Fomo, joy, jealousy and the lizard

Somewhere, right this very moment, someone is having more fun than you.
Making more money than you.
Doing something more important, with better friends, and a happier ending, than you. Or possibly just better at Words with Friends than you are.
You're missing out.
And somewhere, right now, something in your universe isn't right. There's something happening that will affect you, annoy you, make things not "all right."
A crisis is looming.
Of course joy is hard to find, even with all the leverage, assets and privileges we've got. We've set ourselves up to avoid it at every turn. Electronic media profits from connecting us, sure, but mostly it profits from amplifying emotions we don't want in the long run.
FOMO is the fear of missing out. It always existed of course, ever since we were in high school. As freshmen, we knew that some cool kid was at some party that we could have gone to, but didn't.
We've taken this far beyond a story told the next day over lunch, though. The supercomputer in our pocket, amplified by your choice of social media, brings FOMO right to you, wherever you are, with a mere vibration.
At the same time...
The lizard brain is on high alert to make sure that everything is okay. The lizard brain can't rest until it knows that everyone likes us, that no one is offended, that all graphs are ticking up and to the right and the future is assured. But of course, the future (and the present) isn't perfect. It can't be.
The combination of the two, the reverse schadenfreude of FOMO (the pain we may feel from others having good fortune) and the insatiable yet unreachable need for everything to be fine, conspire to make us distracted, unhappy and most of all, somewhere else.
I'm not talking about the dissatisfaction of the artist who wants to challenge herself and to reach new heights. That's an internal discussion, not one that's measured against the instant updates of the world's population.
The only place joy can be found is right here and right now. Everyone who is selling you dissatisfaction is working for their own selfish ends.

Fomo, joy, jealousy and the lizard

Somewhere, right this very moment, someone is having more fun than you.
Making more money than you.
Doing something more important, with better friends, and a happier ending, than you. Or possibly just better at Words with Friends than you are.
You're missing out.
And somewhere, right now, something in your universe isn't right. There's something happening that will affect you, annoy you, make things not "all right."
A crisis is looming.
Of course joy is hard to find, even with all the leverage, assets and privileges we've got. We've set ourselves up to avoid it at every turn. Electronic media profits from connecting us, sure, but mostly it profits from amplifying emotions we don't want in the long run.
FOMO is the fear of missing out. It always existed of course, ever since we were in high school. As freshmen, we knew that some cool kid was at some party that we could have gone to, but didn't.
We've taken this far beyond a story told the next day over lunch, though. The supercomputer in our pocket, amplified by your choice of social media, brings FOMO right to you, wherever you are, with a mere vibration.
At the same time...
The lizard brain is on high alert to make sure that everything is okay. The lizard brain can't rest until it knows that everyone likes us, that no one is offended, that all graphs are ticking up and to the right and the future is assured. But of course, the future (and the present) isn't perfect. It can't be.
The combination of the two, the reverse schadenfreude of FOMO (the pain we may feel from others having good fortune) and the insatiable yet unreachable need for everything to be fine, conspire to make us distracted, unhappy and most of all, somewhere else.
I'm not talking about the dissatisfaction of the artist who wants to challenge herself and to reach new heights. That's an internal discussion, not one that's measured against the instant updates of the world's population.
The only place joy can be found is right here and right now. Everyone who is selling you dissatisfaction is working for their own selfish ends.

Most people, most of the time (the perfect crowd fallacy)

Most people, most of the time, aren't creative, generous or willing to stand up and contribute worthwhile work to the community. At least not the contributions you're hoping for.
The myth of wikipedia is that, when given the chance, hordes of people stepped up and built it. In fact, 5,000 people contribute most of the value on the site.
The myth of ebooks is that now that anyone can publish, enormous numbers of people will use this new platform to create countless numbers of new classics. In fact, most self-published ebooks just aren't very good.
And the same is true for just about everything that's open. A few people do an enormous amount (non-profit volunteers, community organizations, online sites), a few people are vandals or merely taking what they can take, and the masses participate, but aren't at the heart of the project.
To dismiss the crowd is a huge mistake, though.
Here's the fascinating part, call it the golden shoulder: We have no idea in advance who the great contributors are going to be. We know that there's a huge cohort of people struggling outside the boundaries of the curated, selected few, but we don't know who they are.
That means that the old systems, the ones where just a few people were anointed to be the chosen authors, chosen contributors, chosen musicians--that system left a lot of people out in the cold. The new open systems embrace waste. They understand that most people won't contribute and most contributions won't be any good. But that's fine, because this openness means that the previously unfound star now gets found.
The curated business, then, will ultimately fail because it keeps missing this shoulder, this untapped group of talented, eager, hard-working people shut out by their deliberately closed ecosystem. Over time, the open systems use their embrace of waste to winnow out the masses and end up with a new elite, a self-selected group who demonstrate their talent and hard work and genius over time, not in an audition.
Go ahead and minimize these open systems at your own peril. Point to their negative outliers, inconsistency and errors, sure, but you can only do that if you willfully ignore the real power: some people, some of the time, are going to do amazing and generous work... If we'll just give them access to tools and get out of their way.

(The curated block isn't reality, it's merely what the curator claims--that his magical powers will find all of the great talent, without error or waste. Of course, a quick look at Hollywood or even an expensive mutual fund shows that this is a fable. The 'open' block includes the low-quality stuff as well, but since that work is created without a lot of expense, pruning it is no tragedy. The secret is embracing the talented and dedicated people who choose themselves.)

Most people, most of the time (the perfect crowd fallacy)

Most people, most of the time, aren't creative, generous or willing to stand up and contribute worthwhile work to the community. At least not the contributions you're hoping for.
The myth of wikipedia is that, when given the chance, hordes of people stepped up and built it. In fact, 5,000 people contribute most of the value on the site.
The myth of ebooks is that now that anyone can publish, enormous numbers of people will use this new platform to create countless numbers of new classics. In fact, most self-published ebooks just aren't very good.
And the same is true for just about everything that's open. A few people do an enormous amount (non-profit volunteers, community organizations, online sites), a few people are vandals or merely taking what they can take, and the masses participate, but aren't at the heart of the project.
To dismiss the crowd is a huge mistake, though.
Here's the fascinating part, call it the golden shoulder: We have no idea in advance who the great contributors are going to be. We know that there's a huge cohort of people struggling outside the boundaries of the curated, selected few, but we don't know who they are.
That means that the old systems, the ones where just a few people were anointed to be the chosen authors, chosen contributors, chosen musicians--that system left a lot of people out in the cold. The new open systems embrace waste. They understand that most people won't contribute and most contributions won't be any good. But that's fine, because this openness means that the previously unfound star now gets found.
The curated business, then, will ultimately fail because it keeps missing this shoulder, this untapped group of talented, eager, hard-working people shut out by their deliberately closed ecosystem. Over time, the open systems use their embrace of waste to winnow out the masses and end up with a new elite, a self-selected group who demonstrate their talent and hard work and genius over time, not in an audition.
Go ahead and minimize these open systems at your own peril. Point to their negative outliers, inconsistency and errors, sure, but you can only do that if you willfully ignore the real power: some people, some of the time, are going to do amazing and generous work... If we'll just give them access to tools and get out of their way.

