" is a decent movie. I laughed. Unfortunately, the story did not fulfill my expectations.

Score: 3 out of 5

The Benefits of Meeting Face-to-Face


It has been nearly a month since I made the change. Instead of communicating through e-mails and telephone calls, I have done my best to get in front of clients and talk with them face to face. The results are amazing.

I'm not sure when I stopped doing it, but at some point the in-person meetings downgraded to something less personable. Looking back, communication on campus became more challenging because I neglected their meeting preference. I ushered it off as "an old way of thinking."

Working in technology, I find myself searching for more efficient means of doing business. If I can schedule a video conference from the comfort of my own desk, this means I can hold more meetings. More meetings in a single day means that I am doing more work, right? Unfortunately, what I didn't count on were the benefits of meeting in-person.

The Benefits
Learning the Environment
Almost immediately, I realized that I didn't know my own campus. Leaving the office to visit clients meant that I had to locate where my clients worked. As a result, I can now identify names of buildings and list individuals who work within them.

Good Customer Service
Learning the environment and walking across campus for meetings allowed me to randomly check up on people while in the area. On many occasions, my unscheduled visit provided an opportunity for clients to ask questions and seek advice on a variety of subjects. The side effect of "dropping in" left clients feeling like they were getting great customer service.

Better Health
While the weather has a lot to do with the condition by which I arrive in the office, a brisk walk is great for one's health. Over the course of a normal day, I probably walk around 30-45 minutes. Additionally, getting outside provides for a change of scenery and fresh air.

Improved Communication
Once in the client's office, I learn a lot about how they work and the environment in which they live. Watching how clients interact, both through body language and with my product, it enables me to better serve their needs. Often, the real solution to problems is not in what the client says, but rather in what they don't say. Looking at facial expressions, tapping toes, or folded arms reveals a message I never get over the phone.

Increased Trust
Watching clients is just one part of the equation because they watch me as well. When we talk, I convey a consistent message that says I care about them and the job they do. I want them to succeed.

In my business, talking about technology and the intricacies of web development often leaves clients confused. If I can demonstrate what I am trying say then I have a better chance of successfully communicating my point. The result, as I see it, is an increase in trust; Trust in me, my knowledge, my experience, and in my ability to deliver a solution to their problems.

Getting Extra Stuff
Finally, and probably most surprising, meeting with people face to face increases the chances for the "Extra Stuff." This extra stuff can be many things. It can be information about upcoming projects, inside information about new hires, or tangible gifts like food. The possibilities are endless.

Closing Thoughts
As I review my decision to get out of the office and meet with clients where they work, I remember what it was like before the change. I remember how frustrated I was when people would complain about the job we were doing. It frustrated me because we were doing a lot, but nobody seemed to know about it.

Today, thanks to the "good will tour," I think the message is finally getting out and making a difference. I understand that there is still a lot of work to do and many more people to reach, but it is working. Of that I am sure.

Hopefully, you got something out of my recent experience. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.

[Image by Island-Life]

Monday, February 21, 2011

Be Proactive And Take Control Of Your Life

Photo by tpower1978
Proactive defined: "serving to prepare for, intervene in, or control an expected occurrence or situation, especially a negative or difficult one; to initiate change rather than reacting to events."

In both our professional and personal lives, people tend to fight over control. It might be control over how something is done, when it gets completed, or whom is responsible. If control is something you struggle with, I would like to share a few ideas on how to be more proactive and ultimately take command over your own life.

The Problem With Passivity
The act of being passive means that one waits for something or someone to inspire change. As it relates to control, being passive often leads to a loss of command over an issue or situation. For someone trying to master their life, being passive is definitely not a recommended strategy.

The problem with passivity is that one relies too much on others for personal and professional success. Allowing others to decide your fate in the office or at home means the outcome is the result of their planning, not yours. Later, when things don't turn out right, it becomes an uphill battle to change what has already been established.

