T-M-I from T-I-M

Loving myself

I was at a meeting the other day of 20 or so professionals talking about friendship.  The conversation was interesting at times, confusing at others.

At one point, someone asked "Who doesn't love themselves?".  My hand shot almost unconsciously, then I noticed that mine was the only hand up.

Apparently I was seated with 19 people who loved themselves.  Does that seem possible?  I suppose everyone has a different definition of love so maybe they do love themselves by their standards.  But from what I heard during the conversation there were plenty of people who had things they didn't like about themselves.

I think I'm a bit of a dreamer because if I loved myself I would fly around the world in a bubble like Glinda the Good Witch of the North.  I'm also not even quite sure that if I loved myself I would know it.  I just know when I don't.

Maybe someday I won't be so aware that I don't then I will....

Outsourcing is killing the economy

I was thinking the other day about how, in these awful economic times, outsourcing is affecting the economy.  I'm not referring to manufacturing because frankly if the defect rate & cost is lower and the time to market is not significantly impacted, that decision is a no brainer.

I'm referring to the companies who have chosen to outsource, for example, their call centers.  The benefits of cost and 24/7 availability is clear.  However level of service and revenue generation are at most worse than the US, in most cases putrid. 

But the killer is that hundreds of thousands of jobs that would normally pay between $10-20 are gone.  I think those types of jobs are the ones that provide the foundation for our economy.  Those jobs are fuel for car purchases, mortgage payments, etc.

The # of jobs that it would bring back are not equal to what's been outsourced, but there is an opportunity to monetize the move.

I worked at a company where our head of sales (who is an absolute superstar) had a wild proposition:

• Provide world class service looking out for the best interests of the customer first (i.e., don't "jam" offers down their throats)
• The revenue will follow

He was right.  He's done on a smaller scale and a huge scale.  It can be done but most companies don't do it or worse don't even believe it can be done.

In the meantime, our economy keeps sucking wind and when it comes back, we still won't have the valuable foundation that these types of jobs provide.

How to dance to rap music

I wrote this scintillating value added article for ehow like 6 years ago and think it's funny and worth posting on my blog!

The key to dancing to rap and hip hop is to realize that most every song tells a story. An easy way to get over the shyness is to act the story out and have fun.

Steps

1. Start out by going to the clubs and trying to catch the names of the songs you like best. Go to the DJ and ask; it's a compliment, and he or she will more often than not be happy to tell you. If it's too loud and you don't get it by the second time, don't sweat it, you're almost certain to hear it again.
2. Download the song or get it in the store.
3. After listening to it, go online and get the lyrics to the song. Then you learn the lyrics and get the story. Rap music (particularly hip hop as opposed to rap) almost always has an infectious beat so it's cool to dance to. You'll feel it when you listen to what they say (even if it's old territory like braggin' on themselves). LL Cool J hasn't said all that much different from his first album, but Headsprung rocks, and knowing the lyrics helps.
4. Listen to the song often (while you run, while you clean the house, in the car, over and over). The beat will start to take you over.
5. Go to the club and start by checking out the basic moves people do, they are often good bridges. However, very few people let loose and those who do usually get tons of compliments. But don't do it to get the compliments or even to pick up women necessarily. Instead, dance because it's the ultimate way for you to feel the message and the music.
6. Go by yourself or go with a friend you really feel comfortable with that you don't have to hang out with the whole night. Hit the floor and dance while you spit as many of the lyrics as you can and act out the lyrics. (Like when Outkast says "drip drip drop, there goes an ear-gasm", you can lean your head to the side like you're trying to get water out of your ear. Or when T.I. says "Bring 'Em Out", put both hands in the air and wave 'em on.) Go by yourself because rap has this unusual ability to make groups of dancers (guys in particular) become really peacock-ish and aggressive. It's so unfortunate, because dancing to rap and hip hop is just about having fun. You should be able to dance comfortably with dudes far tougher than you, because you are all just doing your thing.
7. Keep it real. Don't pretend you're something you're not. The very best rap and hip hop is that because it's real. You don't have to be hard to dance to rap well.

Tips

• It's not a competition or even a way to send "messages". Even if someone else sees it that way, let it go. Rap and hip hop are totally ruined by clubbers who turn the scene into fights and confrontations. People who hate and become very aggressive miss the point. Just because TI raps about two guns drew and you and your friends go a little two on two, it doesn't mean you should fight. Have fun and draw two guns with your fingers and then change your fingers into two for peace or something like that.
• Just ignore the haters. Move to the other side of the club or whatever. It is totally unnecessary to hate and it is a sure fire way to ruin everyone's night letting our insecurities and fear ruin a good night out.

Warnings

• Don't assume. It can be enlightening to experience how dancing can open up cool relationships with folks you might never have talked to before. Assumptions create divisions; a smile (even to a dude) breaks down a lot of barriers.
• If a fight starts, and you're not involved (it doesn't happen much) stay out. Go somewhere safe, don't clown around like it's "cool" that you're not in the fight. Let the bouncers handle it, they are, generally speaking, really adept at doing so and really are there for your safety.

My Article on Soulscode on Spirituality

A friend of mine works with a company called soulscode which shares writing and ideas on spirituality.  She asked me to contribute, which I did, writing about the confusing and almost silly language of spirituality.

It was a blast to write.  Check it out here