Capability

Take A Look At The Digital Human Library

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Some time ago I discussed the idea of the Human Library and how it is something geeks should join and duplicate.  Little did I know someone had had a similar idea – only taking it digital.

That’s when I found the Digital Human Library.  It’s not affiliated with the Human Library, but it’s just as awesome.

Founded in Canada, the Digital Human library is an education tool (currently for k-12 teachers and students).  The idea is to have people easily available to chat digitally in video conference, Skype, and other technology.  Think of it as a kind of virtual field trip or easy way to get a speaker no matter the distance.

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How Blogging Helps Your Career #11 – The Rough Draft

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(The roundup for the “How Blogging Helps Your Career Series” is here)

Show me a person who never edits their writing, and I’ll show you a liar, an incompetent, or someone who walks on water recreationally.

It simply doesn’t happen.  We have to try things out and screw them up.  We have to experiment.  We have to get writing out of our head so it’s out and then we can improve it.

Show me a person who writes but never has to just “get something out of their head” and I’ll show you a rarity.  I have to keep a book of ideas just to keep myself from getting preoccupied.

We have to get our ideas out of our head.  We have to see them.  We have to look at them once they’re not rattling around inside our skulls.  Once they’re out we can refine them.

This is where a blog comes in.

Your blog is a rough draft – and a socially acceptable one at that.

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How Blogging Helps Your Career #10 – The Trophy Case

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(The roundup for the “How Blogging Helps Your Career Series” is here)

Ever been in an interview and wondered how you prove you know what you’re doing in that short time?

Ever tried to convince someone of your competence if, say, you’re trying to run a convention or help them with a project?

Ever wonder how, in the end, we can kind of ever prove in a few minutes that we’re good at things?  Because it seems way, way too much of our life involves that.  If you’ve ever been on the job search or tried to justify a promotion, you know what that’s like.

We have to show wins.  We have to show proof.  This is one reason I try and end every in-person interview by giving someone a copy of one of my books, because it’s hard to say “you can’t do project management” when I can self publish.*

The proof in many cases has to come quick, fast and solid.

That’s your blog.  Your blog is a trophy case.

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