Why can't they see?

I got a call this morning from a fairly new customer asking for help. I had recently installed a Small Business Server 2003 server which took them out of stand-alone computer environment and moved them to one where the server manages the email, the SQL database for their core application, an ISA firewall/proxy and a domain to secure their logins.

Everything was working fine from my perspective but they did not share my enthuisiasm. While I was building the server I was not able to train anyone (their choice) in the operation and system administration and I was just waiting for a call like this but it was not quite what I expected. This person was pretty knowledgable and had an IT degree but was so busy with other responsibilities where IT had taken a backseat and was preparing to phase out of the organization within the next few months. The customer voiced the desire to get back to simple or something they could understand. This was simple I thought to myself.

They way I translated the whole scenario was that the original request was to get them updated to a simple modern and secure environment to host their core application and offer remote access in a secure manner. This customer was taking a quantum leap in technology but from my experience, the user and support environment was obviously not ready to change. So now the first request was to go back to receiving pop-mail from an externally hosted service. Unfortunately no one was able to provide the previously hosted email setup information. When they had web-based mail using OutlookWebAccess, Outlook client support via RPC and VPN it seemed like step backward but I could not make them see this.

Just yesterday I remoted into the server and shadowed the customer session so we could share the servers screen. Pop-ups showed up immediately loading the IE browser on the server. I asked if there was virus protection on the laptop being used to remote in. Did not get an immediate response. This was not very comforting. I suggested that the laptop install the Kaspersky virus-protection software which could be installed from the server. Will do, was the response - later. But we proceeded in showing how to add users, assign rights, and create network printers, closing pop-ups are as we were going along. Even though I walked the through the steps which I knew were important I sensed that the this is was not where this customers focus was. It was on the next journey far far away from this work environment.

How simple this all could have been if there was someone there who would take on the ownership responsibility which so often a lacking in organizations. All I could is offer help and overlook such things and simply feel what I feel and accept the situation for what it is and go on. Part of that exercise is this backward motion and try not to feel sorry for the people who are affected by this action. For me it is like accepting ignorance. Why can't they see? They don't want to see is a simple answer or I can't show them in a language they understand.

It seems like a dark cloud that was created by this scenario and I felt we were both under it and all I could do is move out from under it. Maybe after it rains and thunders we'll see the sun again I was hoping. Time will tell.

My Like-Minded Friend

I like to think that like-mindedness is what brings me together with the members of the organizations I am affiliated. I had a friend remind me this weekend that it is like-minded thinking that makes communities and institutions and its leaders successful. Is it not agreement that brings groups into alignment?

This thinking makes me look at Bville somewhat different for the newspaper is full of disagreements lately. But it is actually brining some hope because it brings the old issues out like the efforts to 'run' people out of town for no apparent reason much as Ruth Brown, the librarian, who was treated similarly over 50 years ago in her fight against prejudice. Is this still happening today in Bville? What an theme to surface just before Martin Luther King Day.

Ok, enough with the questioning. Whatever issues are present, they are so ingrained in the culture today that there are problems from long ago that have been dormant and swepped under the rug only to surface again. There are obvious conflicts in the community that can be identified as one of these lumps under this rug. There are complex issues at work here as many communities which goes much beyond local boundaries.

Today we look for leadership for as individuals we can do less and less it seems. Institutions are dominating our culture to the point it is creating conflicts with our core values and leadership are institution based whether private or public. Now it seems more important than ever to be aligned with institutions of choice and hope the our personal values and beliefs can be expressed and lived out.

Happy Martin Luther King Day to you. Your role, should you choose to take it, is to make the Happy part happen. Martin Luther King had a Dream, a big Dream, that he shared at a time where not everyone was open to the idea that we can be treated as equal. We all have dreams and this day was made a holiday to honor this one.

Like-minded thinking is also a dream.

Every community has its positives and negatives. The big difference in how it communicates these things. Does it foster an open style of communication or not? This simple question will tell you a lot about a culture as well as an organization.

Does anyone really care?

The days have been filled with activities relating primarily to client IT support and volunteer work which has left me drained this week. My lack-luster performane at tennis tournament I played in yesterday I believe is just a reflection of that. Here it is Sunday and I have one extra hour that can easily be soaked up by mundane chores and continue to drain me.

But no. There is be something sigificant to do today. There is bit of a buzz that energized me that I believe was the result of a fundraiser event I helped with last night where a couple of IT enthusiast sparked in me a interest in a mission which I'd planted in my brain some time ago. IT doesn't have to be so... draining. My purpose was to help make IT a more natural fit into peoples lives. It is after all, a tool to use to make life better, more efficient, and more enjoyable.

This morning I starting thinking about my mission and came across a book called Radical Simplicity by Dr. Frederick Hayes-RothProfessor of Information Sciences, Monterey Naval Postgraduate School and Daniel AmorChief Technologist for eCommerce, Hewlett-Packard Corporation. It was quite interesting for me to read they described this me-centric technology as it fits into the individual's life in a natural way. Hey, that was what I've been thinking for some time. The introduction - http://www.radicalsimplicity.com/introduction.html - I found worth reading as it helps associate the human elements in the IT-oriented world in where we live.

