Steven Savage – Page 395 – Writer, Agilist, Elder Geek

Geek Networking At AODSF: Con Report And More

February 2, 2015 by Steven Savage

Discussion Communication

(I wanted to post more on franchises, but I’ve got something worth interrupting my Soul Train of thought for.)

A few years ago I started doing Geek Career Networking events at conventions. It was a mixture of discussing networking and connecting people in the audience. It wasn’t a true networking event if you want to be technical; it was a panel on networking with real networking bolted on.

I’ve always wanted to try a “real” connection-focused Networking even in the convention scenes. The kind where you mix around and meet people based on your professional interests. I figured one would be useful at a convention, and perhaps in a time where ConSuites aren’t always a guarantee, necessary.

Fortunately, the crew at AODSF let me try out a full Geek Networking event. The results were “pretty good” but let’s get into the details and the lessons learned – because I’d like to not just share, but hear other ideas.

Way With Worlds: Society And Disaster Moving Faster

January 30, 2015 by Steven Savage

Cheetah Speed Relaxing

Sometimes, conflicts and social breakdowns are all about speed. In fact I’d argue they’re all too often about speed – fast or slow.

That sudden change can be too sudden, and society falls apart. An invasion, a plague, a social breakdown can be damaging because they’re so damn fast.
Or you have a slow change is so slow that people adapt automatically and don’t even know there’s potential conflict brewing. Sure there’s technically a plague, but its spreading so slow (or slowed down by modern technology) no one ever realized they were courting an apocalypse. Conflict averted and you never knew it.
That character who jumps to conclusions makes situations work.
That character who takes things slow doesn’t address problems in time, and conflict is born.

When it comes to conflict in your world, you have to ask how fast and how slow things are happening. In fact, speed – or the lack of it – may be the only reason a conflict exists. Too often people ignore solutions or go outright Leroy Jenkins on a problem and help assist the apocalypse.

So when you’re writing about the conflicts in your world you have to ask just how fast events are happening and how rapidly people are reacting. That determines what happens, or even if there is a conflict. You might even find, once you think about it, that there’s conflicts you never noticed in the societies you made all because of speed . . .

Here’s what to ask when it comes to speed and conflicts.

Need to Read With Speed Indeed 1/28/2015

January 28, 2015 by Steven Savage

OK I got a bit colorful with the title.

Economics

Fracking doesn’t have a real job benefit. Pretty informative article actually, I didn’t think about the size of the oil industry jobwise, for instance.

Education

Business schools that give the biggest salary bump. What gets interesting is when you compare national to US numbers . . .
How to make use of a college job fair. Good advice.

Skills:

Just heard about The Big Book Of Maker Skills – This sounds up the alley of a lot of us here.

Technology:

How people build a covert internet in cuba. Amazing story, inspiring, and a reminder of just what you can do with technology, common sense, and willpower.

Respectfully,

– Steven Savage
http://www.musehack.com/
http://www.informotron.com/
http://www.seventhsanctum.com/.