So, just click on over to the new spot.

See you there!

Http://AlwaysBlueSkiesAhead.wordpress.com

“The Sky Is Not Falling! by Chicken Little”

Join me at Milwaukee JobCamp

Thu, Feb 25 at 4:00pm – Table 24 for this Conversation

With daily bad news announcements about our economy, our work and our jobs, one might be starting to feel as if “the sky is falling.”

It’s enough to cause anyone to feel overwhelmed and under confident in his or her understanding of exactly “WHAT” is going on in the Global Business World. Chicken Little (Jayne), will be there to give you the latest updates on new and emerging trends that are affecting how The World conducts Business. I’ll share the latest ideas and strategies that will help you evolve successfully with each new trend, and keep you and your career relevant in a global work environment that is in continuous change.

Unlike job fairs, Milwaukee JobCamp teaches attendees the latest, most-successful job search methods to help you rise above the competition in today’s tough market. This FREE, one-day event gathers the top experts and resources to help you elevate your career and land that great job.

* Create a personal brand message that quickly communicates “who you are and what you’ve got.”

* Write a stand-out resume that results in interviews, with one-on-one Resume Doctor analysis.

* Receive personalized job interview feedback from local recruiters, hiring managers and HR staff at Interview Improv sessions.

* Get expert training on Social Media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

* Hear inside information on the job market and learn job search strategies from motivational speakers, interactive seminars and participatory  workshops.

* Make new connections with Speed Networking.

* Share info and meet others from your industry at Industry Huddle tables.

* Join Table Talk discussions to learn more about a myriad of employment-related topics.

* As part of the registration process, attendees can also submit their resume to any of the sponsoring organizations.

It’s going to be a great event. I look forward to seeing you there!

Thanks!

Jayne

Specialists in Research, Discovery and Tracking of

Emerging and Future Work Trends to

Create Innovative Ideas and Strategic Visioning for

Organizations, Entrepreneurs and Individuals in a

Global Business World

Blue Skies Consultants Work with Organizations Looking to Evolve Successfully, Aspiring Entrepreneurs Looking for “the next big thing,” Industry Professionals Interested in Generating New and Different Methods for Creating Products and Services, and Individuals in Career Transition Who Want and Need to Stay Relevant in a Global Work Environment that is in a Continuous Cycle of Change.

Presented as Workshops, Presentations, On-Site Classes, Webinars, and Subscription Newsletters.

Current Service Offerings

(and anything else you want to think of! Just let us know!)

New Ways of Thinking for a New Work World

New Business Models for a New Work World

Visioning Strategies for Organizations

What and Where are the New Jobs in the New Work World?

Understanding the New Conceptual Age of Work

What the $#*@!&? Is Global Corporate Culture? Should I Care?

Developing Critical and Creative Thinking Skills

Interpersonal and Communication Skills Training

Customer Relationship Management in a Global Marketplace

Career and Professional Development in Times of Change

Leadership Training for Times of Change

Career Transitions and Shift Coaching

Personal Development Strategies

Team Building Visions

The Value of Networking

How To Utilize Social Media

Avoiding “Crazy-Busy” Time Management

Motivational Coaching

Career Coaching

How to Recognize a New Opportunity for Growth

New Methods for Re-Organization and Development in Business

How to be a “Free Agent” Consultant

Volunteering and Community Service are The Heart around which Our Company Revolves.  My Deepest Belief is that

“when we help one of us, we help all of us.”

Giving Time and Energy to Ourselves and Others are a Couple of Ways to Do This.

Visit our website at www.BlueSkiesAhead.net.

You can contact me at jayne@blueskiesahead.net

How much are WORDS worth?  Check out the article below and then read my thoughts afterwards….There’s also a quiz at the end….  Oh, it’s not hard at all!                                                                      

http://shelf-life.ew.com/2010/02/22/whats-an-e-book-really-worth/

ELECTRONIC  WORDS or E-Books

Are WORDS worth more if they’re typed into a computer and shown to you on this magical screen ?(Watch carefully, Kids and you’ll see some Magic!  Now the word is here! WORD

Now the word is gone!                       See, it disappeared!  Into thin air!  Into the ethers!  Well, at least, into the Ethernet or Internet or somewhere…

But isn’t that cool?  Here, watch me do that again.  WORD

Now it’s gone again!                See, I can do that all day long!)