Seems like I have surrounded myself with people that like to share my ideas but have not helped me carry out my mission so perhaps I need to develop some more circles to get me back on track. What I learned in my fundraising event last night is that are many circles to be explored.

Ok Self, time to get with the program. Time is life, so let's not waste any.

Today is going to be... a full day

Today looks like it's gonna be another full day of activities. Better get me exercise in early so I muster up the energy to sustain me throughout the day. What did get me attention was this horoscope quote which caught my eye - You can transform the most boring drudgery into an exciting activity by putting all of your heart into it. The same old chores can suddenly offer opportunities to apply your creativity and imagination. As long as you are willing to work hard, you can be productive and playful at the same time

Well that helps put a positive spin on the day which is bound to be full. Ok now to get my ducks lined up... Got a move scheduled for today and tomorrow which will require some coordination in order to move my static ip address on a server. I'm meeting a web developer for lunch. I have to setup some a fax server software. Need to setup a couple of server backup systems with the disaster recovery before I move them. And I need to coordinate a couple of requests for service so customers won't think I'm ignoring them. Then I'll do some volunteering at the Travis Tritt concert tonight.

And if there is any time left I need to look for a new office space. Time to move the office out of the house so I can get my house projects back on the agenda. Work is consuming me so it's time to peel it back and focus on the important stuff and bring a balance to my life. Gotta move. Time is wasting.

And Self... if you can setup up time (real soon) to read to someone special, write to someone special and be with someone special. If not today, tomorrow. Better do it today.

Like the Mother who lived in the shoe and had so many kids and didn't know what to do...

There are so many things for me to do, that I cannot image getting bored for a long time. I did wake up this morning not overwhelmed, but somewhat relieved that I did not have to do everything at once. Perhaps my wife helped me by helping me by simply saying, well this is first, that is second and we can focus on the third. I need that once in a while.

I must admit I can easily relate to the old woman who lived in a shoe and had so many children that she didn't know what to do. And my kids are all these customers who represent the computer scenarios I'm working on. I'm slowly learning that these problems that I see are not mine to bear but to mine communicate. For I can see what many of my customers can't see many of them, so if it's to be, it's up to me, to communicate these things.

The challenge is, that I can only do this in serial mode - one thing at a time. Which is why I need to be like the boy running up the tree, as focussed as possible, but not to the point where I feel burdened down by others comments and distractions. That's why it's so important to be with... the people that lift up and inspire. Not in a selfish way, but in a spirit of common grounded-ness. That's the Common Place theme I am looking for.

Seems like so many people are so much into sharing their baggage, probably un-knowingly. Before I can help anyone else, I need to learn to help myself. that's where it starts. So that's when I offer more of my services, when I'm self-enabled. Come on Self. It's time to go... for another adventure in life.

My thought for today is this - "Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."~ Carl Sandburg.

a Poem

A poem that stuck with me for over a week goes as follows:

The Way to Win

One day a group of boys Decided to have a race
They chose to climb a great big tree And set off at a pace
The rest of their friends gathered To see the boys at play
They talked about it to themselves "Will they make it?" "No way!"
They called up to the children "You'll never make it up that tree"
But the boys just kept on climbing And said "just watch and you will see"
But the others, how they shouted And thought the boys tried to ignore
They began to drop out one by one Another, another and then more
But one boy kept on climbing And made it to the top of the tree
He never lost faith but believed in himself And said "this won't defeat me"
The others were quite amazed At the squirrel at the top of the tree
"How on earth did he do it?" they said
"Well", said one, "he's completely deaf, you see"

So the motto of this poem is
You can reach the top of the tree
Just don't listen to what others say
Just believe in yourself and you'll see
Poem by Cara-May Harvey

What made this stick with me is the affects those around us have.
What are we listening to? Who are we listening to?
Now whom shall I call?

Computer Adventures

The last few weeks I've spent time in what seems like a book. I was clearly in the middle of the story and had a role to play which changed at every turn of the page. For example, while I was working on three significant time-consuming projects installing new file servers, I became like a engineer on a train which was not going move until I received a signal from the conductor. But there was no conductor and passengers were restless.

The train was being pushed by the engine which was at the very back so it was literally a push. All the passengers were impatient as they were on a schedule, so I had to get the train started even though there were issues with some of box-cars. They were old and losely held on the track and no one seemed concerned except me.

Perhaps as the engineer I should not be concerned about this train for I had several to care for and could not get bogged down with the fact there was no one to drive train for it was time to move to the next track for I too am on a schedule. Should I stop the train and go look for the conductor? Not likely as the train is already barreling down the tracks.

It's easy to picture the train and get a sense that it can move a lot of people at once. The destination is pretty clear as you buy a ticket with that in mind. The trip itself can be as pleasant or not as track, the train and people on it all play a part.