Another problem with passivity is that it places you on the defensive. Imagine a game of tennis. You are on one side of the court and your opponent is on the other shooting balls in rapid succession. In order to keep up, you run back and forth returning the volley. Just as you hit the ball, another one immediately races toward you. This game is designed to keep you busy while your opponent stays rested.

Waiting for someone to shoot balls at you is a poor strategy. It means that you are always running around trying to put out fires without the time to plan ahead.

What are the priorities? What tasks or issues, once solved, will provide for a greater return on investment? When you get time to decide these answers, you ultimately get to drive the process. It is the difference between driving a car and riding in one. As a driver, you get to decide where the car goes. As a passenger, you have little to no control.

Tips For Developing A Proactive Habit
Now that you understand the problem with passivity, let's look at some ways to get out of the passenger's seat and behind the wheel.

Act decisively 
If you are currently in the passenger's seat, one of the first things you can do to take control over a situation is to make a decision. Proactive people make decisions.

Sometimes, it doesn't matter if the initial decision is right or wrong but rather that a decision was made. Remember, even the smartest people make mistakes so don't be afraid to step up and insert yourself. If you are wrong, admit it and adjust.

Lesson: To take control over a situation, start by making a decision.

Act now
If you see a problem or injustice, don't wait to address it later, act now. Not every problem requires your personal attention. Often, you can delegate this task to someone more qualified than you, but failure to act on a problem means the solution will most assuredly be outside your control. It is better to address an issue when you see it versus waiting for someone else to call attention to it.

Lesson: If you wait until someone tells you what to do, you have already lost control.

Stay organized
Once you have identified the problem and delegated the task, it is important to follow up regularly. One of the easiest ways to stay organized is through the use of a calendar. By adding important items to your schedule, you remind yourself to follow up. Allowing the problem to go unnoticed or unsolved for too long can be the difference between driving or riding.

Lesson: Use a calendar to remind yourself to follow up on issues.

Think ahead
Once you have taken control of the situation, you should now have time to get in front of other problems before they happen. I call this thinking ahead.

Thinking ahead requires an active mind that seeks to improve processes and correct that which is broken. While everything cannot be done at the same time, thinking ahead provides an opportunity to prioritize what is most important before someone else does it for you.

Lesson: Stay in front of the problem. Once it gets past you, someone else may end up taking the reigns.

Feedback
Hopefully, these few ideas will help you take command over your life and its situations. If you have other ideas, please feel free to let me know.

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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Tim Ferriss' Slow-Carb Diet: Day 56

Today is day 56 of the Tim Ferriss Slow-Carb Diet, as laid out in The 4-Hour Body. Back in December 2010, I decided to test Tim's claim that one could lose 20 pounds in 30 days without exercise. By mid-January, I lost plenty of body fat and inches, but the scale never dropped 20 pounds. A little disappointed in the results, I chose to look at the bright side of life. To view my final report, click here.

On day 56, I continue to test the slow-carb diet. With a few minor changes, I would like to increase the amount of weight loss over the second month. Below, you will find my results for the first three weeks of the second month.  

Meals
This past week, I have been all over the board with my meals. The two constants have been protein and vegetables, but then I ran out of legumes (beans). Instead of restocking my shelves with black beans, red beans, and lentils, I decided to see what would happen if I ate no legumes at all. To my surprise, I dropped between 5-6 lbs before going into my cheat day.

Below, you will find a list of foods that I have consumed.

Meat
  • Chicken breast: I eat Tyson's grilled chicken almost daily. It's quick and easy to prepare. 
  • Eggs: I eat either scrambled or fried eggs.
  • Ground Beef: I cook 93/7 ground beef.
  • Steak: This past week, I ate steak but didn't limit my consumption to lean cuts.
  • Fish: I ate salmon one night and loved it. If I can afford it, I need to do salmon more often.    
Legumes 
This past week, I ate no legumes.
  
Vegetables
  • Broccoli: I'm eating a lot of fresh broccoli.
  • Cauliflower: When I'm not eating broccoli, I'm eating fresh cauliflower. 
Note: I am not cooking my vegetables this week. Where I have control over the way vegetables are prepared, I choose raw over microwaved. I like fresh broccoli best.