((Oh you silly Kids, it’s not really Magic! I just use the backspace key, or hit delete or sometimes I just turn off the computer….well, usually that’s an accident, but anyway, you know what I mean…))

…But isn’t that pretty cool?  Next, are they more valuable if you keep them somewhere? Yes, they are valuable. We had to pay for them and Download them.  If they’re not already in some type of “Savable” Format, then you’ll have to Cut & Paste these words into a Document (aka .doc) or Spreadsheet, or whatever Program you happen to have or prefer.  Maybe even a Kindle or Sony Book Reader. If you don’t have one of those, then, you’d better put them into a Folder. Yes, even if it’s an E-Book, into the Folder it goes…

(Remember now, Children, always be neat and put your stuff away when you’re not using it ‘cause if you leave it out, you’ll just lose it!  You know what happened to all those little  WORD.docs you left laying all over your desktop?  Yes, I know you said they were important, but that’s not the point here.  What is the point?  That’s right!  Being organized! I had to put the last ones in the Trash ‘cause they were just cluttering up your space!  So next time, if your WORDS and your Books are so important to you, store them where they belong! In a Folder!  Now, stop taking up so much time trying to think of a good name for your WORD .docs, and just type in IMPORTANT for now!  And then don’t forget to store it with the other important E-Books and stuff in that Folder!)

…Storing WORDS that arrive in packages like E-Books, or in other formats, in Named Folders is important. But then, you have to store the Folders somewhere on your Desktop or… Gasp!  A separate drive on a network, or one attached to your computer, or…then again, there is the Kindle or the Sony Book Readers, and I guess from the article above, there’s more coming!  But until then……

(Now be careful here, Children, this area is kind of dangerous and I’m not really sure how it works… Yes, I see it’s all pretty and puffy –  that’s what Clouds are, now just put your Folders there and let’s get out of here! Quickly!  No wait!  Did you remember to set your Password!  Oh for pete’s sake!  Now we have to go back in there… and Tommy!  No, don’t go in that one!  That’s not your Folder and you know…. I don’t care if it’s not Secure or Encrypted, just leave it alone. Security will find it. Yes, we can report it, don’t worry… Now hurry and set your Password for your own Cloud space and let’s go!)

…Yes, Cloud Storage is quite popular these days, but once I put my Folders away somewhere, I kind of forget about them…And that’s where you can REALLY get into trouble! If those WORDS are accidentally or organizingly deleted…and then, someone asks you…

(Or texts you, or SMS’s you – yes we can include calls and voicemails as well, but try to do as little as possible with that, OK?  Speaking WORDS on the Phone is expensive these days!  Sigh…. I know, I am going to get VOIP soon, but right now it’s just not in the Budget!)

…a question about those very WORDS!   Well, it can get pretty embarrassing if you have to say you’ve misplaced them, organized them away, or whatever….. And you’ll also need to remember that WORDS written by a FAMOUS SOMEONE (even if you don’t know them or recognize their names), need to be CITED properly, and all that, etc, etc….

(That’s exactly right, Kids!  You are getting to be so smart these days. You go right back on-line and download them again… But wait! What else does a good kid do?  That’s right, you PAY for them.  Well, I know it’s getting expensive, but that’s the only thing to do. ‘Cause you lost ‘em, so you gotta pay! No, not Torrents! You can get arrested for that, you know… Well, not really, but one day soon, somebody’s gonna think of some punishment, so don’t’ do it…)

…So Buying, Downloading, and Storing all those WORDS can be scary and expensive!  Especially if you love to read, like many of us do, and you really need to have those WORDS ready to go and use when you want them or need them. But what if you tire of certain WORDS? And you want New, Fresh, Better, Improved WORDS?  Can’t I sell my old Electronic WORDS on-line somewhere, or trade them with a friend, so I can get some new ones? No, you say? Well, why not? Why doesn’t someone start a WORDS or Books Torrent,  Wait! I didn’t say that! I mean an open freeware site that will store all our Books that contain all our important WORDS and we can trade them or something like that…

PAPER  WORDS or just regular Paper Bound Books

Well then, what is the value of the same, exact  WORDS typed or printed onto a piece of paper, or pieces of paper, or bound together into a Paper Book with a fancy, maybe expensive Leather cover?  Or, maybe just a Paper Back Book with WORDS.

