So, to such extent, I thought I would go to for a lighter blog post today, one that will inject a smile or two, a giggle or two, perhaps, or, just simply, a good laugh to help you get going with what’s left of this working week… And, of course, it is going to make you think a little bit as well on a problem that plenty of folks seem to have been advocating for since forever, although I have got other opinions on this very same topic…

Not going to say much more and spoil the theme of the YouTube video, so, without much further ado, here is the direct link and the embedded version of it:

Hilariously funny, don’t you think? With a rather thought-provoking question underlying throughout the entire video clip: but can you relate to it? Can you identify yourself in the video? … Hold it, don’t try to answer that one just yet… Enjoy the rest of the weekend and then come back next week and share a comment or two on whether you need some help … Or not

And, in the mean time, if you would want to watch another very short video clip that has got a good number of knowledge nuggets to ponder and think about for a while, as well as learn plenty from each and everyone of them, may I suggest you check out  as well this YouTube vido interview with one of my favourite, and good friend, Enterprise 2.0, KM, Social Computing people: Euan Semple (Yes, in case you may not have noticed just recently, his blog has changed address! So go and update your essential bookmarks, too!):

Have a good one everyone!

Tags: Enterprise 2.0, Social Software, Social Networking, Social Computing, Social Media, Collaboration, Communities, Learning, Knowledge Sharing, KM, Knowledge Management, Innovation, Networking, Social Networks, Conversations, Dialogue, Communication, Connections, Relationships, Productivity, Information Overload, Xerox, YouTube, Bad Filtering, Euan Semple, Words of Wisdom, Communications

"Like it or not, the use of social media platforms like twitter will define our online legacy. The words we say over time will shape and frame the person we are from a digital perspective. Now imagine if some of the people who are reading your tweets will not read them for 5 or 10 years or longer.

How many of us have kids who are growing up at the moment who we would like to be able to talk to about things going on in our own lives but just can’t because they are not old enough to understand and appreciate what it is we would like to share with them? And when our kids come of age, how will they react to the things we said about them on platforms like twitter, in podcasts or in our blogs?

Or what about yourself? How would you like to wake up in 4 years and read something you tweeted about years before and be inspired?"

If you read through the entire article you would be able to see some very interesting points on the kind of impact that our online interactions NOW will have, or may have, in the near future, not just for ourselves, but for those who care about us as well (Friends, family, relatives, co-workers, etc. etc.). Like I said, quite an interesting read and something that I thought it would fit in quite nicely with the couple of video links I bumped into in the last few hours and which, in a way, reflect very much my own digital footprint on how I feel about certain things…

Let’s get started. Remember that blog post I put together under "Twouble with Twitters [...]"? Well, it looks like the folks behind Current have put together another hilariously funny, yet somewhat accurate, I guess (Although I don’t think I could relate too much to it, to be honest), video clip on the status of the Twittersphere: Celebrity Twitter Overkill

I told you, incredibly funny and scarily accurate to some extent, but to a certain degree not my kind of online digital legacy, don’t you think? At least, not the one I am trying to pursue and I am sure that most of the readers from this blog wouldn’t either. However, with this other second video link things may be a little bit different:

I AM A GEEK! by The Society for Geek Advancement

Going through it has made me realised as well that I am not a geek (either), nor do I identify myself as one, nor would want I to be one. And although I realise that some of you folks may well identify yourselves as die-hard geeks, which I think is pretty cool, I guess I will just continue chasing further up my online digital legacy, because so far I don’t think I have found it. In fact, I doubt I would at all. Why? Because, to me, it has never been about the final destination, but more the journey along the way, and much more importantly, what I get to learn on a daily basis. That is my online digital legacy: my day to day key learning activities on the stuff I am passionate about.

That’s what I am. That’s my legacy…

Tags: Jeff Pulver, Digital Legacy, Digital, Legacy, Online Digital Legacy, Online Legacy, Social Software, Social Networking, Social Computing, Social Media, Communities, Learning, Knowledge Sharing, KM, Knowledge Management, Social Networks, Conversations, Digital Footprint, Current, Twouble, Celebrities, Twitter Celebrities, Twitter Celebs, Geeks, Twittersphere, Journey, Learnings, Life

I do realise though that it’s one of those video clips whose content most of your folks out there would know all about it already, but following the theme I started yesterday with transcending the Web, here we have got, once again, the brilliant folks behind Commoncraft (Lee & Sachi LeFever), back at it with a new video that’s starting to spread around like wildfire: World Wide Web in Plain English.

I am sure I am not the only one on this … but, for a good number of months, I have been all along recommending most of the series of … in Plain English videos to all of those folks who were keen on getting started with their own adoption of social software, but didn’t know how to get started. For a good number of months I have been consistently recommending people to check out each and everyone of those Commoncraft videos if they would want to get it in a matter of just that … minutes!

And now, it looks like both Lee and Sachi are back at it again in full force! But this time with a difference. A video clip of just over three minutes that shows everyone out there, who may not know just yet, what the World Wide Web is all about. Just another stunning piece of work! One that while I got through it a few minutes ago I just couldn’t help thinking that you can’t be too young, or too old enough, to get exposed to! Yes, that brilliant!

A video clip that I wish I had access to it about 12 years ago, when I was first starting to get exposed to the Internet coming from a strong background around the world of the IBM Mainframe (Remember those days?). Can you imagine the difference this video would have made in how I would have gotten started exploring the Web versus the initial skepticism we all experienced and went through? Can you imagine what it could do to all of those folks who own a computer nowadays, but perhaps are too afraid still to experience fully the Web?

That’s just exactly why I thought I would share a link to that video clip in this blog, so I would get an opportunity to help spread the message around on how we can all continue to transcend the Web and make it part of both our daily personal and business lives. In short, an integral part of us… I just wish the video would be available in other languages, so that I could show my mum where I get to hang out every day (with my friends and colleagues) and convince her how close we could well be, despite the long distance…

Tags: World Wide Web, WWW, Internet, Commoncraft, Lee LeFever, Sachi LeFever, in Plain English, Transcending the Web, Videos, IBM, IBM Mainframe, Technology, Society, Social Web, Life, Work, Business, Personal, Impact of Technology, Closeness, Small World, Interconnected World

No, I am not going away any time soon, nor quitting any of the already existing social tools I have been using for a while. What I have been doing lately is giving it some further thought on how I would want to spend my time not only exploring social computing within the enterprise, but also how I could help spread the message around with its wider adoption. Once again, I sensed how I was starting to spread thinner than what I would have hoped for and therefore it was time to re-group again and think about how I would want to make continued used of these social tools.

I am sure over time I will be able to share with you folks my new approach towards some of the tools I have been using for a while; some of them rather surprising, and a couple of them rather thought-provoking (Like my continued use of Twitter, for instance), but for now I just wanted to let folks know that I am back to my usual regular blogging activities with plenty of really cool stuff to share with you all.