Beverages
  • Water: This week, I didn't do a very good job drinking a gallon per day. I probably ended up drinking about 1/2 to 3/4 gallons.
  • Red wine: I'm drinking around 2 glasses per day.
  • Coffee: I'm drinking about one mug per day.   
    Physical Activities
    I walked about 30 minutes per day.

    Statistics
    Week seven produced another great week of weight loss since I started this diet. Within one week, the scale reported a 5-6 pound difference (250 lbs) over the previous week.

    Unfortunately, after a single day of cheating, I reported a weigh-in of 253 lbs. Is the cheat day really helping?

    Other notable changes this week include a loss of inches around my chest and arms. Neither of which I really want to lose, but if it's going to help give me that cut look then I'm all for it. Additionally, it appears that I gained a quarter of an inch around my waist. My initial thoughts are not that I'm gaining weight, but rather a reaction to a higher sodium intake during the cheat day. I'll keep an eye on that during this upcoming week.

    Below is the complete report for my measurements. In the parentheses, I am reporting changes for this week first, followed by the total loss since I started (this week | total).

    • Weight: 253 lbs (-2 lbs | - 7 lbs)
    • Height: 6' 2"
    • Age: 36 
    • Body Fat: 15.7% (0%-9.8% )
    • Chest: 45.0" (1"-2")
    • Waist: 42.25" (+0.25" | -1.0")
    • Arms: 17.0" (-25" | -0.25")
    • Shoulders: 52" (-1" | -1.50")
    • Forearms: 14"
    • Neck: 16.25"
    • Hips: 45.0" (-0" | -1.25")
    • Thighs: 26"
    • Calves: 18" (-0" | -0")
    Observations
    After a week of low to no carbs, I am beginning to wonder why I'm even eating them to begin with. Had it not been for the cheat day, I would have rested around 250 lbs. Heading into my last week, I question the importance of legumes. Are they necessary?

    Final Thoughts
    I have another 9 days on Tim Ferriss' Slow-Carb Diet. To remain consistent with the plan, I will add legumes back into my daily meals, but I'm seriously considering a month without carbs at all. What do you think?
      Feedback
      For those following along, how do you feel? What could you do better tomorrow? Leave me a comment in the section below and join us on the discussion board (see Community).

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      Tuesday, February 15, 2011

      How To Focus On What's Important When Life Happens

      Image by Mateus27_24-25
      Life can be hectic and overwhelming sometimes. Think about that busy Monday when the telephone rings off the hook and visitors demand your constant attention. How can one focus on what's important if everything else in life takes over?

      To master your time, put it on a calendar.

      Yep, that's it. The secret to sniper-like focus is to minimize distractions. By placing this person or task on the calendar, you are closing the door to distractions so that you can give your undivided attention to what is before you.

      Imagine how much better your personal relationships can be if you take the time to focus on your son, daughter, spouse, parent, friend, sibling, or employee.

      Think about how much you can get done if you block everything else but the single item placed on the calendar.

      For today, I encourage you to pull out that calendar and schedule time to focus on that which is most important in your life. When life happens, you learn to focus.  

      Monday, February 14, 2011

      Having Problems With An Inconsistent Blog Schedule? Try Post Dating It!

      Photo by scribbletaylor
      Since the beginning of January, I haven't written much. I'm sure I could come up with some excuse to explain why I failed to write, but what good would that do? Instead, I'd like to focus on how to correct an inconsistent publishing schedule through post dating. How does that sound?

      The Problem
      Knowing myself the way I do, I know that I tend to work in short sprints. This means that I attack a project with fierce intensity and passion. Unfortunately, that rush of energy and activity is short lived and quickly dies of exhaustion or boredom.

      Sprinting produces a lot of work in a short period of time. In the blogging world, this means the quick accumulation of multiple blog posts within a few days or weeks. If published, readers would get an overwhelming number of articles at one time followed by a period of extreme drought.

      Aware of my natural ebb and flow, what can be done to produce a more consistent stream of work?

