I rebuild one of the containers, removing some basil plants into other pots, remixing the soil with worm castings and some organic fertilizer and planting it up with carrots and radish seeds.
“In the garden…” is a series for A Gardener’s Notebook highlighting what is happening in my garden, my friend’s gardens and California gardens throughout the seasons.
Part of the Dog Days of Podcasting, A 30 Podcast in 30 Days Challenge taken by a wide variety of podcasters including the host of Careers in New Media, Douglas E. Welch.
Visit any business and you will find a host of the employees plodding through their work day. Clearly, they lost all energy and excitement about their work years ago, but instead of seeking a better job elsewhere, they put in their time day after day and wonder when someone will come and save them from the monotony. Truth be told, this is never going to happen. No one is going to come and take them away from their dull and pointless careers.
Visit any business and you will find a host of the employees plodding through their work day. Clearly, they lost all energy and excitement about their work years ago, but instead of seeking a better job elsewhere, they put in their time day after day and wonder when someone will come and save them from the monotony. Truth be told, this is never going to happen. No one is going to come and take them away from their dull and pointless careers.
The fact is, the only person who cares about your career is you. If you don’t take the initiative to reach out and find something better, no one will. Your managers, your company and your peers can’t care about your career. They are too busy thinking about their own concerns to add yours to the mix. You can’t sit around waiting for the career equivalent of the big lottery jackpot, I can guarantee you that it will never arrive.
Find some energy
Part of the reason people get trapped in unfulfilling jobs is that they allow it to sap their energy and their spirit. They simply feel too tired to pursue anything but the input-only entertainment of television or video games. Energy, though, is exactly what they need to find. They need to conserve one small bit of energy every day so that they can seek out one small, yet fulfilling opportunity or idea. Like exercise, the more you do it, the more you feel like doing it. You just have to locate that small kernel of energy that let’s you start the ball rolling.
Where do you find this energy? In most cases, you simply need to let go. Even when a job is unfulfilling we still carry a certain, inborn sense of responsibility. We still worry about the bureaucracy, the politics, the chances of layoffs or bankruptcy. It is one of the few times when we can care too much about the fate of our company. We allow these worries to drag us down and sap all our energy, even though we might be telling ourselves that we don’t care about our job at all.
So, disconnect from your job to find the energy you need to grow. Now, I am not telling you to stop doing your work. That would be foolish. I want you to disconnect from the petty, childish and demeaning parts of your job that are sapping energy you could be investing elsewhere. Do you and your peers spend your breaks and lunches complaining about the company? Are you carrying around anger, disgust or even hatred of your company? Let it go! You have better things to do with your time.
Investment
Once you start engaging in these damaging behaviors, you will suddenly find that you have more time, more energy for more enjoyable activities. Maybe that news story from today’s paper will entice you out to a new park or store. Perhaps you’ll feel like cooking that new dish you wanted to try. It is in these small ways that you’ll first see improvements. Then, as you gain more and more energy, the effects will spill over into other aspects of your life. Like a snowball rolling downhill, the energy grows and grows of its own accord.
Oddly enough, you might even find yourself enjoying and engaging in your current job more. Once you disconnect from those destructive behaviors, you might find out that your job isn’t quite as bad or quite as hopeless as you might have imagined. Sometimes, you’ll find that your new found energy is best re-invested in making your current job better, instead of moving somewhere else.
“In the garden…” is a series for A Gardener’s Notebook highlighting what is happening in my garden, my friend’s gardens and California gardens throughout the seasons.
Here is my first, real, entry in the Dog Days of Podcasting Challenge. I’ll post each days podcast here, regardless of what other show it falls under, so you can see them all together — Douglas
A few weeks ago I talked about how to attract work and opportunities to you, instead of constantly begging for your next job. One of the biggest elements of attracting work to you is using social media to share the most interesting aspects of your life and work and show people “what you do and how well you do it.” Of course, it is worth taking some time to think about what you might share on your social media feeds that contribute to this end goal. Here are a few ideas to get you started in sharing the right kind of information.