Starting with a YouTube video which, to me, represents something I have been mentioning as far back as 2002 with regards to what Web 2.0 is all about and what it means for us, not just as Internet end-users, but more as a modern, post-industrial society overall: it has never been (Nor will it be … ever) about the tools themselves, but it will continue to be all about us, as humans, most capable of transcending the Web and allowing us to change ourselves on not only who we are, but also what we do and live for in the current times…

Remember the wonderful video clip The Machine is Us/ing Us, that I blogged about a little while ago, that Michael Wesch put together and that changed our views on what the Web 2.0 movement was all about, well, check out The Machine is Us/ing Us – Dance Mix (And which Michael also referenced under the title “The Machine is Us/ing Us – Dance Mix“) where you can clearly see what I meant with Web 2.0 transcending the Web…

It is one of those YouTube videos that will surely give you goose bumps (It surely did to me and managed to bring me back to life as far as my blogging activities are concerned) and will remain a strong reminder for us all that Web 2.0 and social software, for that matter, are not just about the tools, quite the contrary, it’s all about us, our Internet culture, our ability to experience the Web in ways we never thought we could, mainly by reaching out and connecting with other people, to, in the end, help each and everyone of us make a difference!

What a performance!

Tags: Enterprise 2.0, Social Software, Social Networking, Social Computing, Social Media, Collaboration, Communities, Learning, Knowledge Sharing, KM, Knowledge Management, Remote Collaboration, Innovation, IBM, Networking, Social Networks, Conversations, Dialogue, Communication, Connections, Relationships, Web 2.0, Culture, Society, Humanity, Internet, Web, Dance, Ballet, Transcending the Web, Machine Is Us/ing Us, Michael Wesch, YouTube, Performances, Inspiration

Thus, "what’s exactly Ada Lovelace Day?", you may be wondering, right? Well, it is "an international day of blogging to draw attention to women excelling in technology" and since I have got plenty of examples to share I just couldn’t say no to such a lovely initiative. However, not to worry, I am not going to put together a rather lengthy post detailing a few examples of women who have been more than an inspiration for yours truly for a big part of his work life. Instead, I am just going to stick with one I have been admiring all along since I first met her, nearly two years ago!

Yes, go and meet Gina Poole! She used to be my boss, now she is my boss’ boss. Yet, nothing has changed! If there is a single word I can use to describe her, VP, Social Software at IBM as well as VP, Social Software & Web Marketing, it would be approachable! Indeed! When she got started with leading one of the most impressive social software adoption programs inside IBM, (The one I am working for at the moment heh ) her presence in the social software space was rather scarce. But that changed soon afterwards.

The fact she is one of IBM’s executives didn’t stop her from leading the way, and leading the way by what really matters in this social computing space: leading by example! Soon afterwards she started an internal blog, continued to use social bookmarking sites like Dogear, share important files through file sharing applications like Cattail (Bless her for avoiding to blow away my Inbox!), make extensive use of Enterprise 2.0 tools suites like Lotus Connections, behind the firewall, as well as social networking sites available outside like Slideshare or Twitter.

She gets it! She always has! But that’s not all of it that I admire in her, and this is really what makes her part of Ada Lovelace Day. It may not well be that she is too technical, probably she never meant to be, but, as far as I can tell, she makes an amazing executive / manager treating her people like what they are: people, which I know for sure it is getting very rare nowadays to see and experience such thing …

Yes, I know. I am lucky! Very lucky, if I may add. But even then what I admire the most in her is not only how approachable, flexible, committed, involved, engaging, resourceful she is for her daily job and that of her entire team(s), but more how she perseveres till the end in achieving a goal! Even if that goal means leading the social software revolution at IBM or such other mundane tasks such as helping me land in my dream job! Most of you folks out there know about how long it took me to get there, but I eventually made it, indeed! And all of that thanks to her perseverance and that of a couple of other folks!

That’s why to me, my Ada Lovelace Day is going to go to who I consider the new "Manager" of the 21st century. Yes, that Manager 2.0 that another female role model shared not long ago: Kathy Sierra. Talking about true inspiration, right?

Tags: AdaLovelaceDay09, Women, Women in Technology, Inspiration, IBM, Executives, Management, Management 2.0, Manager 2.0, Enterprise 2.0, Social Software, Social Networking, Social Computing, Social Media, Collaboration, Communities, Learning, Knowledge Sharing, KM, Knowledge Management, Innovation, IBM, Networking, Social Networks, Conversations, Dialogue, Communication, Connections, Relationships, Productivity, Ada Lovelace Day, Ada Lovelace, Gina Poole, Leader, Leader 2.0, Leadership, Dogear, Connections, Lotus Connections, Cattail, Slideshare, Twitter, Committed, Flexibility, Involvement, Engagement, Resourceful, Approachable, People Manager

As I got home, it was time to do a little catch up with things and see what happened while I was away. And in the midst of an incredibly amount of interesting things that I have bumped into so far, I thought I would ahead and share with you folks a couple of interesting ones, while I try to keep things short as well. It’s actually two different video clips. One of them incredibly funny and the other one a bit more serious, but amazingly accurate with the range of topics I get to cover on this blog for a long while now. Thus let’s get started and share the fun!

By now you probably know how crazy I am about Twitter, as perhaps one of the social networking tools outside of the firewall where I spend a good amount of time on a regular basis. Not to worry, I am not going to share any links, for the time being, to the plenty of good stuff that’s getting written about it so far. Instead, I would ask you to spend a bit over four minutes watching this video clip: Twouble with Twitters

Hilarious, isn’t it? Well, now you know what it feels like being in the Twittersphere!! (Twiiiiiitttteeeerrrr!!!)

The second video I would want to share with you folks is a bit more serious. It’s about working smarter, not necessarily harder, it’s about pushing innovation further into the next level; it’s about encouraging new models of collaboration and co-creation between vendors, their customers and business partners alike; it’s about driving further the next wave of collaboration and knowledge sharing in the corporate world; it’s about connections and relationships in the enterprise world as the next wave of interactions to get business done; it’s about all of that and plenty more! Check out: Smarter Collaboration Your Way (Video from IBM)

Not bad these two videos to wrap up a superb day unwinding from everything online, don’t you think? Special thanks for the hat tip on the IBM video to fellow colleague Stefan and my good friend Martin Koser, who blogged about it earlier on today as well. Thanks, guys!!

Tags: Bank Holiday, Vacation, Holiday, Father’s Day, Spain, Unwinding, Work, Life, Work Life Balance, Fun, Fun Stuff, Twitter, Twoble with Twitters, Twittersphere, Enterprise 2.0, Social Software, Social Networking, Social Computing, Social Media, Collaboration, Communities, Learning, Knowledge Sharing, KM, Knowledge Management, Remote Collaboration, Innovation, IBM, Networking, Social Networks, Conversations, Dialogue, Communication, Connections, Relationship, Productivity, Smarter Planet, SmarterPlanet, Stefan Pfeiffer, Martin Koser, Frogpond, YouTube, Videos

Well, I suppose I could give you plenty of different reasons, some of which most of the folks out there reading this who I may know in real life would know already, but I guess, since it is Friday late noon, that I would try to keep it short this time around. Here is a one minute video clip that describes perfectly all right Why I’m an IBMer:

Yes, indeed, it is not because of the super cool technologies (Specially in the Social Software space) I am exposed to on a daily basis; nor the various different business processes (hehe), but, like usual, because of the incredibly talented people I am surrounded by. Yes, that’s right. Those folks that help me keep sharp, real and on my toes, during the course of the day; who help me learn constantly while on the job (There’s never a dull / boring moment, I can tell you that!); who manage to help me be more productive by relying and trusting them more and more by the day with our mutual use of social networking tools, both inside and outside of the firewall; in short, I am an IBMer, because of the people who help make me work smarter, not necessarily harder.