      The Solution
      Just because some bloggers function as sprinters, it doesn't mean that readers appreciate the sporadic flow of information.

      To correct this inconsistency, simply take the pile of completed articles and hold on to them. Instead of publishing your posts immediately, consider publishing them over a period of days, weeks, or months.

      On New Year's Day, for example, I wrote 25 articles as a part of a blogging challenge. Instead of posting all 25 posts on the same day, I could have published one article per day for 25 days.

      The advantage of delayed publishing means that sprinting bloggers can rest, compose themselves, and begin another sprint when ready. All the while, the world is receiving a daily blog post.

      Another advantage is that every sprint is essentially an investment in the future. With 25 articles in the can, bloggers can either coast for 25 days or continue to invest in the blog with new articles.

      This 25 day buffer allows for protection against the unplanned event, which will happen. It also provides time to explore more meaningful posts through reflection and research.

      The Nuts & Bolts Of Automation
      Now that you can appreciate the value of delayed gratification, let's talk about how to automate the process. For this demonstration, I will use Google's Blogger but this can easily work for WordPress or many other publishing systems.

      At the bottom of each post is a Post Options button. When clicked, it displays the following window.


      To post date an article, simply select the Scheduled at option and choose the date and time this post should publish. Until then, this article will stay hidden from the world. Neat, huh?

      Closing Thought
      Knowing thyself can be one of the most powerful weapons against issues with motivation and inconsistency. Taking that knowledge and applying real solutions can be the difference between a thriving and decaying blog. I hope you found this quick tip helpful. Good luck!

      P.S., this article was written on Saturday, February 12, 2011.

      Tuesday, February 8, 2011

      Tim Ferriss' Slow-Carb Diet: Day 49


      Today is day 49 of the Tim Ferriss Slow-Carb Diet, as laid out in The 4-Hour Body. Back in December 2010, I decided to test Tim's claim that one could lose 20 pounds in 30 days without exercise. By mid-January, I lost plenty of body fat and inches, but the scale never dropped 20 pounds. A little disappointed in the results, I chose to look at the bright side of life. To view my final report, click here.

      On day 49, I continue to test the slow-carb diet. With a few minor changes, I would like to increase the amount of weight loss over the second month. Below, you will find my results for the first two weeks of the second month.  

      Meals
      For the most part, I have done a fairly good job with eating what I am supposed to eat. During week 5, I ate religiously, but then lost control during week 6.

      It all started with an early cheat day. When I say early, I mean only days after the last cheat day. The rationale  was that my cheat day was too close to my weigh-in. As a result, my measurements were off.

      In an effort to correct this, I decided to move my cheat day from Saturday to Tuesday. This would allow me to measure myself on Monday, cheat on Tuesday, and then have six more days to work it off.

      The problem was that I continued to cheat throughout the week. While I didn't go hog wild, I ate popcorn and black bean brownies one night then finished the week with corn tortillas after church.

      On a positive note, I made it a point to eat within the first 30 minutes of waking. I get up, use the men's room, prepare my microwavable meal, jump in the shower, and then consume breakfast.

      On the other hand, I haven't been very good with eating every 3-4 hours. During week 5, I did a good job but lost the momentum during the past 7 days.

      Below, you will find a list of foods that I have consumed.

      Meat
      • Chicken breast: I eat Tyson's grilled chicken almost daily. It's quick and easy to prepare. 
      • Eggs: I eat either scrambled or fried eggs. Although, I'd like to try hard boiling some eggs for those days when I need a quick snack. 
      • Ground Beef: I cook 93/7 ground beef.
      • Steak: I eat lean cuts of steak. The fat count is around 3.5 grams per serving.
      • Fish: I ate salmon a few nights last week. Thinking I may eat more fish at night because it is lower in sodium.    
      Legumes 
      • Red Beans: I cook from a can.
      • Black Beans: I cook from a can.
      Note: I made sure to include legumes in every meal, but decided to cut back to 1/4 can versus the 1/2 can I typically ate. Due to my slow loss in weeks 1 and 2, I thought it may have been caused by too many beans and its related sodium.
        