These aren’t some self-serving stories about how you saved the day, although some may have that aspect about them. Rather you are sharing these stories to help anyone else who might be experiencing the same, or similar, issues in their own line of work. Depending on your work, this could be a post on how you solved a particular tricky accounting problem, solved a difficult problem with a hidden leak (if you are a plumber), made a car run better (if you are a mechanic) or created a great computer system that saved your company tens of thousands of dollars (or even a few.) As you can see, it doesn’t matter what type of work you do. We all have interesting stories to tell that can be tremendously useful to others. By sharing these stories, you not only show people the quality of the work you do, you also help them solve their own, similar problems. This alone could lead to a job or consulting offer down the road. I know it has worked this way for me.
What you are reading, watching, listening
Sometimes, the media we are consuming can be very illuminating about our lives and our work. For myself, I make a point of sharing what books I am reading, what blogs I subscribe to, what videos I am watching and the podcasts I listen to as I drive about on business and pleasure. I think that if people pay attention to these items, they can get a very clear idea about where my interests lie and it can do the same for you. Again, the best thing about this is that you are just sharing what you find interesting, not trying to promote yourself, so it is a nice, soft pedal, way of accomplishing the goal of letting people know you — and your work — better.
Your thoughts on work, industry and life issues
While you need to be careful about descending to the level of a “rant” in these posts, working out your job issues in writing can help you discover solutions to solve the problem. Don’t name names, but rather address the deeper issues involved. Create “what if” scenarios of what you might do to solve the problem if you had the power. Tell people how you personally dealt with a problem, even if you couldn’t change the situation yourself. You can, and should, also talk about issues in your industry and how you would address the problem. Again, thinking through these issues helps you in so many ways. You might hit upon a solution that no one has discovered yet. You might find a solution to your own work issues and finally, you might help someone else who is dealing with the same issues. Often people are helped just by knowing that they are not alone in their problems. If you can offer some commiseration with their issues, and perhaps even a helpful solution, you can develop a great reputation as a problem solver that can lead to large opportunities down the road.
Cool things that you discover in your life and work, online and offline
Finally, one of the greatest pieces of information that you can offer is the cool things that you discover both online and in your own life. As I read through my RSS feeds each day, I often find 2-3 items that are worth sharing with others. This often results in many ‘Thank you” messages being returned as well as people sharing the information with their readers/followers/Facebook friends.
These items can take several forms. Some might simply be for entertainment (witness all the silly cat pictures out there). Some might be useful answers to business problems such as new smartphone apps, new web services and new online publications. These items also can, and should, be elements from your own life. Interesting pictures you have taken, neat templates you created, interesting architecture, music, writing and friends you encounter in your daily travels. Don’t limit yourself to just sharing things that others create. Create your own “neat things” to share, too.
If you are feeling a bit stuck on what to share via your social media feeds, I hope that these ideas will spur you into action. I believe that it is through softer sharing, rather than blatant promotion, that we can have the biggest impact on our work and careers. Rather than jumping up and down shouting “look at me, look at me”, you can have much more impact instead saying, “Look at this cool thing I found. It helped me and it might help you, too!” That is certainly how I approach my own use of social media and I believe it can be very effective in building the career you deserve.
Here is my kick-off video for the Dog Days of Podcasting event. I am going to use this event as a showcase for all the different ways and methods of podcasting available. You’ll see video shot with camcorders, iPhones and more, audio recorded with my iPhone and high-end audio recorders and even some photo montages and slide shows. There will be interviews, environmental videos (showing a particular location) and all my regular podcasts, too.
“Essentially, it is a challenge to do a podcast for 30 days in a row.
In 2012 Kreg Steppe was looking to give himself a little push in regards to recording his own personal podcast since he wasn’t recording it very often. That turned into a challenge for himself to record a show everyday for 30 days believing that after 30 days it would turn into a habit. Once it was mentioned to Chuck Tomasi he took the challenge too and they decided it would be a great idea to record starting 30 days before Dragon*Con, culminating with the last episode where they would record it together when they saw each other there.