There! I said it! Happy now? Ok, I think I have drunk enough Kool-Aid for now, don’t you think? heh

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Tags: Enterprise 2.0, Social Software, Social Networking, Social Computing, Social Media, Collaboration, Communities, Learning, Knowledge Sharing, KM, Knowledge Management, Innovation, IBM, Networking, Social Networks, Conversations, Dialogue, Communication, Connections, Relationships, Trust, Salamanca, Spain, English Graduate, Smarter Planet, SmarterPlanet, Kool-Aid

But then again, the magic of serendipity kicks in, and you bump into one of those video clips that will certainly make you think about things twice; that eventually questions those disbeliefs, demonstrating that there may well be something out there that we keep missing or ignoring and that we know is going to hit us back soon enough. That we are closer than ever to witness that transition into the Social Computing realm within the corporate world and beyond; that we are already living it through; and that those younger generations surely know what lies ahead, what changes and what challenges they are facing, and how they see themselves, and those around them, in their own near future within the enterprise.

Yes, through that serendipitous knowledge discovery process, last week, over in Twitter, I kept bumping into what has been one of the most inspirational videos I have watched in a little while! It lasts for nearly two minutes and it comes under the intriguing title of "Lost Generation". The video clip itself is well worth watching it through all the way and it will surely remind you that there is something to be said about how the younger generations feel not only about their working relationships, but also about their personal lives, their hopes, their expectations, their way of life, their everything. And if not, coming pretty close. Not going to say much more about it, other than encouraging you all folks to have a look and watch it. It will be worth your time. Even better, it will make you think about all of these things with a different view / perspective.

In short, it will provide you with a smashing start of the week with a truly inspirational message indicating how we are witnessing that change in the corporate world that probably doesn’t have a way back out of it. And, eventually, we shouldn’t!

Tags: Enterprise 2.0, Social Software, Social Networking, Social Computing, Social Media, Collaboration, Communities, Learning, Knowledge Sharing, KM, Knowledge Management, Remote Collaboration, Innovation, IBM, Networking, Social Networks, Conversations, Dialogue, Communication, Connections, Relationships, Digital Divide, Generations, Workplace, Generation X, Generation Y, GenX, GenY, Baby Boomers, YouTube, Videos, Twitter, Lost Generation, Life Style, Beliefs, Expectations, Challenges, Changes, Younger Generations

Well, today’s Mac Tip  doesn’t have much to do with email per se, but I am sure you would find it equally helpful. Specially, if you have to handle large amounts of pictures in a very short period of time… If you have been following this blog for a while you would know by now how when I made the switch from a Windows notebook into this MacBook Pro there were two different applications I knew I was going to miss big time.

One of them hasn’t made it just yet into the Mac world (So I will not mention it this time around, waiting for that time when it is finally there!), but the other one has and this is what this blog post will be about; my favourite program to handle pictures on the Mac: Google’s Picasa!

There are plenty of different reasons why, if you haven’t given a try to Picasa on the Mac yet, you actually should. However, I thought that for today’s Mac Tip I would share with you five reasons why it would be worth to give it a try and, I am sure, keep it! So let’s go!:

1. Handling large amounts of photos: Must confess, up until now, I have been using both iPhoto 08 and Aperture and just simply loading both libraries of my pictures archives (Over 15GB) would take a good amount of time that with Picasa just doesn’t happen. Open up the application and voilá, ready to go! And the same thing happens with navigating the different galleries. Just too slow compared to the snappy Picasa. Thus if you have got large amounts of pictures, Picasa will do the job beautifully faster!
2. Exporting and uploading with Flickr Uploadr (into Flickr): One of my favourite features from Picasa. That is, the capability of working with your photos, adjust whatever settings, export the new picture and ready to be uploaded into my Flickr account with the lovely Flickr Uploadr. Just perfect! Allows me to have control over the quality of the pictures I would want to share and that’s why you may have noticed how I have started to share many more pictures in there than in previous months. Main reason: Picasa itself.
3. Creating collages on the fly: One of my other favourite features. Putting together some of my favourite photos and then on the fly create some amazing collages that surely have the effect I would want to provide. Check, for instance, the collage I put together for my Twitter homepage background. It was done with Picasa’s collage capabilities. Very nice!
4. I’m Feeling Lucky: To me, the one single feature that makes Picasa on its own worth it! That super nifty and incredibly powerful button that when displaying a photo you click on it and it does a wonderful job for you improving the overall quality of the picture. Just amazing! I used to do this with both iPhoto and Aperture (And, except for more complex tweaking of images where I still use the latter), and very soon it became a bit painful for simple image processing. With this particular option in Picasa it gets the job done in a blink! Like I said, this feature alone is worth while downing and installing Picasa itself.
5. Free: Yes, of course, I have to give this one as well as one of the top 5 reasons. Very few of the image processing and handling tools out there for the Mac are freeware. Both iPhoto and Aperture cost money (And quite a bit in the case of Aperture!), thus knowing there is a very qualified tool for this kind of job that you can get for free in a Mac is just a no-brainer. Don’t you think? Yes, I know it is beta as well, but we do love betas, don’t we?

And that would be it. Top 5 reasons for me as to why Google’s Picasa has now become my default Mac application to handle, process and share pictures (In combination with Flickr Uploadr). I know there are plenty more, but I think those five would be good enough. And if not, check out the end result of what this superb tool can do for you and for your pictures:

Not bad, eh? Not bad at all!

Tags: Mac, Apple, MacBook Pro, MBP, Tips, Hints, Productivity, Productivity-Tips, Tools, Images, Photos, Photo Gallery, Flickr, Google, Picasa, Free, Freeware, Beta, iPhoto 08, iPhoto08, Aperture, Flickr Uploadr, Twitter, Collages, I’m Feeling Lucky, Pictures, Productivity Tools

I also mentioned how there would be a new (To me) social software tool out there I would be using during the course of 2009 and which I always wanted to take for a spin, but never found the opportunity. Well, I think it is now time for that to change!

As the title of this blog post states it is, of course, Tumblr! Welcome to elsua’s clippings!

Yes, that’s right. For the last few days I have already been using Tumblr and enjoying the experience quite a bit! It is incredibly easy to use and one of the things I like the most is how pervasive it is. You can post to it directly from the Web, or from various mobile devices (Including the iPhone ), from the desktop (With a widget), etc. So I just couldn’t say No! I have been wanting to dive in for quite a while, but never found the chance. Till now.