      Vegetables
      • Broccoli: I'm eating a lot of broccoli.
      • Cauliflower: When I'm not eating broccoli, I'm eating frozen cauliflower. 
      Beverages
      • Water: This week, I didn't do a very good job drinking a gallon per day. I probably ended up drinking about 1/2 to 3/4 gallons.
      • Red wine: I'm drinking around 2 glasses per day.
      • Coffee: Found Sheetz coffee the other day and have been consuming it ever since.   
        Physical Activities
        You may notice a trend forming, but during week 5 I did a good job in the gym. I only went once but it felt good. Week 6 I did nothing. I told myself that I would go two times, but failed to follow through.

        Statistics
        Week five produced one of the greatest days of weight loss since I started this diet. Within one week, the scale reported a 6 pound difference (251 lbs) over the previous week.

        Unfortunately, after a single day of cheating, I reported a weigh-in of 258 lbs. Personally, I think sodium had everything to do with it, which is why I am interested in cutting my sodium as much as possible.

        Below is the complete report for my measurements. In the parentheses, I am reporting changes for this week first, followed by the total loss since I started (this week | total).

        • Weight: 255 lbs (-1 lbs | - 5 lbs)
        • Height: 6' 2"
        • Age: 36 
        • Body Fat: 15.7% (-3.5%-9.8% )
        • Chest: 45.0" (0"-1")
        • Waist: 42.0" (-0.75" | -1.25")
        • Arms: 17.25"
        • Shoulders: 53" (-0" | -0.50")
        • Forearms: 14"
        • Neck: 16.25"
        • Hips: 45.0" (-0.75" | -1.25")
        • Thighs: 26"
        • Calves: 18" (-0" | -0")
        Observations
        Every day is another opportunity to turn it all around. ~ Vanilla Sky

        Week 6 was definitely a disappointing week for me. I made poor decisions in what I ate and failed to hit the gym according to planned.

        Despite it all, I still made progress. That's not a celebration of bad decisions, but rather a reward for all the times I did it right.

        Final Thoughts
        This week is going to be better than last week. I am going to concentrate on eating right and exercising. I will also pay close attention to the 3-4 hour meal and drink plenty of water.
          Feedback
          For those following along, how do you feel? What could you do better tomorrow? Leave me a comment in the section below and join us on the discussion board (see Community).

          Related Posts

          Thursday, February 3, 2011

          How To Download And Install Apps From The Android Market Website


          Google just announced on their blog the release of its new Android Market website. What does it do? you ask. Starting today, users can search mobile apps from the browser and then install it on the phone without wires. Isn't that nifty?

          How Does It Work?
          To install Android mobile apps, do the following:

          • Visit the Android Market 
          • Search for an app that you would like to install. To accomplish this, you can either use the search bar, located at the upper right hand corner of the page, explore categories, or check out featured apps.

          • Clicking on an application, users will see its profile. The profile will display description, screenshots, reviews, ratings, and related apps. 

          • Clicking on the app's install button, users will see a list of things affected by the app. If approved, the application will be sent to the phone for installation.

            Note: Users can choose between multiple phones, if applicable. Also, once the install button is clicked, the app is immediately sent to the phone for download and installation. 




          • Google's Android Market not only allows you to download and install applications, but it also keeps a record of apps you previously purchased, downloaded, and installed. This comes in handy for times where you lose the phone or have to get it replaced. Don't worry about trying to remember what you had, just visit the Android Market and resend the apps to your phone.
          Closing Thought
          Once you fully understand what Google's new Android Market website can do, it quickly becomes an exciting tool for managing apps. 

          Additionally, it helps solidify the concept behind cloud computing. Similar to what Google has done for computers, the information is totally separate from the device. You can lose or destroy the device but protect the data.

          In case you missed it, check out the video below. I think it explains the power of cloud computing much better than I can tell you.




          Damond L. Nollan, M.B.A.

          Toll-free: (919) 912-9121
          E-mail: Contact Me

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