(The curated block isn't reality, it's merely what the curator claims--that his magical powers will find all of the great talent, without error or waste. Of course, a quick look at Hollywood or even an expensive mutual fund shows that this is a fable. The 'open' block includes the low-quality stuff as well, but since that work is created without a lot of expense, pruning it is no tragedy. The secret is embracing the talented and dedicated people who choose themselves.)

2015: OPC Warns Violent Politicians To Stay Away From S’West Or Else…

Founder of the O’dua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, on Thursday warned politicians, who are already spoiling for a show down during the 2015 general elections in the country, to stay away from the South-West or risk never going back from the region.

Fasehun stated this in Ondo town during a parley with newsmen after he bagged an award of excellence at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Federation of Ondo Ekimogun Students Union.
He said, “We swore to preserve the peaceful atmosphere in the South-West. We have been doing it for years and I thank God no insurgency is here, no crisis here, no assassination and no kidnapping. We thank God.
“I am not saying this is achieved due to the presence of OPC in the South-West but with the grace of God, and I pray that the peaceful atmosphere we enjoy in this part of the country will be sustained.
“OPC is determined to maintain peace. Politics does not embrace violence. I think Nigerians have realised that we can play politics without violence. But we are warning the politicians to please allow peace to reign.

“If anyone attempts to throw the country into crisis, we will wade in to confront such a person. So, we will not encourage violence but if anyone tries to import violence into this part of the country, we will not keep quiet or fold our arms. It will be violence for violence. So, the politicians are being warned.”
The OPC leader maintained that the current insecurity in the northern part of the country was instigated by politicians.
He added, “It is the politicians that are causing insecurity. Politics does not necessarily elevate violence. I hope you remember that in 2011, somebody came up and said, if President Goodluck Jonathan won the election, he would make the country ungovernable for him.
“We have warned those foot soldiers of autocracy that they can do whatever they like in their own part of the country but they should not bring violence into the South-West. If they bring violence into the South-West not many of them will go back from the region.”

2015: OPC Warns Violent Politicians To Stay Away From S’West Or Else…

Founder of the O’dua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, on Thursday warned politicians, who are already spoiling for a show down during the 2015 general elections in the country, to stay away from the South-West or risk never going back from the region.

Fasehun stated this in Ondo town during a parley with newsmen after he bagged an award of excellence at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Federation of Ondo Ekimogun Students Union.
He said, “We swore to preserve the peaceful atmosphere in the South-West. We have been doing it for years and I thank God no insurgency is here, no crisis here, no assassination and no kidnapping. We thank God.
“I am not saying this is achieved due to the presence of OPC in the South-West but with the grace of God, and I pray that the peaceful atmosphere we enjoy in this part of the country will be sustained.
“OPC is determined to maintain peace. Politics does not embrace violence. I think Nigerians have realised that we can play politics without violence. But we are warning the politicians to please allow peace to reign.

“If anyone attempts to throw the country into crisis, we will wade in to confront such a person. So, we will not encourage violence but if anyone tries to import violence into this part of the country, we will not keep quiet or fold our arms. It will be violence for violence. So, the politicians are being warned.”
The OPC leader maintained that the current insecurity in the northern part of the country was instigated by politicians.
He added, “It is the politicians that are causing insecurity. Politics does not necessarily elevate violence. I hope you remember that in 2011, somebody came up and said, if President Goodluck Jonathan won the election, he would make the country ungovernable for him.
“We have warned those foot soldiers of autocracy that they can do whatever they like in their own part of the country but they should not bring violence into the South-West. If they bring violence into the South-West not many of them will go back from the region.”

Robber Falls Asleep On Victim’s Couch: Cops

Police say they caught a robber in Lady Lake, Fla., taking jewelry and a nap.
Domonique Pinkard, 21, was allegedly asleep on the couch of a residence on Winners Circle when the homeowner walked into the living room, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
The homeowner called the cops, who determined that Pinkard and his accomplice, 20-year-old Julian Evangelist, kicked in the back door around 7:30 a.m. Pinkard then conked out on the sofa while Evangelist allegedly made off with a TV. Evangelist, it seems, failed to wake up his his partner in crime.

Investigators say Pinkard told them he’d been “working hard all day and he just needed to sit down for a moment, and evidently, he fell asleep,” according to WESH.
Police also say they found an estimated $500 worth of the victim’s jewelry in Pinkard’s pockets, according to NBC Miami. Other items, including clothing and electronics, were allegedly found at Evangelist’s home.
Both men were jailed on charges of burglary and grand theft.

Robber Falls Asleep On Victim’s Couch: Cops

Police say they caught a robber in Lady Lake, Fla., taking jewelry and a nap.
Domonique Pinkard, 21, was allegedly asleep on the couch of a residence on Winners Circle when the homeowner walked into the living room, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
The homeowner called the cops, who determined that Pinkard and his accomplice, 20-year-old Julian Evangelist, kicked in the back door around 7:30 a.m. Pinkard then conked out on the sofa while Evangelist allegedly made off with a TV. Evangelist, it seems, failed to wake up his his partner in crime.

Investigators say Pinkard told them he’d been “working hard all day and he just needed to sit down for a moment, and evidently, he fell asleep,” according to WESH.
Police also say they found an estimated $500 worth of the victim’s jewelry in Pinkard’s pockets, according to NBC Miami. Other items, including clothing and electronics, were allegedly found at Evangelist’s home.
Both men were jailed on charges of burglary and grand theft.

Scwarzher Signs For Chelsea FC from Fulham.

A Mark Scwharzer deal could be the best deal for a returning Jose Mourinho, who brings his distinctive understanding of football back to Chelsea, the club that made him famous.

Mark Schwazer Signs For Chelsea.