Thus what would you expect to find in elsua’s clippings? Well, to put it in very simple terms, everything that may be shorter than a blog post, but longer than a tweet! and which would very much deal with the stuff I’m interested in, both from a business and personal perspectives.

So far, for instance, I have been sharing some of my favourite YouTube videos, as well as some very interesting quotes I have bumped into, both from the online and offline world, and which, I think, are worth while noting. That would include relevant quotes from books I may have read till now.

Finally, you may be wondering what made me take the plunge and dive straight in, right? Well, three different folks I admire dearly, who have been using Tumblr for a little while already and whose tumblrings I have been enjoying quite a bit! (As well as their blogging and twittering!). Check out Stowe Boyd’s /Ambivalence, Jay Cross’ & John Tropea’s Snippets. Worth while subscribing to, don’t you think?

If you would want to follow up on elsua’s clippings, you can do so directly from the main Web site, its RSS feed or elsua.net’s Lifestream section. Hope you enjoy it just as much as I am sharing across all of those tidbits and interesting clippings one gets exposed to on a daily basis. Far too many to keep them private!

Tags: Enterprise 2.0, Social Software, Social Networking, Social Computing, Social Media, Collaboration, Communities, Learning, Knowledge Sharing, KM, Knowledge Management, Remote Collaboration, Innovation, IBM, Networking, Social Networks, Social Networks, Networking, Conversations, Dialogue, Connections, Relationships, Productivity, Communication, WordPress, Lifestream, Twitter, Flickr, Ma.gnolia, Tumblr, elsua’s clippings, Web Clippings, Quotes, iPhone, Stowe Boyd, /Ambivalence, Ambivalence, Jay Cross, John Tropea, Library Clips, Snippets, Cajón Desastre

Goodness! Someone has got to keep me away from visiting such places and get an exposure to such lovely sweets. It is a very dangerous thing, don’t you think? But doesn’t it look gorgeous? Now you will be able to understand why I got easily distracted over the last few hours and why I have gone relatively quiet in most of the social software spaces I usually hang out in. But fear not, regular blogging activities will resume shortly. It is just that I couldn’t help sharing the pictures of this beauty over here. Probably my next blog post will be coming through from that sexy thing… (I can see it …, what a treat, eh? )

In its due time I will also be sharing a lengthier blog post though with a review of what the experience has been moving from the old 15” MacBook Pro I have been using over the last year and a half (With an wonderful experience to say the least!) to the new and shiny MacBook Pro 15”, so that you can get an idea what it has been like and, most importantly, for me to figure out whether it is an easy move or not. We shall see.

But for now I just need to step away for a few minutes and keep drooling! Ahhh, yes, I may have become a Mac Fanboy after all, but who wouldn’t, right? hehe

Tags: Mac, Apple, MacBook, MacBook Pro, Technology, Gadgets, Apple Store, Gran Canaria, Fun Stuff, Distractions

Yes, indeed, I am going to take a short break, from the moment I get to post this entry and till November 17th when I would be back again to work! One full week of doing nothing else than enjoy the lovely sunshine, get a very much needed rest (Specially for my heavily overused wrists!), enjoy the lovely food & friendly people around me and catch up with some very much needed work / life balance! And then back on to my favourite activity: face to face social networking! Not bad, eh? Yes, I know! Not bad at all! heh

Leo Babauta, over at the fine Zen Habits, put together just recently a wonderful blog post on the topic of striking a good balance between life and work under the title "How To Find That Elusive Balance Between Work and Life". Plenty of really good and helpful tips shared over there and worth while reading the article. For sure.

For me, it is now my own turn to find and enjoy that balance for the next few days and here you have got a couple of snapshots of how I am planning to let life win this everlasting battle of work vs. life:

Thus, if you don’t see me in the various social networking spaces where I usually hang out, you know exactly where I will be, at least, for the next few days. Because, just like Leo finished that blog post on striking a good life / work balance:

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving." – Albert Einstein

Have a good everyone and see you all soon!

Tags: Holidays, Vacation, Gran Canaria, Beach, Sun, Mountains, Hiking, Fun, Balance, Work Life Balance, Rest, Life, Work, Leo Babauta, Zen Habits, Maspalomas Dunes, Maspalomas, Dunes, Landscapes, Sunsets, Spain, Photos, Albert Einstein, Wisdom

Call it all of the things and activities it has got to offer, or the friendly people, or that lovely cosmopolitan atmosphere that makes you feel like you are living in a very large metropolis, yet, very walkable at all times; call it all of the great places to enjoy some amazing Mediterranean cuisine, or the lively nightlife! Yes, all of that and so much more!

So this time around, as opposed to the last couple of years, where, for one reason or another, I just couldn’t make it, because of whatever the conflict or double booking, I had it booked up for quite a while and today is my first day of a wonderful holiday! I am sure! And I can’t wait! heh

Does that mean I will be stopping with my regular blogging activities for the next few days? Well, not sure. It will depend on how things go. I am going to be here for nine days, before I get to travel elsewhere again, and depending on timing and a few other things, which I am sure will come up to your mind, as I am writing this, I may be able to share the odd blog post here and there. But I don’t think I would be blogging on a daily basis, like I have been doing so far all this time.

Thus in a way, this holiday may also indicate a short break for me from my regular blogging activities, while I get to enjoy the city and its many attractions and, like I said, ponder a bit about a number of things and share the odd entry over here.

However, that doesn’t mean that my social networking activities are going to stop while I am on holidays heh On the contrary, they are going to become much more intense and fruitful as I am planning on doing plenty of my favourite social networking activity: meeting up with folks for a drink or two, or food, whatever may be the option and catch up with those folks who may be in town…

Like I said earlier on, I will be in Barcelona till the 29th of September. So if you would want to meet up for a drink or two, or grab a bite, give me a shout and we shall meet. When? Not sure, it will depend on both your schedule and my own heh, but I am sure we would be able to meet up! Without a doubt!

Oh, yes, I will be twittering, of course! There would be plenty of things to take note of and share with my various social networks. And, let’s face it, it will probably be as well the main option for me to get in touch with folks as I am not planning on staying still while in here! Thus although I am not planning on twittering far too much, like the usual twitterrhea I do far too often, expect to see a few updates here and there. Should be fun!

Well, we are about to start the landing routine, so I better cut it short over here for now … Hoping now that the weather will be just as gorgeous as back home! (And no, you don’t want to know how lovely it was heh)

(Fast forward a couple of hours later … landed safe and sound, in the hotel room. Now do another fast forward … a couple of days later, having enjoyed the lack of WiFi in the hotel I am staying in and the incredibly disappointing lack of support, coverage and responsibility for doing things right, like they say they do – Yes, Yoigo, ("Verdad verdadera", eh?) I am talking about you! – posting this blog entry a little bit later than expected and looking forward to some amazing time(s) … – Expect to have a much more disconnected time than ever before! W00t!)