Turns out there were some of our friends that also wanted to get in on the action and took the challenge too. So it grew into a challenge 7 of us took.
This year we are inviting more podcasters to get in on the action. Keep in mind, it’s a fun challenge, and you will not be shamed (too much) if you don’t record every 30 day. It is kind of like the way Drew Carey describes “Whose line is it anyway?”. A fun game were we earn points, but the points don’t matter.
What matters is that we all have fun recording and listening to each other.
Start Date: July 30th, 2013
End Date: August 30th, 2013
Rules: Podcast Once a day for 30 days. Show length is up to you. Most vary from 3 – 5 Min.”
Fellow Friends in Tech member, Kreg Steppe started the first Dog Days of Podcasting Challenge in 2012, as a way to kickstart his own podcasting efforts. I missed that announcement, but I am jumping on board for this years challenge and you should too! What a great way to try out new styles, new shows, new ideas and generally get your podcasting feet moving!
Essentially, it is a challenge to do a podcast for 30 days in a row.
In 2012 Kreg Steppe was looking to give himself a little push in regards to recording his own personal podcast since he wasn’t recording it very often. That turned into a challenge for himself to record a show everyday for 30 days believing that after 30 days it would turn into a habit. Once it was mentioned to Chuck Tomasi he took the challenge too and they decided it would be a great idea to record starting 30 days before Dragon*Con, culminating with the last episode where they would record it together when they saw each other there.
Turns out there were some of our friends that also wanted to get in on the action and took the challenge too. So it grew into a challenge 7 of us took.
This year we are inviting more podcasters to get in on the action. Keep in mind, it’s a fun challenge, and you will not be shamed (too much) if you don’t record every 30 day. It is kind of like the way Drew Carey describes “Whose line is it anyway?”. A fun game were we earn points, but the points don’t matter.
What matters is that we all have fun recording and listening to each other.
Start Date: July 30th, 2013
End Date: August 30th, 2013
Rules: Podcast Once a day for 30 days. Show length is up to you. Most vary from 3 – 5 Min.
I’ll be posting my daily shows here during the challenge, but I will also be including my usual podcast selection as part of the 30 days, so you should see podcasts on careers, new media, gardening, technology and more!
Sometimes it can be useful to schedule blog posts to go out on a specific date and time. For example, you might be on vacation or away from your office, but still want that content to go out. Both WordPress and Blogger provide support for scheduled posts and this video shows how to use it.
Here is a quick tip on how to revert to a previous version of a WordPress Post or Page. You won’t need this option very often, but when you need it, it will be critical. This tip works with both WordPress.com and self-hosted installs of WordPress.
This recording from BarCampLA-3 is a great introduction to podcasting, so I wanted to re-release it for those who may have missed it when it first appeared. I talk about recording, web hosting and podcast hosting, RSS feeds and more.
New Media Gear 015: Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB Cardioid Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone
I first heard about this microphone from Richard Cleveland over at Naked Ape Productions during one of his Podcast U panel discussions. I mentioned this microphone to my personal friend, Michael Lawshe, who is an expert in all things audio (and multi-Emmy Award winner) and he happened to drop one by when we met for dinner last night.
The microphone package include the mic itself, a mic clip and small plastic mic stand, an XLR microphone cable and a USB cable. As you might notice from the cables included, the ATR2100-USB, has a special feature which I have not seen in many other microphones. Instead of being a USB-only mic like the Blue Snowball or Rode Podcaster, the ATR2100 includes connections and electronics so it can be used either as a USB microphone connected directly to your computer with out a mixing board or as a standard dynamic microphone connected via XLR to a mixer.
