Writer, Agilist, Elder Geek
The roundup of convention ideas is here.
Conventions are fun. Even those professional events that go into excruciating detail about art programs or the challenge of voice acting careers are fun. You're among friends, learning new things, at times dressed strangely, and eating food most people wouldn't eat, and in some cases can't identify.
Ever thought about tossing a bit of homework in there?
In a tough job market we all want an edge. In a good job market we still want an edge since we want the best jobs. Either way we're all looking for that edge, that advantage, that something that'll give us a leg up to get the job, client, and career we're looking for.
It's probably why you're here reading this now.
We all know the standard things we're supposed to do – get educated, network, etc. We know all the edges we're supposed to have (even if we don't actually use them or acquire them). So I'd like to talk about one that is very important, one that you may or may not have, but may not be aware of.
Best of all it's an edge that's very powerful.
Boy are people feeling they're getting a raw deal. It seems whenever I delve into reading about people's opinions on the economy and politics they're so worried that some parasites are just draining away all their money. Go on ask yourself – can't you immediately name a lot of people, groups, institutions, etc. you think don't deserve any of your money.
What's funny is that a lot of people who are so afraid of the Parasites Stealing Money are worried about people whose lives are lousy – the unemployed, the people on welfare, the poor, etc. They're just dreadfully convinced all these unworthy people are destroying the world and so on by getting tiny amounts of money, if they get anything at all.
Meanwhile, as we look at the flaming ruins of the world economy and the smoky scent of ponzi schemes and investment vehicles designed to get around regulation, it becomes evident there are indeed parasites. Someone ran this economy into the ground and made off with a ton of money leaving nothing behind.
The parasites are the scam artists, lobbied-up politicians, and the financial fraudsters who get us into the mess. It's not some poor slob who lost his job and exhausted his unemployment that's messing the world up – it's the people with a sense of privilege and entitlement because of their title or position or their family background or their inheritance who feel they can take anything and not give anything back.