Tags: Holidays, Barcelona, Spain, Work Life Balance, Life, Blogging, Metablogging, Twitter, Palau de la Musica Catalana, Photos, Flickr, Time Off, Wi-Fi Access, Yoigo, Lack of Customer Service, Yoigo Horrible Support, Yoigo Lack of Availability, Travelling

Well done, Rafa!!! And very much well deserved, too! Perhaps only one thing to say would be a special thanks to these two titans for making a Sunday afternoon, 6th of July 2008, an unforgettable one!

(Sublime Spaniard stretches the imagination < I just couldn’t have agreed more with that headline! Just superb!)

Tags: Wimbledon, Tennis, Classics, Tournament, King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, Rafa Nadal, King of Grass, Roger Federer, Titans, Rivalry, Sacrifice, Endurance, Talent, Brilliance, Fighting Sipirt, Sublime

Thus as you can imagine I haven’t had much free time just yet to finish up those various blog post drafts I keep wanting to share over here at some point. But, like I have said it already, not to worry, they will come. However, today I just wanted to share with you something that I am sure you are going to enjoy. It is actually a couple of video links that match quite nicely the festive time I have been enjoying whole day today.

The first one is actually a video clip which is part of a videocasting series that is going on inside IBM and which is having a huge success at the moment, to say the least. Some time ago, my good friend, and fellow IBM colleague, George Faulkner came together, with a couple of his colleagues, with this bright idea of encouraging IBMers to shoot short video clips showing where they were working, i.e. the IBM building site, customer location, on the road, whatever, but mostly from the IBM office wherever it may have well been in the world. And that is how "This is where I work…" was born and why, from the very first moment, it became quite a show!

Thousands and thousands of downloads have gone through already and, funny enough, I never thought I would be taking part of it, since I always doubted people would be interested in my home office location. However, while I was in NYC, after having finished a superb week at the IBM Web 2.0 and Beyond Summit event, I spent a couple of days with George, and a bunch of other IBMers, and George, as brilliant as he is coming up with some serendipitous discoveries and fun activities, proposed to me to shoot a short video with several fragments sharing my thoughts on my stay in NYC’s IBM sites and do a clip on "This is where I work … today!". 

He thought we could take a few pictures here and there and get things rolling, but I thought we could actually do it with a little bit of a twist and decide to put to a good service, as usual, my Nokia N95, and we went video. If you have been reading this blog for a while, you would know how much in love I am with the N95 device (And you would probably know my reaction to other fancier mobile devices -no names mentioned in here – hehe) and after those couple of days, even so much more now!

I have been getting lots of comments about the quality of both the sound and the video footage for a mobile device and all I can say is that the N95 beats any other device in this category by quite a bit! One of the best purchases I have done in my short life buying gadgets. And the proof is this blog post.

Thus attached, and without much further ado, here you have got the video clip from that series "This is where I work … today" where you would be able to see yours truly, in various locations throughout the city, talking about what it is like working for a large corporation in the city. All done on the fly, with no script, no pauses, no premeditated wording going around, just pure, informal, on the spot, good fun!

George did both the video shoot and the post-production, more than anything else because he is much more talented than myself, for sure! And if not judge for yourselves. Here I am, talking to you from NYC in front of a video camera for the first time in my life and having a great time at it!

Yes, indeed, after you have watched this video clip I am sure you would understand now, in case you haven’t done so thus far, why I *love* working for the company I work, and why I am still enjoying it just as if it were my first day 11 years ago!! You got that one right, because of the people!

Does it ring a bell? Well, here is another good reason. A bonus clip I put together myself with the Nokia N95 while in NYC, enjoying some of the lovely spring weather I was fortunate to witness throughout the whole week!

Of course, I will be back!! (Even if that means bringing back with me another nasty bug that may take me down again for a couple of days! hehe)

(Time now to go and enjoy a long walk through one of my favourite places over here…)

Tags: Holidays, Bank Holiday, Koninginnedag, Ascension Day, IBM, George Faulkner, Videocasting, Vodcasts, This Is Where I Work, Nokia, N95, Serendipity, New York, New York City, Central Park, 11 Madison Ave, 590 Madison, Fun, Fun Stuff, Work Life Balance, Balance, Life, Work, Things That Matter, Spring, Experiences, Unforgettable Experiences

But this time around I am going to be mentioning something else that I thought was really really cool and that I was rather excited about. As you well know, on this weekly series of blog posts about Gran Canaria I have developed the tendency to share both some pictures and short video clips of various places that have impressed me all along from this island and way at the beginning I was actually making use of DailyMotion to store those videos, well, it looks like things are going to change from here onwards.

No, I am not talking about stopping with the sharing of those videos. On the contrary, I am going to keep it going stronger than ever. For sure. What I am really going to start doing is making good use of the wonderful new feature that the fine folks of Flickr have put together. Yes, video!!!  How awesome is that? Right next to the good bunch of pictures I have been sharing all along I will now be able to add Flickr videos as well and share them as part of the same flow. Love it!

Yes, yes, I know that most people have been indicating how sharing videos in Flickr is a little bit limiting, since you can only upload videos which are 90 seconds long, but I tell you what, that’s just more than enough for me! In fact, most of the video clips I am planning on sharing will be that length anyway, so it makes perfect sense to place them together next to the pictures, don’t you think? And for those video clips longer that 90 seconds? -You may be asking, right? Well, I will continue to make use of DailyMotion, of course!

So let’s get the ball rolling then! Earlier on today I went ahead and shared a couple of short video clips in Flickr in almost no time, with a very user friendly interface and along the same lines of flow you get with sharing pictures and they are both part from a single series I created from one special place in my heart that gives me shivers every time I get to go there.

The name of the place is called Meloneras and is just on the very south of the island of Gran Canaria. It is one of those emergent touristy spots in the area where you will be able to find some of the finest hotels from the south of the island. Definitely, a good place to stay. For sure. However, what it also has is one of those stunning everlasting boulevards that would allow you to take long long walks along the coast enjoying quite some marvelous sunsets, both in winter and summer time! The most spectacular ones are the ones happening during the winter time when the sun sets across the Atlantic ocean. Just brilliant!

The funny thing is that I happen to live about 7 to 10 minute drive from there, so I get to go every now and then with the dog and spend one hour or one hour an a half unwinding from everything else and enjoying just one of those special places that only when you get there you realise the kind of beauty you are contemplating. I tell you, very few things can get better than that! And if not judge for yourself with these two videos I shared earlier on:

What did I say? It kind of makes you think you would want to be there, right? Well, that is just how I felt myself earlier on today a couple of times while I was struggling with a couple of tools. Perhaps next time I should just leave it and enjoy another one of those unforgettable sunsets @ Meloneras!

Want to join me?