Portuguese manager Mourinho has talked Australia international Mark Scwharzer into playing for Chelsea. Scwharzer, who also played for Bradford City, Middlesbrough and Fulham, signed for Chelsea till next summer on a free transfer.
The veteran shot stopper played every minute of the 2008/09 season keeping ten clean sheets in all competitions and the 2010 South Africa World Cup.
“It’s one of the biggest and best club in the world, and it’s an honour to sign for Chelsea. I didn’t take much convincing to come here,” said Schwazher.
Following the release of Ross Turnbull and Hilario, the goalkeeper who joined Bradford in 1996 after a spell at FC Keisersleutern will back up Petr Czech in goal for the west London club.

Schwazher’s deal seams the most defensive, considering the fact that he’s Australia’s most capped player with 108 caps for country. Schwazher became Premier League’s export with the highest caps last season, with 500 appearances.
Chelsea released a statement on their official website and having had two formal offers for England stopper John Rudy rejected by Norwich, with delight welcomed the goalkeeper.
“Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of goalkeeper Mark Schwazher on a free transfer.
“He brings with him a wealth of experience after more than 15 years in England with Bradford City, and Middlesbrough and most recently Fulham,” the club added.
He was part of the Steve McClaren-led Middlesbrough that lost to Sevilla in the UEFA Cup final of 2006. After coming through the ranks of Australia youth team, he made his full international appearance in 1993 in a World Cup qualifier against Canada.

Scwarzher Signs For Chelsea FC from Fulham.

A Mark Scwharzer deal could be the best deal for a returning Jose Mourinho, who brings his distinctive understanding of football back to Chelsea, the club that made him famous.

Mark Schwazer Signs For Chelsea.

Portuguese manager Mourinho has talked Australia international Mark Scwharzer into playing for Chelsea. Scwharzer, who also played for Bradford City, Middlesbrough and Fulham, signed for Chelsea till next summer on a free transfer.
The veteran shot stopper played every minute of the 2008/09 season keeping ten clean sheets in all competitions and the 2010 South Africa World Cup.
“It’s one of the biggest and best club in the world, and it’s an honour to sign for Chelsea. I didn’t take much convincing to come here,” said Schwazher.
Following the release of Ross Turnbull and Hilario, the goalkeeper who joined Bradford in 1996 after a spell at FC Keisersleutern will back up Petr Czech in goal for the west London club.

Schwazher’s deal seams the most defensive, considering the fact that he’s Australia’s most capped player with 108 caps for country. Schwazher became Premier League’s export with the highest caps last season, with 500 appearances.
Chelsea released a statement on their official website and having had two formal offers for England stopper John Rudy rejected by Norwich, with delight welcomed the goalkeeper.
“Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of goalkeeper Mark Schwazher on a free transfer.
“He brings with him a wealth of experience after more than 15 years in England with Bradford City, and Middlesbrough and most recently Fulham,” the club added.
He was part of the Steve McClaren-led Middlesbrough that lost to Sevilla in the UEFA Cup final of 2006. After coming through the ranks of Australia youth team, he made his full international appearance in 1993 in a World Cup qualifier against Canada.

Eleven things organizations can learn from airports

Eleven things organizations can learn from airports

[Of course, this post isn’t actually about airports]. 
I realized that I don’t dislike flying--I dislike airports. There are so many things we can learn from what they do wrong:

1. No one is in charge. The airport doesn’t appear to have a CEO, and if it does, you never see her, hear about her or interact with her in any way. When the person at the top doesn’t care, it filters down.
2. Problems persist because organizations defend their turf instead of embrace the problem. The TSA blames the facilities people, who blame someone else, and around and around. Only when the user’s problem is the driver of behavior (as opposed to maintaining power or the status quo) things change.
3. The food is aimed squarely at the (disappearing) middle of the market. People who like steamed meat and bags of chips never have a problem finding something to eat at an airport. Apparently, profit-maximizing vendors haven’t realized that we’re all a lot weirder than we used to be.
4. Like colleges, airports see customers as powerless transients. Hey, you’re going to be gone tomorrow, but they’ll still be here.
5. By removing slack, airlines create failure. In order to increase profit, airlines work hard to get the maximum number of flights out of each plane, each day. As a result, there are no spares, no downtime and no resilience. By assuming that their customer base prefers to save money, not anxiety, they create an anxiety-filled system.
6. The TSA is ruled by superstition, not fact. They act without data and put on a quite serious but ultimately useless bit of theater. Ten years later, the theater is now becoming an entrenched status quo, one that gets ever worse.
7. The ad hoc is forbidden. Imagine an airplane employee bringing in an extension cord and a power strip to deal with the daily occurrence of travelers hunched in the corner around a single outlet. Impossible. There is a bias toward permanent and improved, not quick and effective.
8. Everyone is treated the same. Effective organizations treat different people differently. While there’s some window dressing at the edges (I’m thinking of slightly faster first class lines and slightly more convenient motorized cars for seniors), in general, airports insist that the one size they’ve chosen to offer fit all.
9. There are plenty of potential bad surprises, but no good ones. You can have a flight be cancelled, be strip searched or even go to the wrong airport. But all possibility for delight has been removed. It wouldn’t take much to completely transform the experience from a chore to a delight.
10. They are sterile. Everyone who passes through leaves no trace, every morning starts anew. There are no connections between people, either fellow passengers or the staff. No one says, “welcome back,” and that’s honest, because no one feels particularly welcome.
11. No one is having any fun. Most people who work at airports have precisely the same demeanor as people who work at a cemetery. The system has become so industrialized that personal expression is apparently forbidden.

As we see at many organizations that end up like this, the airport mistakes its market domination for a you-have-no-choice monopoly (we do have a choice, we stay home). And in pursuit of reliable, predictable outcomes, these organizations dehumanize everything, pretending it will increase profits, when it actually does exactly the opposite.