This dual connectivity makes this a great mic for those who are just getting started in podcasting or other audio recording and yet allows them to step up to a mixing board and other equipment while still using the same microphone. Additionally, when recording with USB-only microphones, real time monitoring of your recording can be a problem due to the USB induced processing delay. The ATR2100-USB works around this issue by including a headphone jack directly on the microphone itself, so you can easily monitor in real time even when connected via USB. Other USB microphones have included this much needed feature in the past, such as the Rode Podcaster, and it is great to see other manufacturers alleviating the monitoring issue with their designs. I know for myself that it is very important to be able to monitor myself as I record. It helps me to catch mumbled words, overly fast speech and poor pronunciations which I might not notice otherwise.
As a demonstration, I have recorded this blog post as an audio podcast, too, so you can hear the microphone in a real world situation using both the USB and XLR modes.
Everything up to here has been recored using the USB connection on the ATR2100. Now I will switch to the XLR connection using my small mixing board.
As with any handheld mic, shock isolation js important. You don’t want to pick up any noise from your hand on the microphone itself. This is often where many less expensive microphones and recorders with built-in mic fail greatly. As you can hear, I am moving the microphone around in my hand and while it is picking up a bit of noise, if you hold the mic firmly you might not notice it at all. The included plastic mic clip and tabletop mic stand is enough for most beginners to get started, although most would probably want to move up to a more robust, metal, stand fairly quickly.
Unfortunately, the headphone level form the microphone was at a very low level for my own personal tastes. I would prefer much more volume when recording and playing back what I have recorded. The mic has a headphone volume control, but it did not seem to the effect the output volume much at all. Instead the volume control seemed to be trying to change the overall volume on my Macintosh.
The recording level was quite good even when placed on a desktop at some distance from my mouth. If you want more input level, of course, you can move closer to the mic although then you would want to use a pop filter cut down on the popping sounds of consonants and plosives like P’s and B’s. In this podcast I have used the mic at a fairly close proximity and included the use of a pop filter.
Based on my short time with the microphone, and recommendations from others, I would consider this a great microphone for its price. Amazon currently lists it for around $40 US. I have been impressed with the overall recording quality even here in this rough demonstration. I haven’t taken any time to really adjust the microphone in any way, but simply plugged it in, adjusted the recording level and made this recording using Apple’s GarageBand software.
If you’d like more information on the ATR2100-USB, you can find links not the web site as part of this blog post. Visit DouglasEWelch.com/newmedia/ to find them.
Handheld dynamic microphone with USB digital output and XLR analog output
USB output connects to your computer for digital recording, while the XLR output connects with your sound system conventional microphone input for use in live performance
Smooth, extended frequency response ideally suited for podcasting, home studio recording, field recording, voiceover, and on-stage use
Built-in headphone jack allows you to directly monitor your microphone output without audible delay
Cardioid polar pattern reduces pickup of unwanted sounds from the sides and rear
Dynamic Microphone With Usb Digital Output & Xlr Analog Output
Usb Output Connects To Computer For Digital Recording, While The Xlr Output Connects With Sound System’S Conventional Microphone Input For Use In Live Performance
Built-In Headphone Jack With Volume Control
If you have any questions about Peter’s podcasting equipment, please drop them in the comments or in the Facebook Podcasting Community.
We were happy to visit with Douglas E. Welch today on The Bigg Success Show today. Douglas is an expert on building the career you deserve and spreading the word about your talents using social media. Among other things, he’s the host of two great blogs and podcasts: Career Opportunities and Careers in New Media. Here’s a recap of the conversation:
I am re-sharing this today, as it still has a lot to say about the current state of the music industry even 4 years later . I will be revisiting other past posts on their anniversary dates whenever their content is evergreen, like this one. — Douglas
On February 7, 2009, TK Promotions in association with the Coalition of SoCal Music Organizations (COSMO) and New Pants Publishing, Inc., presented the 2nd in a Series of Pitch-A-Song™ Industry Panels at the Guitar Merchant.
A “State of the Industry” panel proceeded the “Pitch-A-Song™”, moderated by Steve Scott, Pres. of COSMO (Coalition of Socal Music Organizations) with industry guests including writer/podcaster/new media consultant Douglas E. Welch, producer Mandi Martin and film/tv professional WinJow speaking on hot topics covering the music industry.