Tags: Gran Canaria, Meloneras, Costa Meloneras, Sunsets, Daily Motion, Flickr, Flickr Video, Life, Life Work Balance, LWB, Tourism, Boulevard, Unwinding, Walks

As you can imagine, my brain has got very few brain cells working properly after such an intensive day of meetings and the usual catchup afterwards (Thank goodness for e-mails not being one of the things to catch up with! heh), so I decided to create this entry with some light blogging to pick up the subject I initiated nearly a week ago, and which I mentioned I would eventually get to share with you every now and then. Yes, I am talking about the weekly blog post on Gran Canaria, the place where I have lived for the last four years, the place that keeps captivating me day in day out. No exceptions!

If last week I created a blog post where I shared some footage from a couple of recent video clips I recorded with my super fine Nokia N95 (Glad to know as well I am not the only one who thinks it is a really good experience!), here I am at it again, sharing the third video I recorded while nearly the very top of Roque Bentaiga, but this time around from the other side of the enclave. With quite a view, I can assure you!

If there would be one single word that I could make use of to describe such amazingly beautiful spot it would be humbling. And very much so! It’s just like time disappears, it is just you, up there, in the mountains, with hardly anybody around, facing the rock, your inner thoughts, your fears, your hopes, yourself and nature. Yes, I know, it probably cannot get better than that!

It is in days like today that I wish I had taken the day off and head over there to spend the day and disconnect from everything! It would have helped quite a bit get a new perspective on most things and I know that when coming back that sensation of peace and quiet is something that would make you feel fully re-energised and ready to go back at it! That kind of experience is Roque Bentaiga, folks. One of my favourite places in Gran Canaria to meditate, to forget about the world, to stop, breathe, relax, breathe again, and go back at it!

And you know, the best part of it all is that it is incredibly easy to reach out and access with very good roads all the way before you reach the bottom and start climbing up to the top. Yes, one of those special landmarks that even the lazy ones in all of us with our sedentary lives cannot deny going for …

So, yes, light blogging today, folks, but after watching the video (Yes, I still need to get the hangout of operating with the video camera! Not to worry, it will get better overtime!), you would understand why I put together this entry to help me escape the day that is just about to finish …

And with that, and without much further ado, here is the weekly video:

Roque Bentaiga – Part III

As you may well remember, this past Monday, 17th of March, St. Patrick’s Day, I was actually celebrating the fact that I have now been living and working remotely from one of the places I fell in love many many years ago and which I knew at some point I would be coming back. Yes, last Monday was my fourth anniversary of having moved to Gran Canaria! I guess that time flies when you are having fun, right?

Anyway, plenty of folks who have gotten to know me over the years, both in real life and virtually through the various social networks we share in common, have been wondering why I am just so crazy about this island. After all it is just plenty of sunshine and beaches all over the place, eh? Well, not exactly, there is just so much more!, that people don’t know about that, after being four years over here, I thought it would be a good time to change that perception a bit.

Yes, I know, what I am just about to announce over here in this blog may not have much to do, probably nothing, with the regular blogging activities I have been carrying out over here on topics like Knowledge Management, Collaboration, Communities, Social Computing or Enterprise 2.0 over the last few months. But I thought that after four years of having contemplated the idea, I guess it is just about time to announce that from now onwards, and, on a more or less regular basis, I am planning to share over here the odd blog post with various different references to some of the most emblematic natural spots that Gran Canaria has got to offer.

That way, you would have the opportunity to find out for yourselves why I have fallen in love with this island for its variety, amongst many many other things; after all, you don’t name such a tiny island a mini-continent for nothing, right? If you would remember, that is, if you have been a long time reader from this blog you would know how for a good number of weeks this new initiative I am trying to re-introduce again was an integral part of this blog and after a little while I stopped it for a few months. Well, now it is the time to bring it back. As a way to celebrate the four years I have been living over here and also as a way to show you what keeps me going and enjoying every minute of it.

So whenever the odd blog post on this subject would come up, I will be sharing rather a bunch of photos, probably from my Flickr stream, and / or some video footage with short clips of no longer than 2 minutes, 3 tops!, that I would be recording with my Nokia N95 and uploading it into my DailyMotion account from various different places that have captivated my heart all along and which over the course of the last few years have made me understand and comprehend some of the most impressive beauty of this island of Gran Canaria. Yes, I know, so much more than just sun & beaches!

And to get things started, here are a couple of short video clips I shoot a couple of months back, on a splendid sunny and warm day, where I decided to go to the countryside and up into the mountains to check out some of the stunning scenery you can ever imagine. The name of this place from the video clips is Roque Bentaiga, one of the most emblematic, beautiful and stunning natural spots from the entire island and one that as you come closer to it you can sense how magical the place is on its own! Just as I get to write this down I get goose bumps all over the place from thinking that a few weeks back I was nearly at the very top! And here is why:

Thus I hope you enjoy this new section, here in my blog, I am planning on updating every now and then sharing with you all some of the reasons why I may have been living over here for over four years, but I still love every minute of it and as time goes by, and I get a chance to share some more pictures and video clips, I am hoping to be sharing some of the charms that this island of Gran Canaria has got to offer!

Are you ready?

(No, not to worry, I am not abandoning the creation of blog posts on the major themes from this blog that you folks have been familiar with all along. I am just sharing with you all some of the reasons of why I am where I am and enjoying it a great deal!, so that, hey, you never know, whenever you may be coming this way you know some of the cool places you could check out! Consider me as your virtual touring guide from this precious mini-continent island!)

Tags: Gran Canaria, Roque Bentaiga, Bentaiga, Landscapes, Mountains, Sunshine, St. Patrick’s Day, Travelling, Photography, Video, Flickr, DailyMotion, Nokia N95, N95, Mini-Continent, Beaches, Sun, Life, Life Work Balance

I knew I made a heck of a purchase a few months back, when I acquired the Nokia N95, but up until the Lotusphere event I didn’t really have the chance to test it out properly in such a massive event as that one. And, boy, was it up to the test or what?!? And big time!! With it I have been taking lots of pictures all over the place. All in all around 300 for the entire event, of which 268 are already in my Flickr account. I have been listening to various different podcasts, both related to the event and non-related. Watched a good number of vodcasts, too! (Gotta love the quality of the image and the sound!). Surfed the Web as much as I could do with the free wireless available throughout the premises, so I could check out what people were blogging about during the event or Twitter here and there about the different places I was or just simply checking out some of the Web sites from the various announcements that went live during the course of those few days.

Of course, I used the N95 quite heavily as well to make plenty of phone calls to meet up with people. Sent a whole bunch of SMS, played a few games while waiting on the hotel lobbies to meet up folks, etc. etc. But if there would be a single reason why I am in love with the Nokia N95 is because of this:

Yes, I know, there are very few words that can describe the quality of the output from those videos for such a tiny little device like the N95, which I now carry with me everywhere I go! Because you never know when it’s going to happen again, right?!?

(Stay tuned because last couple of blog posts with further highlights from Lotusphere are coming up shortly!)