Eleven things organizations can learn from airports

Eleven things organizations can learn from airports

[Of course, this post isn’t actually about airports]. 
I realized that I don’t dislike flying--I dislike airports. There are so many things we can learn from what they do wrong:

1. No one is in charge. The airport doesn’t appear to have a CEO, and if it does, you never see her, hear about her or interact with her in any way. When the person at the top doesn’t care, it filters down.
2. Problems persist because organizations defend their turf instead of embrace the problem. The TSA blames the facilities people, who blame someone else, and around and around. Only when the user’s problem is the driver of behavior (as opposed to maintaining power or the status quo) things change.
3. The food is aimed squarely at the (disappearing) middle of the market. People who like steamed meat and bags of chips never have a problem finding something to eat at an airport. Apparently, profit-maximizing vendors haven’t realized that we’re all a lot weirder than we used to be.
4. Like colleges, airports see customers as powerless transients. Hey, you’re going to be gone tomorrow, but they’ll still be here.
5. By removing slack, airlines create failure. In order to increase profit, airlines work hard to get the maximum number of flights out of each plane, each day. As a result, there are no spares, no downtime and no resilience. By assuming that their customer base prefers to save money, not anxiety, they create an anxiety-filled system.
6. The TSA is ruled by superstition, not fact. They act without data and put on a quite serious but ultimately useless bit of theater. Ten years later, the theater is now becoming an entrenched status quo, one that gets ever worse.
7. The ad hoc is forbidden. Imagine an airplane employee bringing in an extension cord and a power strip to deal with the daily occurrence of travelers hunched in the corner around a single outlet. Impossible. There is a bias toward permanent and improved, not quick and effective.
8. Everyone is treated the same. Effective organizations treat different people differently. While there’s some window dressing at the edges (I’m thinking of slightly faster first class lines and slightly more convenient motorized cars for seniors), in general, airports insist that the one size they’ve chosen to offer fit all.
9. There are plenty of potential bad surprises, but no good ones. You can have a flight be cancelled, be strip searched or even go to the wrong airport. But all possibility for delight has been removed. It wouldn’t take much to completely transform the experience from a chore to a delight.
10. They are sterile. Everyone who passes through leaves no trace, every morning starts anew. There are no connections between people, either fellow passengers or the staff. No one says, “welcome back,” and that’s honest, because no one feels particularly welcome.
11. No one is having any fun. Most people who work at airports have precisely the same demeanor as people who work at a cemetery. The system has become so industrialized that personal expression is apparently forbidden.

As we see at many organizations that end up like this, the airport mistakes its market domination for a you-have-no-choice monopoly (we do have a choice, we stay home). And in pursuit of reliable, predictable outcomes, these organizations dehumanize everything, pretending it will increase profits, when it actually does exactly the opposite.

Doing what you love (but maybe you can't get paid for it)

Doing what you love (but maybe you can't get paid for it)

[I wrote this five years ago. As you plan the magical things you will do next year, I thought it was worth reconsidering:]
The thing is, it's far easier than ever before to surface your ideas. Far easier to have someone notice your art or your writing or your photography. Which means that people who might have hidden their talents are now finding them noticed...
That blog you've built, the one with a lot of traffic... perhaps it can't be monetized.
That non-profit you work with, the one where you are able to change lives... perhaps turning it into a career will ruin it.
That passion you have for graphic art... perhaps making your painting commercial enough to sell will squeeze the joy out of it.
When what you do is what you love, you're able to invest more effort and care and time. That means you're more likely to win, to gain share, to profit. On the other hand, poets don't get paid. Even worse, poets that try to get paid end up writing jingles and failing and hating it at the same time.
Today, there are more ways than ever to share your talents and hobbies in public. And if you're driven, talented and focused, you may discover that the market loves what you do. That people read your blog or click on your cartoons or listen to your mp3s. But, alas, that doesn't mean you can monetize it, quit your day job and spend all day writing songs.
The pitfalls:
1. In order to monetize your work, you'll probably corrupt it, taking out the magic in search of dollars
and
2. Attention doesn't always equal significant cash flow.
I think it makes sense to make your art your art, to give yourself over to it without regard for commerce.
Doing what you love is as important as ever, but if you're going to make a living at it, it helps to find a niche where money flows as a regular consequence of the success of your idea. Loving what you do is almost as important as doing what you love, especially if you need to make a living at it. Go find a job you can commit to, a career or a business you can fall in love with.
A friend who loved music, who wanted to spend his life doing it, got a job doing PR for a record label. He hated doing PR, realized that just because he was in the record business didn't mean he had anything at all to do with music. Instead of finding a job he could love, he ended up being in proximity to, but nowhere involved with, something he cared about. I wish he had become a committed school teacher instead, spending every minute of his spare time making music and sharing it online for free. Instead, he's a frazzled publicity hound working twice as many hours for less money and doing no music at all.
Maybe you can't make money doing what you love (at least what you love right now). But I bet you can figure out how to love what you do to make money (if you choose wisely).
Do your art. But don't wreck your art if it doesn't lend itself to paying the bills. That would be a tragedy.
(And the twist, because there is always a twist, is that as soon as you focus on your art and leave the money behind, you may just discover that this focus turns out to be the secret of actually breaking through and making money.)

Doing what you love (but maybe you can't get paid for it)

Doing what you love (but maybe you can't get paid for it)

[I wrote this five years ago. As you plan the magical things you will do next year, I thought it was worth reconsidering:]
The thing is, it's far easier than ever before to surface your ideas. Far easier to have someone notice your art or your writing or your photography. Which means that people who might have hidden their talents are now finding them noticed...
That blog you've built, the one with a lot of traffic... perhaps it can't be monetized.
That non-profit you work with, the one where you are able to change lives... perhaps turning it into a career will ruin it.
That passion you have for graphic art... perhaps making your painting commercial enough to sell will squeeze the joy out of it.
When what you do is what you love, you're able to invest more effort and care and time. That means you're more likely to win, to gain share, to profit. On the other hand, poets don't get paid. Even worse, poets that try to get paid end up writing jingles and failing and hating it at the same time.
Today, there are more ways than ever to share your talents and hobbies in public. And if you're driven, talented and focused, you may discover that the market loves what you do. That people read your blog or click on your cartoons or listen to your mp3s. But, alas, that doesn't mean you can monetize it, quit your day job and spend all day writing songs.
The pitfalls:
1. In order to monetize your work, you'll probably corrupt it, taking out the magic in search of dollars
and
2. Attention doesn't always equal significant cash flow.
I think it makes sense to make your art your art, to give yourself over to it without regard for commerce.
Doing what you love is as important as ever, but if you're going to make a living at it, it helps to find a niche where money flows as a regular consequence of the success of your idea. Loving what you do is almost as important as doing what you love, especially if you need to make a living at it. Go find a job you can commit to, a career or a business you can fall in love with.
A friend who loved music, who wanted to spend his life doing it, got a job doing PR for a record label. He hated doing PR, realized that just because he was in the record business didn't mean he had anything at all to do with music. Instead of finding a job he could love, he ended up being in proximity to, but nowhere involved with, something he cared about. I wish he had become a committed school teacher instead, spending every minute of his spare time making music and sharing it online for free. Instead, he's a frazzled publicity hound working twice as many hours for less money and doing no music at all.
Maybe you can't make money doing what you love (at least what you love right now). But I bet you can figure out how to love what you do to make money (if you choose wisely).
Do your art. But don't wreck your art if it doesn't lend itself to paying the bills. That would be a tragedy.
(And the twist, because there is always a twist, is that as soon as you focus on your art and leave the money behind, you may just discover that this focus turns out to be the secret of actually breaking through and making money.)