(OK Kids! I’ve had it! Look at all these Books lying all over the tables and even piled on the floor!  Haven’t you ever heard of Book Shelves? Oh, I see, the Book Shelves are all empty.  Now let’s pick up all these Books and File them neatly on the Book Shelves. There, now you can find all your WORDS when you need them, they’re stacked all nice and orderly in front of you. What? Well, sure they take up a lot of room here in your bedroom, then put them in the other, bigger Book Shelves in the Library. Yes, I know it takes a lot of Time to go Walking up and down between each row,  trying to find where you stored those certain WORDS in a certain Book. But that’s just the way we have to do it! And please pick up all those Papers too. Yes, they each have their own Folder and that’s where they need to go! And then put all those Folders in the Folder Cabinet, no, over there, right next to the Book Shelves.)

You can trade in old, tired, read-too-many times, didn’t-like-it-here-someone-please-take-it books at your friendly neighborhood used book store. They love any kind of WORDS and you might get a few dollars back!  There doesn’t seem to be a real penalty or any frowning at you when you do this. In fact, it seems to be quite the budget-saving way to continue to have new WORDS to read. In fact, you can even find new or used paper books at Amazon.com…. Wait a minute, aren’t they the same folks who own the Kindle? Hmmmm… Do you think they’re trying to get a monopoly or something on the WORD market?  Oh, probably not. It’s just business…

Or you can join a Book Club, and take your Paper Book with you. The folks I know who are in Book Clubs, don’t really seem to care for the E-Books, and they seem to prefer flipping through paper pages in search of special WORDS at their meetings. But that just may be my friends and colleagues…

…But sometimes the WORDS stored on Paper deteriorate in some way.  For instance, they could burn up in a fire, or a wash away in a flood, or get so old and worn-out (especially favourite WORDS, in favourite Books, I read them over and over again!), that they just fall apart into little pieces of paper and fluff.

(No Kids, we’re not going to chop down another Tree today. We’ve got plenty of Paper for now. Yes, I know we need to replace the Books that were accidentally destroyed by my coffee when the cup fell over on my desk, and someone’s juice box straw – yes Joey, I know it was Annie’s straw…But we have to be more careful with our WORDS that we value so much. That’s right, we need to keep our Books closed, and keep those Books Filed neatly away on the Book Shelf where they won’t get destroyed or lost. Besides, look at all the Books we already have. Do we really need more WORDS in more Books?  I mean, we’ve already got a whole Library full of Books, and then there’s all these Book Shelves in this room, I don’t know where we would have room to store any more!)

ALL WORDS                                                   

…So both types of WORDS are valuable in a sort of relative way… depending on the number of people working at each type of company – either the folks that run the E-Books site that have to enter all the WORDS into the computer in some way, or the folks that run the Paper books printing company, they still need someone to enter all the WORDS into a different format that will print out on the paper.

And each company has to have equipment, either computers that put the e-books together, or the printing presses that put the paper books together.

Each author has to struggle over his or her thoughts for either medium, so that takes Time, Energy, Effort and sometimes Talent and Skill!

So aren’t both types of WORDS are valuable, but maybe in a different way depending on the lifestyle, reading habits, or what type of environment the Reader reads the WORDS…

But why all the fighting? Aren’t there enough WORDS to go around already?????? Can’t we all just share our WORDS?

Which do you like better?  Electronic Books or Paper Books and Why?  (This is the quiz I mentioned…see, it’s not hard!)

(My personal preference is Paper because I like to be able to see all my books on my book shelves. They make me happy – for some weird reason….good enough reason?)

Today’s World of Work has shifted into something New & Different, and clearly, no wait, unclearly, well, maybe just kind of – well apparently…  it’s going to continue to Shift and Change!  

 My classes at UWM-School of Cont Edu – Career Transitions Center are about researching, tracking and understanding new and emerging work trends from new types of companies to new  types of language used to describe jobs, industries…It’s a whole new World of Work!  

