Things To Do: 2007
I've been radio silent for the past couple of weeks, taking a much needed rest and some useful time away from the computer. The New Year is upon us now and there's so much hope and anticipation for what's to come. While we never truly know what will happen or how long we'll have, there's always those things we would like to do.
I'm starting this year off with a simple post, the things I would like to accomplish this year. My hopes are that by giving them room to breathe a bit, I might find some co-conspirators in the process. I will attempt to add these items to the sidebar and will track them as best I can. Wish me luck.
I have no idea how far I will get in these pursuits this year, if ever. I'm trying to work out a system with myself that gives me some time and resources to poor into each project. Only time will tell if it all works.
Since I don't value any one more than the other, I'll list things in the order they were dreamed up. Here's something of a road map:
Book: Quit Fighting (coming Q4)
Many, many years ago, after having a rough break up with a long-term girlfriend, I was frustrated at how quickly conversation can devolve when we're angry. While studying in school, we often looked at the role of anger in our lives and the power of language to change the nature of a situation.
As I could best assess the problem, it was hard to come to a "conclusion" when both sides relied on their friends for support - and affirmation. Our fights tend to quickly become polarized into the camps that we set up tent in.
I was inspired, if that's the right term, to see if there might be a way to turn these disagreements into something more positive - a source of learning. Quit Fighting was born. The basic premise is that by allowing us to ask a third party for advice and guidance, we might be able to see a new perspective. Now, I"m not quite supporting arbitrage here - we're using the wisdom of crowds in this scenario. Of course, I recognize there's an opportunity for this to quickly turn into the online version of the Jerry Springer Show, but maybe it's worth it.
The book will be a compilation of the most common issues that arise, follow-up with the parties involved, and excerpts from the suggestions provided by other contributors to the site with the same name.
Origination Date: November 1999
Book: Fight the Pessimist (coming Q3)
If there ever was a passion that I've had, it's forentrepreneurship. Most people assume that entrepreneurs are in it forthe money. I know that's the case for many, but respectfully, I willsay that many, if not most, of the people I know that manage their ownship also have a great passion for their work.
I've been blessed to be able to pursue the dreamsI have - it's a freedom most never truly get to relish. That beingsaid, I believe that experience must be shared for it to be maximized. For some time now, I've been working and speaking with a number ofdifferent entrepreneurs not as a consultant but as a supporter. Thepath of independence is riddled with traps and other perils and ittakes a lot out of you to stay the course.
The idea for this book originated with my friend Dennis Galbraith. Dennis has always supported my efforts and often encouraged me to sharemy stories. The book will be a reduction of the experiences ofhundreds of entrepreneurs from a central site using a "video diary"model.
Origination Date: November 1999
Book: Quit Filtering (coming Q3)
If you've managed to catch me drinking some night (that's a stretch, but work with me), I've probably relayed to you my unifying theory of relationships. You can go back as far as several Beercasts on the topic, to get more insight.
The original idea for this book came from reading Malcolm Gladwell's Blink. At the time, I was fortunate enough to be given an early copy of the book for review/editing. As I read the book, and considered many of the examples, I also tied this back to my work with the Spark Card and generally to my interest in relationships.
Origination Date: December 2004
Site: SocialRoots.com (coming Q1)
If there's any one thing that drives me crazy, it's the lack of launch over at SocialRoots. The basic concept of the SocialRoots Marketplace has been around for close to a year and a half. It's seem more than its share of refinement over the last year but now the model, and need, is certainly locked in.
I've invested tons of time and money already and we're closing in on the last segment to make the thing happen as desired. I'm still actively seeking a CTO to lead the technical side of things (I am more inclined to avoid technical things lately). If you are that sort of person, let me know.
Origination Date: September 2005
Site: FirstSaid.com (coming Q2)
My closest friends know one thing - I love my nieces and nephews. I was blessed with a total of 3 nephews and 4 nieces. Unfortunately, I was quite young when the first four were born so I didn't enjoy the experience nearly a much as I could have.
These last few years, I've been given the gifts of Brandon, Kaitlin, and Joshua. When I moved to San Francisco, I definitely felt sadness knowing I would miss out on seeing them and hearing them on a daily basis - I lived upstairs from the first two.
As I traveled more and more, I realized that I was calling home often just to see if they had done anything new or said something funny. As a proud uncle, I missed not getting to experience it all first hand. Of course, this was a cause for inspiration.
FirstSaid.com will be a place for parents to capture those precious, and often funny, moments of their child's life so they can later torture them at family get togethers. More importantly, it will make it possible for people like me, who can't be around as often as we like, to stay in touch with those rapidly evolving lives.
Origination Date: July 2006
Experiment: Stranger Day (coming Q1)
For the last several years, I have had one personal goal: Speak to at least one stranger per day. Ironically enough, most people would assume me to be, well, gregarious and outgoing to a fault. Truth be told, I'm usually quite shy in a lot of circumstances. A long time ago, however, I realized that shyness was not my friend and that if I wanted to excel at the things I had chosen, I needed to be ready, willing, and capable to engage people without notice. To that end, I have worked to build that "muscle" if you will - it's true you can train your self away from reclusiveness.
Conversation is a surprisingly difficult thing to master. We tend to be a bit imbalanced - either demanding more attention or not taking enough. My first experiment, Beercasting, was a look at the power of conversation amongst friends and strangers. The show was designed around topics devised to spark conversation. I'm quite happy with the results, though I don't miss the rigor of the apparatus.
Several months ago, I moved to San Francisco. I was embarking on a new phase of my life and thought there was no better way to memorialize this even than to keep a journal (blog, if you will). One idea that quickly came to mind was to document the encounters I had on a daily basis - considering that I had never attempted to do so before. After sharing the details of this project with some friends, I was surprised to find that more and more people wanted to do it as well. Perhaps, I was on to something.
To date, there are more than 40 people who have verbally committed. To what, you might ask? To meeting new people on a daily basis. The first leg of the experiment will be centered around San Francisco - since I'm here :) Participants will receive a daily e-mail with their topics. They will then have to find a stranger to converse with and capture the results - in text, photos, audio, or video - at their own Stranger Day blog. All answers will be collated, much as they were in Beercasting so individuals can explore topics of interest.
I'm in the process of putting the code together. That being said, I am seeking sponsors and participants alike. I would like to begin the experiment in February or March 2006.
Origination Date: October 2006
Of course, all of this comes outside of my already existing commitments, client work and slowly emerging personal life. Naturally, I'll still be the ringleader for the bub.blicio.us crowd, pushing buttons and spilling drinks.
An exciting year, for sure. Gotta run, the clock's already ticking.
technorati tags:greg+narain, socialroots, new+years+resolutions, sparkcasting, beercasting