Learning how to see

Learning how to see

If you want to make something new, start with understanding. Understanding what's already present, and understanding the opportunities in what's not. Most of all, understanding how it all fits together.
Watch the last two minutes of the classic film, 2001. Today's technology would allow someone to make a short film like this with very little effort. But could you? The making isn't the hard part, in fact. It's the seeing.
Would you have the guts to go this slow? To use music this boldy? To combine iconography from three different centuries over two millenia?
Where is the explosion of the death star and where are the hackneyed tropes of a hundred or a thousand prior sci-fi movies?
Stanley Kubrick, the film's director, saw. He saw images and stories that were available to anyone who chose to see them, but others averted their eyes, grabbed for the easy or the quick or the work that would satisfy the boss in closest proximity.
When everyone has the same Mac and the same internet, the difference between hackneyed graphic design and extraordinary graphic design is just one thing—the ability to see.
Seeing, despite the name, isn't merely visual. I worked briefly with Arthur C. Clarke thirty years ago, and he saw, but he saw in words, and in concepts. The people who built the internet, the one you're using right now, saw how circuits and simple computer code could be connected to build something new and bigger. Others had the same tools, but not the same vision.
And all around us, we're surrounded by limits, by disasters (natural and otherwise) and by pessimism. Some people see in this opportunity and a chance to draw (with any sort of metaphorical pen) something. Others see in it a chance to hide, to settle and to sigh.
The same confidence and hubris that Kubrick and Clarke brought to their movie is available to anyone who decides to give more than they 'should' to a charity that has the audacity to change things. While others believe they can (and must) merely settle.
In our best possible future together, I hope we'll do a better job of learning to see one another. 
Some people see a struggling person and turn away. Others see a human being and work to open a door or lend a hand. There are possiblities all around us. Not just the clicks of recycling a tired cliche, but the opportunity to be brave. If we only had the guts.

Learning how to see

Learning how to see

If you want to make something new, start with understanding. Understanding what's already present, and understanding the opportunities in what's not. Most of all, understanding how it all fits together.
Watch the last two minutes of the classic film, 2001. Today's technology would allow someone to make a short film like this with very little effort. But could you? The making isn't the hard part, in fact. It's the seeing.
Would you have the guts to go this slow? To use music this boldy? To combine iconography from three different centuries over two millenia?
Where is the explosion of the death star and where are the hackneyed tropes of a hundred or a thousand prior sci-fi movies?
Stanley Kubrick, the film's director, saw. He saw images and stories that were available to anyone who chose to see them, but others averted their eyes, grabbed for the easy or the quick or the work that would satisfy the boss in closest proximity.
When everyone has the same Mac and the same internet, the difference between hackneyed graphic design and extraordinary graphic design is just one thing—the ability to see.
Seeing, despite the name, isn't merely visual. I worked briefly with Arthur C. Clarke thirty years ago, and he saw, but he saw in words, and in concepts. The people who built the internet, the one you're using right now, saw how circuits and simple computer code could be connected to build something new and bigger. Others had the same tools, but not the same vision.
And all around us, we're surrounded by limits, by disasters (natural and otherwise) and by pessimism. Some people see in this opportunity and a chance to draw (with any sort of metaphorical pen) something. Others see in it a chance to hide, to settle and to sigh.
The same confidence and hubris that Kubrick and Clarke brought to their movie is available to anyone who decides to give more than they 'should' to a charity that has the audacity to change things. While others believe they can (and must) merely settle.
In our best possible future together, I hope we'll do a better job of learning to see one another. 
Some people see a struggling person and turn away. Others see a human being and work to open a door or lend a hand. There are possiblities all around us. Not just the clicks of recycling a tired cliche, but the opportunity to be brave. If we only had the guts.

How to make a website: a tactical guide for marketers

How to make a website: a tactical guide for marketers

This isn't about the strategy of how to design a website that works--this is my take on how marketers can work with their teams, their bosses and their developers to get the site they want built with less time and less hassle. (PS all of this works for apps, too). Most people who are responsible for websites are amateurs. This is my best take on how the goal-oriented non-professional can do a good job.
Three things worth remembering:

• Every website is a marketing effort. Sooner or later, your site involves an interaction with a user, and that interaction won't be 100% technical. You have to sell the engagement, the interaction and the story you have in mind. While websites have always involved technology, the tech is secondary to your ability to get your point across.
• Virtually all websites are not on the cutting edge of technology. You're doing something that's been done before, at least technically.
• Synchronizing your team is difficult, because most people know it when they see it, and seeing it is expensive. It's sort of like building a hundred houses in order to find the one that your spouse likes--not a practical effort.

The approach I recommend:

• Find the tech elements you need by browsing the web. Make a list--I want menus that work like this site, a shopping cart that works like that site, a home page that works like this one.
• Create the entire site (or at least the critical elements) using Keynote on the Mac (PowerPoint works too, but Keynote is a little easier to work with). Begin by copying and pasting elements from other sites, but as you make progress, hire a graphic designer to create the elements you need. Keynote makes it easy to actually have spots on the screen link to other slides in the 'presentation', so the document you create will actually allow your team to click on various parts of the screen and jump to other pages.
• Do not do any coding at all.

What you end up with, then, is a 3 or 10 or 100 page Keynote document, with a look and a feel. With menus. With fonts. With things in their proper hierarchy. Once you're good at this, you can build or tweak a 'site' in no time.
Now you have a powerful tool. You can use it in presentations, in meetings and even test it with users, all before you do any coding at all. Once you've shared this with the team, the question is simple, "if our website works just like this, do you approve of it?" Don't start coding until the answer is yes.
This is a discipline, one that takes a fair amount of guts to stick with, but it pays off huge dividends. Don't code until you know what you want.
Last step: Hand the Keynote doc to your developers and go away until it's finished.
As I said, this works for mobile apps too. Here's a site filled with template shortcuts for both.

How to make a website: a tactical guide for marketers

How to make a website: a tactical guide for marketers

This isn't about the strategy of how to design a website that works--this is my take on how marketers can work with their teams, their bosses and their developers to get the site they want built with less time and less hassle. (PS all of this works for apps, too). Most people who are responsible for websites are amateurs. This is my best take on how the goal-oriented non-professional can do a good job.
Three things worth remembering:

• Every website is a marketing effort. Sooner or later, your site involves an interaction with a user, and that interaction won't be 100% technical. You have to sell the engagement, the interaction and the story you have in mind. While websites have always involved technology, the tech is secondary to your ability to get your point across.
• Virtually all websites are not on the cutting edge of technology. You're doing something that's been done before, at least technically.
• Synchronizing your team is difficult, because most people know it when they see it, and seeing it is expensive. It's sort of like building a hundred houses in order to find the one that your spouse likes--not a practical effort.