Subscribed is my series highlighting the Podcasts, YouTube Channels and Blogs that I follow on a daily basis. Check out this entry, and past entries, for some great New Media Content — Douglas
In Our Time, hosted by Melvyn Bragg, is one show that I always include in my collections of great podcasts. I consider it, along with a few other shows, “My Own Private Masters Degree!” I learn so much in 45 minutes that it almost seems impossible. In each show, Bragg, along with 3 experts, tackle the heart of a given subject. Some weeks it is history, sometime science, sometimes philosophy. Regardless, it is an entertaining and enlightening overview of the topic.
People often ask how I can carry on intelligent conversations with nearly anyone at a party. In Our Time is one big reason. It provides such a great introduction into so many topics that it is rare I can’t find some common ground for discussion with nearly anyone.
I highly recommend In Our Time as a large part of any self-directed educational program. We should all be learning something new every day and this show is a great way to do it!
My son, Joseph, introduced me to Vintage Beef (and all the guys on the Mindcrack server) earlier this year. I started watching “Beef’s” Minecraft videos but quickly became interested in his “Let’s Play” series for Skyrim and Red Dead Redemption. Each episode is like watching a little movie that happens to play out within a video game. Daniel’s (his real name) commentary is funny and adds to the gameplay rather than distracting from it. His videos have quickly become daily viewing here in the WelchWrite headquarters.
Whatever your religion, you probably have some traditions that center on the Winter Holidays — whether Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Winter Solstice or just seeing it as a time for celebration for being “halfway out of the dark!” One of our traditions has a New Media twist to it.
Grant’s experience with the Dr. Floyd podcast led him to podcasting one of his Christmas traditions. Each year his parents would fill an Advent Calendar with trinkets and he would open one door a day, much like many other kids. Grant’s grown up now, but he still brings his “childlike excitement” and silliness to the Advent Calendar each year.
Grant produces a video a day from December 1-25 where he opens the appropriate door on the advent calendar and shares its contents with us. But he also does more — so much more! Each video contains a skit, a parody, a musical number, an on-location opening — you never know quite what to expect each day — which is exactly what an Advent Calendar is all about.
Douglas speaks to Peter Lythgoe from the Zzip & Co Podcast Show based in Weymouth, UK about the special needs and uses of a local podcast. Peter covers news and events in and around Weymouth and also seeks out local authors and musicians to interview and promote.
** This interview was recorded via Skype. The audio is good, but the video is a bit rough due to low frame rate issues.
You can find the Zzip & Co Podcast Show at http://zzipp.podomatic.com where you can listen to their audio shows or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find videos by Peter on his YouTube channel, Zzippster, at http://youtube.com/zzippster.
Douglas speaks to Peter Lythgoe from the Zzip & Co Podcast Show based in Weymouth, UK about the special needs and uses of a local podcast. Peter covers news and events in and around Weymouth and also seeks out local authors and musicians to interview and promote.
** This interview was recorded via Skype. The audio is good, but the video is a bit rough due to low frame rate issues.
You can find the Zzip & Co Podcast Show at http://zzipp.podomatic.com where you can listen to their audio shows or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find videos by Peter on his YouTube channel, Zzippster, at http://youtube.com/zzippster.
While #KitchenParty is mainly about food and foodie things, in this week’s episode we also talk a lot about what makes a successful food blog and, more generically, any successful blog. — Douglas
Watch the recorded video below!
How to publish a successful food blog
Nichelle Stephens from Cupcakes Take the Cake! We’re talking Cupcake Recipes & how to #publish a successful food blog.
And don’t forget… every show we publish a community cookbook based on the topic. This week we’re sharing #cupcake #recipes . To our your favorite recipe to our #community #cookbook upload your favorite recipe here: http://bit.ly/cupcakecookbook
Your Hosts Every Week: Babette Pepaj from BakeSpace.com , +eff Houck from the Tampa Tribune, Rene Lynch (LA Times) & Douglas Welch (pro blogger – a Gardner’s Notebook)
