Monthly Archives: March 2009

Blind Cabling

My house is an odd mix of cabling oddness. The previous owners had both digital cable (for Internet service) and two satellite dishes, split ~9 ways (for hdtv). They also, at some point, had Verizon FIOS installed with both a … Continue reading

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The Task of an American Writer

The task of an American writer is not to describe the misgivings of a woman taken in adultery as she looks out of a window at the rain, but to describe four hundred people under the lights reaching for a foul ball. This is ceremony.
John Cheever
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Down with Generic Resumes

One popular strategy for job hunting is to build a nice generic resume (or have some resume agency build it for you), then blast it out to all the employers that you can find. If you think about it for a moment, you’ll realize that this is about the worst strategy you could adopt.
Bruce Taylor

A former colleague of mine hits the nail on the head with this one. As a hiring manager, I need you to sell me on yourself within 5-10 seconds of reading your resume. It should scream applicability. It should scream … Continue reading

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Book A Month – March 2009 (again)

In as much as The Watchmen pledged allegiance to the original, V For Vendetta went its own way. There are entire major plot lines that were re-thought, entire character arcs dropped, historical elements shifted to be “less British”, etc. I found this jarring, but after the first hundred pages, I had the same reaction I have whenever I read an original after seeing an adaptation for film – I end up thinking the book’s way better. Continue reading

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(I am) Speaking About (the new) Dragon (blog)

Recently, the Dragon Naturally Speaking team at Nuance launched their own blog – Speaking About Dragon. I can’t resist reading (and sharing) a well delivered blog and based on the type and frequency of their posts as well as the … Continue reading

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Book A Month – March 2009 (For Real)

Since I somehow missed the boat on the entire Graphic Novel genre when I was growing up, I borrowed the original from a friend at work and read it before going to see the movie. Suffice it to say that I liked the movie, but I loved the book. The story was far easier to follow in print, even with all of the pirate comics mixed in. Continue reading

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Commitment

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness, concerning all acts of initiative (and creation). There is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin now.
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
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Aside

Book A Month – March 2009 Update

No new book this month. I’m doing exactly what I said I’d do last month by taking twice the time to read, what is in essence, twice the book. Stephenson’s The Confusion has proved itself to be quite the challenge. … Continue reading

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