No one likes to be wrong. It hurts. You repeated “Achilles, Achilles, Achilles” in your head while raising your hand in 7th grade math class. No, Timmy. Pythagoras created that theorem. And a pile of bricks lands on your ego. It will be a while before you muster the courage to raise that hand again, even if you’re dead certain of the answer. But why does this... continue »

Just like that it happened. In an instant. Thwick! And the blood flowed. I had cut my finger while washing a chef’s knife. Badly. The flesh lay open, drooling crimson over the sink and counter. As I hurriedly searched for a towel or tourniquet, it hit me. That was a dumb — and totally preventable — painful mistake. I had allowed myself to become stressed about something... continue »

A new year is upon us and our eyes are gleaming with optimism and opportunity. But simply put, New Year’s resolutions are usually doomed to failure . Regardless, I’ve chosen to post mine here as a public reminder to hold myself accountable. Because, as we all know, promising action without accountability is wasted breath. Focus on the positive Listen to, and be true to... continue »

Walking from my couch to the kitchen, it hit me. I had just been watching  “Up” , specifically, the scene when our protagonist finally musters his moxie and buys tickets for a trip to “Paradise Falls,” the dream destination he shared with the love of his life, Ellie. In the scene, just after he secures the arrangements, he takes Ellie to the place where they... continue »

Every day we are confronted with a huge amount of data to process. People we talk to, mass media, and the Web provide a never-ending stream of information, facts, opinions, and advertising. So much data can be overwhelming. It's difficult to separate the signal from the noise, so we try to take it all in. Anyone who has played Chinese Whispers knows how quickly a story can change, and how... continue »

A recurring theme of conversation at events and among online chatter seems to be an overload of email and other things vying for our attention. On a few occasions I’ve heard people express their thirst for a simple, clean way of managing the deluge. So here’s my offering. Handle It Once. This chart breaks it into the simplest of terms. You can use this concept for managing... continue »

“Life’s like a play; it’s not the length but the excellence of the performance that matters” Those words were spoken by a Roman philosopher in the mid-1st century AD, and they ring true today as evidenced by the speakers and attendees in the 2 short days of the 2008 Webmaster Jam Session . This was easily the best Jam Session yet. The speakers were awesome... continue »

“Two turkey wraps, no cheese, with lettuce, tomato, banana peppers, black olives and a little bit of mustard. No chips, no drink, just the wraps please” I say this nearly everyday around 11am. I say it to the same girl at the same Subway on the lobby level of our building. I eat one immediately upon returning to my desk, and the other around 2pm (I generally eat 5-6 small... continue »