The approach I recommend:

• Find the tech elements you need by browsing the web. Make a list--I want menus that work like this site, a shopping cart that works like that site, a home page that works like this one.
• Create the entire site (or at least the critical elements) using Keynote on the Mac (PowerPoint works too, but Keynote is a little easier to work with). Begin by copying and pasting elements from other sites, but as you make progress, hire a graphic designer to create the elements you need. Keynote makes it easy to actually have spots on the screen link to other slides in the 'presentation', so the document you create will actually allow your team to click on various parts of the screen and jump to other pages.
• Do not do any coding at all.

What you end up with, then, is a 3 or 10 or 100 page Keynote document, with a look and a feel. With menus. With fonts. With things in their proper hierarchy. Once you're good at this, you can build or tweak a 'site' in no time.
Now you have a powerful tool. You can use it in presentations, in meetings and even test it with users, all before you do any coding at all. Once you've shared this with the team, the question is simple, "if our website works just like this, do you approve of it?" Don't start coding until the answer is yes.
This is a discipline, one that takes a fair amount of guts to stick with, but it pays off huge dividends. Don't code until you know what you want.
Last step: Hand the Keynote doc to your developers and go away until it's finished.
As I said, this works for mobile apps too. Here's a site filled with template shortcuts for both.

Swansea ball boy who was kicked by Hazard puts his COAT from that night on ebay (all in the name of charity)

 

 

                           Swansea ball boy who was kicked by Hazard puts his COAT from that night on ebay (all in the name of charity)

The jacket of the ball boy 'kicked' by Eden Hazard last season during Chelsea's League Cup semi-final clash with Swansea is being sold on ebay for charity.

Charlie Morgan, who sat on the ball and when Hazard tried to kick it free rolled around as if shot by a rifle, has signed his jacket and the money will go towards Maggie's Cancer Charity and the RNLI.

Ebay user pennhill-queen posted it up on the auction site HERE along with a photo of himself receiving the jacket from Morgan and the following description.

'This is the actual jacket worn by Swansea city ball boy Charlie Morgan when he was involved in the world famous incident with Chelsea player Eden Hazard on the 23rd January 2013.

'It was during the second leg of the Capital One semi final that Hazard was sent off by referee Chris Foy after an allegation that he kicked the ballboy whilst he was in the process of retrieving the ball.

The matter made world wide news and resulted in Charlie Morgan receiving nearly 80000 followers on twitter and the clip had more than 2 million you tube views.

'The jacket has been donated by Charlie with all the profits from the sale going to Maggies Cancer charity and the RNLI. The pictures show me receiving the coat and also Charlie wearing and signing it.

'A certificate of authenticity will be provided by Swansea City football club. The jacket will be sent first class recorded signed for delivery. I am happy to answer any questions.'

Swansea ball boy who was kicked by Hazard puts his COAT from that night on ebay (all in the name of charity)

 

 

                           Swansea ball boy who was kicked by Hazard puts his COAT from that night on ebay (all in the name of charity)

The jacket of the ball boy 'kicked' by Eden Hazard last season during Chelsea's League Cup semi-final clash with Swansea is being sold on ebay for charity.

Charlie Morgan, who sat on the ball and when Hazard tried to kick it free rolled around as if shot by a rifle, has signed his jacket and the money will go towards Maggie's Cancer Charity and the RNLI.

Ebay user pennhill-queen posted it up on the auction site HERE along with a photo of himself receiving the jacket from Morgan and the following description.

'This is the actual jacket worn by Swansea city ball boy Charlie Morgan when he was involved in the world famous incident with Chelsea player Eden Hazard on the 23rd January 2013.

'It was during the second leg of the Capital One semi final that Hazard was sent off by referee Chris Foy after an allegation that he kicked the ballboy whilst he was in the process of retrieving the ball.

The matter made world wide news and resulted in Charlie Morgan receiving nearly 80000 followers on twitter and the clip had more than 2 million you tube views.

'The jacket has been donated by Charlie with all the profits from the sale going to Maggies Cancer charity and the RNLI. The pictures show me receiving the coat and also Charlie wearing and signing it.

'A certificate of authenticity will be provided by Swansea City football club. The jacket will be sent first class recorded signed for delivery. I am happy to answer any questions.'

Cristiano Ronaldo: My future is with Real Madrid

                                       The Portugal international has been linked with a move away from his current club more than once, but has insisted he is happy at the Santiago Bernabeu

Cristiano Ronaldo is happy at Real Madrid and has no intention of leaving the club amid ongoing speculation that he could return to Manchester United.

The Portugal international stated earlier this week he still has warm feelings for the English champions and misses his time in England, but has now made it clear a return to Old Trafford is not an option for him at this stage of his career.
"Manchester United are a club that has been in my heart since I was there, everyone knows that I have passion with that club. But my future now is with Real Madrid and I want to be there," Ronaldo told reporters.
"It is not the day to speak about my future. I am going to have time to do that before the pre-season. Basically it is now time to rest after 10 months of a long season.
"I enjoy playing there, I have been playing in Spain for four years so I want to continue there.
"For my national team, I hope that we can qualify for the World Cup - it will be a big goal for us - so we are focused on that and I am looking forward to being in the World Cup.
"Of course, I always look forward to getting better and better throughout the season and this year is going to be the same. I will try to be focused all the time, to win La Liga and to win the Champions League like we always do."
The 28-year-old has scored an incredible 201 goals in 199 appearances in all competitions for Madrid since joining the club in the summer of 2009. Ronaldo has a contract with los Blancos until 2015.

Cristiano Ronaldo: My future is with Real Madrid

                                       The Portugal international has been linked with a move away from his current club more than once, but has insisted he is happy at the Santiago Bernabeu

Cristiano Ronaldo is happy at Real Madrid and has no intention of leaving the club amid ongoing speculation that he could return to Manchester United.