Tags: IBM, Lotus, Lotusphere, Lotusphere2008, New Media, Social Computing, Social Software, Social Networking, Collaboration, Knowledge Sharing, KM, Knowledge Management, Learning, Podcasts, Vodcasts, Twitter, Nokia, Nokia N95, N95, Apple, iPhone, Lotus Foundations, Lotus Foundations Server, Flickr, Videos, Multi-Media, Multimedia, Blogging, Metablogging

Like someone I know would say … W00t!!!

(I can’t wait to have those issues sorted out and start using Notes 8.5 on the Mac running faster than anything I have seen so far, both on Windows and the Mac!!)

Tags: IBM, Lotus, Lotus Notes, Notes, Notes 8, Notes 8.5, Notes 8.5 Beta, Mac, MacBook Pro, Apple, Windows, Notes Client, Productivity Tools, Performance, Eclipse, Lotusphere, Lotusphere2008

Yes, that is going to be my wish for the New Year we are about to get started with. Lots of prosperity and good health, specially for the latter, because, without it, there isn’t anything we can do. Sometimes we take for granted the little things, those that keep us going day in day out. Health is one of them. We always take it for granted and yet we couldn’t survive without it. So instead of wishing all sorts of cool things to happen all over the place and to all those folks out there I’ve been in touch with, I am just going to keep things simple. Stay healthy, be healthy, and the rest will just come along nicely!

That is right! As simple as it would get. Lots of good health for the New Year and hope that everyone gets to fulfil whatever their dreams may well be. Mine is going to be to try to stay healthy, too, so that I can enjoy being in touch with those I love and care for, those who have given me another incredible year without asking for anything in return. Those who care enough to be themselves and allow me to be part of their lives. And, of course, wishing to stay healthy so that I can keep enjoying this wonderful place I live in.

Here you have got some pictures I took yesterday from one of my favourite places in Gran Canaria: Roque Bentaiga. If you have taken a look in the past to the ones I have shared already in my Flickr account, this particular series is a special one, since I got to visit the monolith and climb it as far as it is possible. Quite an incredible experience, I tell you! Here you have got some pictures and hope to share some more later on. And, yes, the place is as mystical as you could have ever imagined!! And quite humbling, too!

¡¡¡Feliz Año 2008!!!

Tags: Feliz Año, Happy New Year, 2008, Happy 2008, Prosperity, Health, Wishes, Dreams, Gran Canaria, Roque Bentaiga, Mystical, Humbling, Flickr, Photography, Photos, Nokia, Nokia N95

Yes, I am talking about the "Belén de arena" that every year takes place in Las Canteras beach, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and which this year is just as spectacular as ever. So in the spirit of keeping things short, so that you folks can continue further with the various different preparations, and, like I said before, a Merry Christmas to everyone out there who may be reading this and to everyone else I have crossed paths this year!!! It surely has been an exhilarating experience, as always! And look forward to an incredibly exciting 2008!

And here you have got some of the pictures I took last weekend with my Nokia N95. The rest of the series you can always find them at my Flickr account:

¡¡¡Feliz Navidad!!!

Tags: Navidad, Feliz Navidad, Christmas, Merry Christmas, Spain, Las Palmas, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Playa Las Canteras, Belen, Nativity Scene, Christmas Tree, Sun, Sunshine, Belen, Flickr, Pictures, Life

Yes, that is right. It is another meme where the rules seem to be pretty straight forward:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.

2. List EIGHT random facts about yourself.

3. Tag EIGHT people at the end of your post and list their names.

4. Let them know they’ve been tagged.

And although Martin’s meme post seems to be slightly different I thought about combining both of them since the overall outcome seems to be pretty similar. So here we go with the meme post and here you have eight random facts about myself that you may not have heard / read elsewhere:

1. I was born and raised in a very small village in León, which is where I have spent a good chunk of my life. Another good chunk is spread around The Netherlands (Where I lived 7 years) and, finally, Gran Canaria, where I have been living for nearly four years now.

2. I first got exposed to the world of computers in high school (Yes, I was one of the folks who owned an Amstrad CPC 464!) and back then my marks on computer lessons were really bad, which gave me the impression I would never, ever, work with computers. Fast forward to today … Already 10 years in the IT world and still going strong!

3. After I graduated from University, I spent one year working in Thale, Germany, where I got to experience one of the most severe winters in my life thus far with up to -30C. for several days!! But I must say I loved the overall experience quite a bit!!

4. First time I came to Gran Canaria was in 1996 (For a very short period of time) and back then I knew I would be coming back at some point. It took me only 8 years to make that happen

5. I actually got my job at IBM while I was spending a two week holiday in The Netherlands in 1997. Probably the longest two weeks I’ve ever known!! (Already heading for my 11th year in the company!)

6. While working for IBM, I spent another year of my life in Dublin, Ireland, where there is very little I would need to explain, if you ever have been there. Yes, I know, I need to get back there for a short visit and catch up some time soon!

7. I was first exposed to Knowledge Management by the end of 1999 and during that time I already sensed it was going to be the field / discipline I would be developing my skills & expertise over the course of the years. Two years later I was working, full time, in a Knowledge Management team. Till today. (And, yes, still going strong, in case you are wondering…)

8. And, finally, I initially got started with my blogging experience back in 2003, as a way to prove to myself how I could work smarter, not necessarily harder, relying on the community and my social networks to get the job done versus having to do the job myself re-inventing the wheel over and over again. Four years later, and just a couple of days after the 10th year anniversary of the word "Weblog", I still feel the same way. Blogs, and plenty of the various different social networks where I hang out, still make me work smarter. Much smarter! Not harder.

And that would be it. Next on this blog post is to actually tag another 8 people who would be willing, hopefully, to take the challenge and share with us 8 factoids about themselves that we may not have heard elsewhere. So here is my list of folks I would love to hear some more from on this particular topic. In random order: Jasmin Tragas (a.k.a. Jazzydee), Thomas van der Wal (a.k.a. wanderwal), David Stephenson (a.k.a. DavidStephenson), Susan Scrupski (a.k.a. ITSinsider), Dennis McDonald (a.k.a. ddmcd), Stuart Henshall (a.k.a. stuarthenshall), Andy Piper (a.k.a. andypiper) and Jon Husband (a.k.a. jonhusband).

I am sure that I could have included a whole bunch of the folks I get to interact with on a daily basis, so feel tagged as well if you would want to chime in a well. Why not, right?

Either way, I am sure that with this particular blog post you actually got to find out about stuff on me that you probably haven’t seen / read elsewhere. Hope you have found it just as entertaining as it was for me to put it up going through that trip down the memory lane.

Now time to go ahead and digest some of the wonderful discussions going on Next Generation Knowledge Sharing & Learning Online Conference Event – In Spring 2008? and see where it would take us all… Fancy joining us on that wild ride, too?