 We take this content and assess where your skills, experience, or unexplored talents can best be utilized for You and your career. You’ll learn creative, innovative ideas and strategic visioning to gain new and different perspectives and attitudes for work. These classes are intended for individuals in career transition, or those who want and need to stay relevant in a global work environment that is in a continuous cycle of change.

 For the month of February, just in time to cheer you up from the Winter Blues (and warm up those Popsicle Toes! Do you remember that song??? A prize to whoever does remember…), our Wonderful and Witty and Clever (did I mention Beautiful?), Program Director for the Career Transitions Center, Yolanda White, has cheerfully agreed to register you for the two classes on the Future World of Work for the price of one!  (Also, when you aren’t attending my classes, check out Yolanda’s website and blog, she’s quite the Industrial Strength Woman!)

 See the program and registration information below:

 Tue, Feb 2-23, 7-9pm “A New Way of Thinking for the Future Work World” 
Program no: 3030-7000

Thu, Feb 4-25, 7-9pm “In a New Job Market? Re-Do Yourself!”
Program no: 3030-7004

And just in case you need to negotiate your way through the SURPRISE! ”mine-filled” Business Landscape, I’m teaching a 3rd class on Corporate Culture.

Wed, Feb 3-24, 7-9pm “Corporate Culture: How to Survive and Thrive at Work
Program no: 3030-7007

Register online at the website:  sce-ctc.uwm.edu, or call 414-227-3243.

Writer Evan Ratliff Tried to Vanish: Here’s What Happened

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FUN IS GOOD! The Fun Theory

 

Blue Skies Ahead!

 

Everyone that knows me, knows I don’t believe in “fortune-telling” about the FUTURE.  Well, maybe a few TRENDS that may be pointing a Potential way Into or Towards the FUTURE, and maybe a bit of Clarity about the Past, but that’s as far as I’ll go!  (the rest is up to You!)

Fortune-Telling Parakeet in Shiraz (www.flickr.com/photos/birdfarm

 

 HOWEVER, here’s a FUN way (And, I do believe in FUN!) several Asian countries are changing the way consumers recycle their chopsticks.  Yes, they recycle chopsticks the way we recycle soda cans…

(Gathered from The Fun Theory website)  

Image via Wikipedia

 Fortune-telling Machine for Recycling Chopsticks!

Fortunetelling machine for chopsticks recycling. In many Asian countries usual habit is to use single use chopsticks which are thrown away after single use. Numbers indicate: Just in Japan about 90 000 tons of used chopsticks finish in rubbish. It is amount of 25 billons chopsticks which connected make three times distance from earth to moon. In China 25.000.000 trees are being cut just for production of chopsticks. China produces about 45 billions chopsticks per year. Chopsticks export to Japan is large as 4 billions cubic meters of wood. Main problem with recycling is that restaurants owners don’t want extra duties. Other problem is that collecting bents for chopstick doesn’t exist.

According to fun theory people will recycle theirs chopsticks after a meal by themselves if it is fun. Thing that can help and we have it after a meal in “Chinese” restaurant in Europe and USA is fortune cookies. Combining these three things we can make “Chopsticks recycling fortunetelling machine”. Solution is container about 170 cm height with hole for inserting used chopsticks, LCD, print button and small printout hole.
After inserting chopsticks one by one machine calculate time between dropping 1st and 2nd stick and choose fortune cookie message for LCD. After chopsticks are inserted message appear on LCD: “Thank you for taking care for our mother Earth” Your fortune for today: Grand adventures await those who are willing to turn the corner For printout of this cookie as souvenir press PRINT.

In case of printout: Please consider your environmental responsibility before printing this souvenir. On the top of printout is a logo of the restaurant with basic info (as a motivation to owners for putting chopstick recycler in to the restaurant. fortune cookie saying time and GPS position.

Submitted by Mislav Sabolic

http://www.thefuntheory.com/2009/12/15/fortunetelling-machine-recycling-chopsticks  (there are lots and lots of ideas. Actually there are 1000s of ideas on the site. Sometimes it’s hard to find them with the original link. If the one above gives you a hard time, then just go to www.thefuntheory.com and you’ll have to search for it. But you’ll have FUN while you search!  Most of the entries look like lots of FUN and will make you LAUGH!