The Portugal international stated earlier this week he still has warm feelings for the English champions and misses his time in England, but has now made it clear a return to Old Trafford is not an option for him at this stage of his career.
"Manchester United are a club that has been in my heart since I was there, everyone knows that I have passion with that club. But my future now is with Real Madrid and I want to be there," Ronaldo told reporters.
"It is not the day to speak about my future. I am going to have time to do that before the pre-season. Basically it is now time to rest after 10 months of a long season.
"I enjoy playing there, I have been playing in Spain for four years so I want to continue there.
"For my national team, I hope that we can qualify for the World Cup - it will be a big goal for us - so we are focused on that and I am looking forward to being in the World Cup.
"Of course, I always look forward to getting better and better throughout the season and this year is going to be the same. I will try to be focused all the time, to win La Liga and to win the Champions League like we always do."
The 28-year-old has scored an incredible 201 goals in 199 appearances in all competitions for Madrid since joining the club in the summer of 2009. Ronaldo has a contract with los Blancos until 2015.

Real Madrid & Paris Saint-Germain rival Chelsea in race for De Rossi

 The Italy international has held summit talks with Roma chiefs about his future at the Stadio Olimpico, with the club prepared to listen to offers above €17.5 million

By Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent

Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are ready to rival Chelsea in the race to sign Daniele De Rossi.

The Roma midfielder met with the club’s sporting director Walter Sabatini earlier this week to discuss his future after returning from international duty at the Confederations Cup with Italy.

TRANSFER TALK
9/4	Chelsea are 9/4 with bet365 to win the Premier League next season

New coach Rudi Garcia wants to keep De Rossi, but he turns 30 later in July and will be allowed to leave the Giallorossi for around €17.5 million after a troubled 2012-13 season in which he lost his regular starting place in the heart of the midfield.

Chelsea opened preliminary talks with the Serie A club about signing De Rossi in June, while Madrid and PSG are understood to be also closely monitoring his situation.

Jose Mourinho is a long-standing admirer of De Rossi and tried to sign him in 2006 during his first spell at Stamford Bridge.

Competition from Madrid and PSG could drive up the price for a transfer which is also complicated by the major hurdle of the midfield anchorman's wage demands.

De Rossi, who was the subject of an offer from Manchester City last summer before committing himself to his boyhood club for another campaign, is believed to be one of the highest earners in Serie A, with a net salary of €6m-a-year, equivalent to around €222,000-a-week if taxes were included.

De Rossi joined Roma at 17 and has spent his entire professional career at the club, as well as becoming a key player for the Azzurri.

Despite having a contract that runs until 2017 and being a huge favourite of supporters at the Serie A club, De Rossi is understood to be interested in a new challenge and testing himself in the Premier League.

Chelsea have agreed a deal with Vitesse to sign 20-year-old midfielder Marco van Ginkel, as revealed by Goal in May, and have secured Frank Lampard on a one-year contract, but are still keen to reinforce a central midfield that was at times left threadbare during a relentless schedule of fixtures in the second half of last season.

David Luiz was used as an emergency midfielder on a number of occasions but Mourinho wants an experienced operator to provide competition for Lampard, Ramires and John Obi Mikel, who has been the subject of speculation about a move to Galatasaray.

Real Madrid & Paris Saint-Germain rival Chelsea in race for De Rossi

 The Italy international has held summit talks with Roma chiefs about his future at the Stadio Olimpico, with the club prepared to listen to offers above €17.5 million

By Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent

Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are ready to rival Chelsea in the race to sign Daniele De Rossi.

The Roma midfielder met with the club’s sporting director Walter Sabatini earlier this week to discuss his future after returning from international duty at the Confederations Cup with Italy.

TRANSFER TALK
9/4	Chelsea are 9/4 with bet365 to win the Premier League next season

New coach Rudi Garcia wants to keep De Rossi, but he turns 30 later in July and will be allowed to leave the Giallorossi for around €17.5 million after a troubled 2012-13 season in which he lost his regular starting place in the heart of the midfield.

Chelsea opened preliminary talks with the Serie A club about signing De Rossi in June, while Madrid and PSG are understood to be also closely monitoring his situation.

Jose Mourinho is a long-standing admirer of De Rossi and tried to sign him in 2006 during his first spell at Stamford Bridge.

Competition from Madrid and PSG could drive up the price for a transfer which is also complicated by the major hurdle of the midfield anchorman's wage demands.

De Rossi, who was the subject of an offer from Manchester City last summer before committing himself to his boyhood club for another campaign, is believed to be one of the highest earners in Serie A, with a net salary of €6m-a-year, equivalent to around €222,000-a-week if taxes were included.

De Rossi joined Roma at 17 and has spent his entire professional career at the club, as well as becoming a key player for the Azzurri.

Despite having a contract that runs until 2017 and being a huge favourite of supporters at the Serie A club, De Rossi is understood to be interested in a new challenge and testing himself in the Premier League.

Chelsea have agreed a deal with Vitesse to sign 20-year-old midfielder Marco van Ginkel, as revealed by Goal in May, and have secured Frank Lampard on a one-year contract, but are still keen to reinforce a central midfield that was at times left threadbare during a relentless schedule of fixtures in the second half of last season.

David Luiz was used as an emergency midfielder on a number of occasions but Mourinho wants an experienced operator to provide competition for Lampard, Ramires and John Obi Mikel, who has been the subject of speculation about a move to Galatasaray.

You Can’t Be In PDP And Be Working For Another Party, Jonathan Tells Amaechi

President Goodluck Jonathan has stated in very clear terms that the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) would no longer tolerate any acts of indiscipline from its members.

The President made this known when the Rivers State chapter of the PDP, led by its Chairman, Mr. Felix Obuah, paid him a solidarity visit at the Presidential villa, a statement by his spokesperson, Reuben Abati, stated.
In a veiled reference to embattled Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, the President said no political office holder should use his position to work against the party that helped him to office.
While recalling that he always had an amicable and reliable working relationship with the people of Rivers State, Mr. Jonathan described them as “very reliable people” who do not speak from both sides of their mouths.
He also hailed the delegation that showed up for the meeting describing them as the ‘who is who’ in Rivers State.
“I have listened to the introductions and being a Rivers person, I know key political actors in Rivers State, the who’s who in Rivers State; and they are here. I want to thank you for building this political structure for the state, for the interest of Rivers State and to position Rivers State in the politics of the country,” the president said.

“To me, I have been working with people of Rivers State for quite some time before I got here. I have had a robust relationship with my brothers and sisters in Rivers State. They are very reliable people who I believe will not speak with both sides of their mouths.
“Rivers State is a key state to South-Easterners. It is a key state that needs very strong leadership, focused leadership, committed leadership and maximum political unity and stability. Otherwise anything could happen and affect the whole country,” he added.
Continuing, the President said, “for us to have a stable democracy we have to have a strong political party. And that is why we get worried when we notice some of the indiscipline in some of the political parties. And the new PDP that we are all working together for no longer tolerates this indiscipline.”
“All over the world parties are supposed to build on ideological differences. May be close, if you look at the classical case of SDP and NRC that were created by the military, their ideology was a little to the right and little to the left.
“That is the essence of politics. But in a situation where somebody is in a particular political party but his faith is in another political party…for those who are not holding political offices, yes you can be excused…but if you are holding an elective office you won’t be in that party and be working for another party. Otherwise, why are you there?” he added.