Tags: Knowledge Sharing, KM, Knowledge Management, Collaboration, Communities, Learning, Blogging, Metablogging, Blogs, Meme, Things, Martin Koser, Reasonable Robinson, Tagging, Leon, Spain, Gran Canaria, Amstrad CPC 464, Thale, Germany, IBM, The Netherlands, Dublin, Ireland, Blogiversary, Weblog Anniversary, Work Smarter, Jasmin Tragas, Wonderwebby, Thomas van der Wal, David Stephenson, Susan Scrupski, ITSinsider, Dennis McDonald, Stuart Henshall, Andy Piper, Jon Husband, Social Computing, Social Networking, Social Software, Social Media, Web 2.0

Here are a couple of videos that caught my attention recently. The first one because of its originality and funky tunes, and the second one (In Spanish, I am afraid), because of the message it tries to portrait. Something along these lines:

"Let’s suppose each morning you find 1.440 euros. Without doing nothing to earn them.
You can give them away, spend them, have fun with them or burn them.
But the ones you haven’t used, at the end of the day, will disappear.
That’s how life works. The difference is that what you find each morning are not 1.440 euros. Are 1.440 minutes.
Think carefully what you’re going to do with them.
…
Have fun."

Oh, and here is a bonus video clip (One of the most hilarious videos I have seen in months!)

Have a good one everyone!

Tags: YouTube, Videos, Fun, Humour, Technologic, 1440, Commercials, Panda Bear, Fun Stuff, Friday!

If you remember the series of video clips I shared over here not long ago under Social Software … in Plain English from Commoncraft, you surely are going to enjoy this one from Kelly Stewart:

Incredibly funny, don’t you think? Oh, and a very good reason why I have always preferred to use the term Social Computing vs. New Media heh

Have a good one, everyone!

Tags: New Media, Commoncraft, Kommon Kraft, Plain English, New Media, Media, Social Software, Social Networking, Social Computing, Web 2.0, Collaboration, Communities, Knowledge Management, KM, Knowledge Sharing, Kelly Stewart, Video

I could talk about the many, many things I am thoroughly enjoying over the last few weeks. I could talk about the excellence on the multimedia components. I could talk about the really good quality of different Mac apps. I could talk about the incredible community of folks who share their passion about the Mac day in day out. And the list goes on and on and on. Yes, I know, I guess I could talk about that, yet, I am not going to. Instead, I am just going to share with you all why today is going to be a light blogging day and why every day I am becoming more and more a Mac fanboy:

4 Windows crashes, 4 Windows reboots, three of my most frequently used Windows applications out of order and still not knowing what is going on with them. Complete waste of productivity for the day… Enough said!

Yes, folks, I never thought I would be saying this, but I am becoming a Mac fanboy. Just wished that would have happened quite some time ago. So many frustrations would have been just a thing of the past. Sigh

(Stay tuned, because, as a follow up, I am writing up a blog post where I am sharing how this MacBook Pro is helping me improve my own overall social software experience, both inside and outside of the corporate firewall. Who would have thought about that, right?, just a few months back, eh? )

Tags: Mac, Apple, MacBook Pro, MBP, Windows, Notebook, Lenovo 3000 N100, Fanboy, Productivity, Tools, Productivity Tools, Reboot, Crash

Was just thinking about creating the daily weblog post over here, as usual, but in the end decided to just be your YouTube pimp for the day, once again, and leave you with another superb video clip from the Did You Know series.

Did You Know 2.0:

Yes, indeed, another very enlightening video clip, don’t you think? With plenty of food for thought to discuss further, I am sure, but right now I feel like the weekend is just around the corner, waiting for me, so I better get ready and grab it, before it leaves me behind …

Have a good one everyone!

Tags: Life, Changing World, Work Life Balance, WLB, YouTube, 21st Century, Future, Reality, Now!, Globalisation, Jobs, Learning, Connected, Connections, Technology, Shift Happens, Conversations

Well, not really. I mean, I was supposed to. A huge announcement, actually. Today. But when things need to happen in a certain way they do regardless, don’t they? In the last few days I have been twittering and sharing messages in my Facebook accont about this particular announcement and how I was planning on letting it out today, but alas, at the very last minute globalisation takes place, the news need to spread further first, before I can let them go out myself. Yes, I know. It happens sometimes.

But not to worry, that big announcement I will be sharing in my blogs will eventually be taking place beginning of next week. So stay tuned, because it is going to be way cool! Yes, indeed, just as cool as this one:

(Not to worry, it will not be just as hilarious as this one above! heh)

But before I get to share it, I just want to thank Kirti Kapoor, one of the active members from the ITtoolbox nextwork, for sending me an e-mail with the actual slide deck I am about to share on the subject. I asked her if she would be willing to share it in Slideshare, so that everyone would benefit from it, and she right away agreed with it. Way cool!

I could probably say a lot of things about the presentation itself, but, like I said at the beginning of the blog post, I am going to keep it short and just challenge you to see if you can identify some of the main key KM principles that transpire throughout the slide deck. You would be amazed about how much KM was applied a few thousand years ago with this particular Lessons on Strategy from The Mahabharata:

Have a good weekend, everyone! (Oh, and I am writing this particular weblog post while attending remotely the speaker session from Stephen Collins at the Office 2.0 event on "Knowledge Worker 2.0"! Can it get better than this?)

(Thanks much, Kirti, for sharing the slide deck with us! Greatly appreciated to be shown there is no need to reinvent the wheel )

Tags: Knowledge Management, KM, Knowledge Sharing, KM Strategy, Strategy, Mahabharata, Kirti Kapoor, Teamwork, Commitment, Competence, Cooperation, Collaboration, Knwoledge Management 2.0, KM 2.0, Stephen Collins, Acidlabs, Office 2.0

You would remember how a couple of weeks back I mentioned that this coming Wednesday I was planning to take some vacation and head over to Barcelona, hoping to be able to meet up with a few folks who I have met in real life or on line in the past. Alas, I am afraid that I will have to wait for another opportunity, because over the course of last week a personal emergency has kicked in and shifted around all of the different plans and priorities. So much so, that earlier on this morning I cancelled the hotel reservations and had to postpone the holidays for a later time. Yes, I know. A bummer.

I cannot talk much about that particular personal emergency, other than mentioning that things are going all right, although with a slow recovery process (Don’t worry, it is not me), but I am hoping that once it is all over I may be able to share something over here on the kind of impact this experience has been having on all of us over here. Stay tuned for some more.

I am not sure when I would be able to make it to Barcelona again, but I am hoping that perhaps some time in October or thereabouts I would have the opportunity, so if you would still be around by that time I will let you know, just in case. For those folks who contacted me to get together, I have been twittering the main cause of it and know you would understand why I had to cancel it. I am hoping though we would be able to meet up at some other point in time and catch up. Thanks for sticking in and for all of your understanding

So, I am not going to go to Barcelona after all, and I surely was looking forward to it. What can I do in the mean time to console myself? Well, I may have just found it. I do know that this is completely off topic, like it was exactly a year ago, but I just couldn’t help mention, even if it is just briefly, how over the next few days I shall be enjoying one of my other passions in life: basketball (Or like a well known wise man would say — BA – LON – CES – TO!!!).

And all of it because of this particular event that got started today and, of course, because of these guys:

Pictures courtesy of Kaplan DF

Our warriors!

(Good luck to everyone and let’s play!!)