Would you change your behaviour - if you had fun changing?  Here’s a company – and a site, showing that this idea works!

http://www.thefuntheory.com/

Doesn’t everyone just want to have fun?  I do… And if I can have fun while working, or changing my behaviour for the better (stay away from the worse), I’d be so happy to do it!

From a VW Initiative, called The Fun Theory, the “site is dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better. Be it for yourself, for the environment, or for something entirely different, the only thing that matters is that it’s change for the better.”

According to a recent article in InformationWeek magazine, ” Demand For Health IT Talent Rising,” hiring trends are looking great for this segment of healthcare services. 

“Looking ahead to the first quarter of 2010, Manpower healthcare industry clients expect a net hiring increase of 4% over the first quarter of 2009. First quarter hiring projections for 2010 are also a 2% increase over the fourth quarter, said Harlamert.

Manpower healthcare clients are seeking IT skills related to systems integration, development, programming, and project management, she said.

According to Robert Half Technology, among the top technical skill sets that surveyed healthcare CIOs say their IT organizations are seeking include network administration (75%); desktop support (75%); Windows administration (69%); database management (64%); wireless network management (56%); telecommunications support (52%); virtualization (41%); business intelligence/reporting services (39%); Web development/Web site design (38%); enterprise resource planning implementation (31%); and other (5%). Respondents could choose more than one skill set.”

This is some great news for those looking to move into a new position or industry. 

    Why Is Facebook  More Popular Than LinkedIn & Twitter?           Because it’s FUN! 

One of my networking buddies, Sam Diener, is part of BlogOff2, so be sure and check out his blog so he can have a shot at winning. He has some excellent insight into the different ways social media and networking can be used to market yourself and establish your own personal brand. I’ve referenced him on this blog and also may have slightly plagiarized him too….maybe…..I think only once…    So go read his blog and “Click” for him, please.

 However, in a recent blog, he also asked a very interesting question:  “Why are Linked-In and Twitter  SO…… SMALL!?”  My response to this question is that it’s the Quizzes, and the Games and also because it’s FUN….

Image by luc legay via Flickr

 (Check out the “Inside Social Games” site to find out why, and who’s thinking up the next “viral” game.  Although I’d like to talk to whoever thought up the Easter Egg search and also the Farm thing on Facebook….. I had some ADULT friends who were waaayy too into those “games.”  But the site is fascinating, and makes me want to think of some game to post on this blog…..what would it be?)

 But mostly it’s the Teenagers!!!!

My “guesstimate” is that there are Billions of them all on Facebook, all at the same time, all of the time. My teenage son “chats” on Facebook Constantly, Concurrently, and Continuingly! (Although they do seem to have a small window for sleep between 4:00am and 6:00am).

Image by NASchmidt via Flickr

For myself, I’ll compare it this way…

• Facebook is like a comfy pair of blue jeans or maybe my favourite yoga pants. I like the “feeling” of chatting with my friends and family. Sometimes when a “conversation” gets going and the comments are flying back and forth, it’s almost like a virtual Party!  (I can’t believe I wrote that! )
• LinkedIn is like I have to fix my hair, makeup and be at least business casual. Of the three, I’ve found LinkedIn to be the most useful to me in my career and business for the last 3 years. I would never have met some of the delightful colleagues and friends I now know, and it’s the most efficient medium to share information, resources and conversely use as a search tool as well. I don’t know how we “did business” without it!
• Twitter is for quick personal and business updates, but mostly to watch celebrities argue with each other… (I’m just kidding about that, well, kind of….)  No really, I find it’s a great way to “catch” the news whether it’s business, social or who’s tweeting who…. Some days it’s all work, but other days it’s like watching my favourite TV show, “The Chelsea Lately Show.”  

 It’s my opinion that we don’t really need to worry about the popularity of the three because they are going to keep fluctuating and changing every day. I use them each for different purposes, and most of the folks I’ve talked to (Adults!), use them the same way.  As trends in data, gathering data, keeping data, storing data come and go, so go the users. Folks will migrate from one to the other as the technology improves for each one, and also to the ones that “protect” them from losing a FUTURE job!  (hopefully for the sake of my son’s FUTURE job!)

There are other great sites like StumbleOn, Delicious, Digg, and well, there’s too many to list here. And besides,even more about the FUTURE and Social Media are topics for another day!

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How to solve America’s water problems

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