You Can’t Be In PDP And Be Working For Another Party, Jonathan Tells Amaechi

President Goodluck Jonathan has stated in very clear terms that the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) would no longer tolerate any acts of indiscipline from its members.

The President made this known when the Rivers State chapter of the PDP, led by its Chairman, Mr. Felix Obuah, paid him a solidarity visit at the Presidential villa, a statement by his spokesperson, Reuben Abati, stated.
In a veiled reference to embattled Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, the President said no political office holder should use his position to work against the party that helped him to office.
While recalling that he always had an amicable and reliable working relationship with the people of Rivers State, Mr. Jonathan described them as “very reliable people” who do not speak from both sides of their mouths.
He also hailed the delegation that showed up for the meeting describing them as the ‘who is who’ in Rivers State.
“I have listened to the introductions and being a Rivers person, I know key political actors in Rivers State, the who’s who in Rivers State; and they are here. I want to thank you for building this political structure for the state, for the interest of Rivers State and to position Rivers State in the politics of the country,” the president said.

“To me, I have been working with people of Rivers State for quite some time before I got here. I have had a robust relationship with my brothers and sisters in Rivers State. They are very reliable people who I believe will not speak with both sides of their mouths.
“Rivers State is a key state to South-Easterners. It is a key state that needs very strong leadership, focused leadership, committed leadership and maximum political unity and stability. Otherwise anything could happen and affect the whole country,” he added.
Continuing, the President said, “for us to have a stable democracy we have to have a strong political party. And that is why we get worried when we notice some of the indiscipline in some of the political parties. And the new PDP that we are all working together for no longer tolerates this indiscipline.”
“All over the world parties are supposed to build on ideological differences. May be close, if you look at the classical case of SDP and NRC that were created by the military, their ideology was a little to the right and little to the left.
“That is the essence of politics. But in a situation where somebody is in a particular political party but his faith is in another political party…for those who are not holding political offices, yes you can be excused…but if you are holding an elective office you won’t be in that party and be working for another party. Otherwise, why are you there?” he added.

How do you want to die?

How do you want to die?

Let's assert that you're almost certainly not going to be the very first person to live forever.

Also worth noting that you're probably going to die of natural causes.

The expectations we have for medical care are derived directly from marketing and popular culture. Marcus Welby and a host of medical shows taught us about the heroic doctor, and more than that, about the power of technology and intervention to reliably deliver a cure.

It's not a conspiracy--it's just the result of many industries that all profit from the herculean effort and expense designed to extend human life, sometimes at great personal cost.

Hence the question: Do you want to choose whether or not you will be a profit center in the ever scaling medical-industrial complex? One percent of the population accounts for 30% of all health care expenditures, and half of those people are elderly.

Most of that care is designed to prolong life, regardless of the cost, the pain or the impact on the family. A lot of doctors are uncomfortable with this, but they need you to speak up and make a choice (in advance) about what you'd like. Some people want the full treatment, intervention at all costs.

If that's your choice, go for it. But be clear, in writing, that you'd like to spare no expense and invest in every procedure, even if it's pointless and painful. Don't be selfish and let someone else have to guess.

On the other hand, you have the right to speak up and stand up and clearly state if you'd prefer the alternative. Many people prefer a quiet dignity that spares them and their family pain and trauma. But you have to do it now, because later is too late.

The web makes it easy to generate and sign a simple generic form. Or even better, go find theforms state by state. (If those pages are down, try a search on "health care proxy" and the name of your state.) [A reader also suggests MyDirectives.]  [And consider the Five Wishes.]

There are two critical components: assigning an individual to be your health care proxy, and then telling that proxy, in writing, what you'd like done (and not done) to you when the time comes.

If you've ever shared a post of mine, I hope you'll share this one. If every person who reads this sits down with her family and talks this through (and then tells a few friends), we'll make a magnificent dent in the cultural expectation of what happens last.

It's free, its not difficult, it takes five minutes. Do it today if you can, whatever your wishes are. Don't make the people you love guess and then live with the memory of that guessing.

Some things are more likely to happen if you plan for them. In this case, the end comes whether you plan for it or not. Planning merely makes it better.

How do you want to die?

How do you want to die?

Let's assert that you're almost certainly not going to be the very first person to live forever.

Also worth noting that you're probably going to die of natural causes.

The expectations we have for medical care are derived directly from marketing and popular culture. Marcus Welby and a host of medical shows taught us about the heroic doctor, and more than that, about the power of technology and intervention to reliably deliver a cure.

It's not a conspiracy--it's just the result of many industries that all profit from the herculean effort and expense designed to extend human life, sometimes at great personal cost.

Hence the question: Do you want to choose whether or not you will be a profit center in the ever scaling medical-industrial complex? One percent of the population accounts for 30% of all health care expenditures, and half of those people are elderly.

Most of that care is designed to prolong life, regardless of the cost, the pain or the impact on the family. A lot of doctors are uncomfortable with this, but they need you to speak up and make a choice (in advance) about what you'd like. Some people want the full treatment, intervention at all costs.

If that's your choice, go for it. But be clear, in writing, that you'd like to spare no expense and invest in every procedure, even if it's pointless and painful. Don't be selfish and let someone else have to guess.

On the other hand, you have the right to speak up and stand up and clearly state if you'd prefer the alternative. Many people prefer a quiet dignity that spares them and their family pain and trauma. But you have to do it now, because later is too late.

The web makes it easy to generate and sign a simple generic form. Or even better, go find theforms state by state. (If those pages are down, try a search on "health care proxy" and the name of your state.) [A reader also suggests MyDirectives.]  [And consider the Five Wishes.]

There are two critical components: assigning an individual to be your health care proxy, and then telling that proxy, in writing, what you'd like done (and not done) to you when the time comes.

If you've ever shared a post of mine, I hope you'll share this one. If every person who reads this sits down with her family and talks this through (and then tells a few friends), we'll make a magnificent dent in the cultural expectation of what happens last.

It's free, its not difficult, it takes five minutes. Do it today if you can, whatever your wishes are. Don't make the people you love guess and then live with the memory of that guessing.

Some things are more likely to happen if you plan for them. In this case, the end comes whether you plan for it or not. Planning merely makes it better.