IPocolypse – The Rise of the Humanoids

Posted by Recruiterpoet - Professionalism With Flare on May 16, 2012
Posted in: Innovation, Technology, IPad, IPhone, Cameron Crowe, Ipocolypse, Tablet, Computer, Humanoid, Speed. Leave a Comment

Thank you Cameron Crowe for your return to the emotionally driven director that reaches deep into our hearts and reminds us of the values and ideals that bring us happiness and love. It is your vision that has inspired millions. For that and for the term used in the title, I thank you.

Now why am I ranting and raving about Cameron Crowe you ask?

We Bought a Zoo, the latest film by Cameron Crowe offered up the term IPocolypse and it fit perfectly with my latest message. For those of you that know me, I am a bit of a reversal of fortune when it comes to technological advancement. I am not starting a renaissance to stop advancement, but I am doing my part to delay the inevitable. It does not take years of scientific research to know that holding a mini computer (yes a smartphone is a mini computer) against your body 12 to 14 hours a day and next to you in bed all night will have an adverse affect on your health with its radiation release. Therefore, I do not have a cancer tablet, aka smartphone nor do I engage in Facebook. It is a slow evolutionary change but it has put me in a better place.

Give me a copy of The Philadelphia Story on VHS with Kathryn Hepburn and Cary Grant, a couple of candles and a warm comforter and you won my heart for the night.

What is IPocolyspse?

IPocolyspse is the destruction of mankind by way of technology. I certainly cannot foresee the future, but I have a theory that the smartphone is the transition stage from humanity to humanoid life. It makes sense. If all humans carry a mini computer 24/7, through the process of evolution, we will mold the two together to create a civilization of humanoids. Soon two will become one. The idea of human interaction with emotion will be replaced by programmed sensors sending impulses providing artificial intelligence, emotion, calculated reaction and implementation. The element of connection will be a catch phrase from the past and the simplicity of life will be replaced by a series of cyborg interfaces. I know this prediction is well into the future and will not affect us but for the next several generations, the future is questionable.

How much time are you spending with your smartphone, tablet or laptop?
Can you leave your phone at home?

There was a time when most of us had land lines and when we left home, there was a device called an answering machine that recorded anything we missed. My how times have changed. DVRs, Blue ray, surround sound, 3D, Wii, apps and games have all become our friends creating a society of alienated narcissistic loners. Maybe some are happy with this transformation, but this writer is not.

Writing is about release of human emotion. It is about the risk of opening up your heart and letting others inside the frailty that is humanity. The love letter, as ancient as it sounds, has a level of poetic justice that cannot be matched. It was a personal gesture from a prince to his princess in a time of chivalry. It was a declaration of unconditional commitment. Now we send a text saying “What’s up”, “wanna hang” or “we’re kickin it at the IMAX”. Its it similar, quicker, more efficient? Duh, yes but more efficient is not necessarily better.

In the age of computers, efficiency and speed is better.

Now we have a dilemma on our hands.
With the move to speed, availability and efficiency driving us away from human interaction and toward technology solutions is this where we really want to be?

Ask the lovers, the moms, the dads, the artists, the poets, the writers, the dreamers and I think you know the answer.

You can Photoshop a sunset over the ocean with the colors of the rainbow and post on Facebook and Google+ to see how many likes you get or you can lay out a blanket with someone you love and watch the sun slowly disappear under the ocean’s surface to rest for another night.

The future is up to you. It is up to each of us. I can’t stop the influx of smartphone and tablet users. I think many in the back of their mind know the cancer and health risks, but I can do my part to walk away and live the life I want to live.

Wasting Time – Original Poem

Posted by Recruiterpoet - Professionalism With Flare on May 14, 2012
Posted in: Uncategorized. 2 comments

Are we looking for something right before our blind eyes?
Am I running to or from a wave of love destroying the past and cleansing the path to the future?

Waste is time bottled up in the distance of our minds

I walk alone with you by my side empty streets remind me of the steps embedded in our life’s journey

In the darkness and silence of uncertainty, the battle ensues

Blood will shed and sacrifices made with a vision of victory hailing in the clouds of a new tomorrow

Take my hand and let me by your hero

To all the Moms – A Celebration of your unconditional love

Posted by Recruiterpoet - Professionalism With Flare on May 11, 2012
Posted in: Cat Stevens, Family, Mom, Mother, Mother's Day, Tribute. Leave a Comment

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” ~Tenneva Jordan

“Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs… since the payment is pure love.” ~Mildred B. Vermont

“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.” ~Author Unknown

“When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.” ~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty

“Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible.” ~Marion C. Garretty

“Mother – that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries.” ~T. DeWitt Talmage

“The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men – from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms.” ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

“I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” ~Abraham Lincoln

“You don’t really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around – and why his parents will always wave back.” ~William D. Tammeus

“Mother, the ribbons of your love are woven around my heart.” ~Author Unknown

“A mom’s hug lasts long after she lets go.” ~Author Unknown

“Who fed me from her gentle breast
And hushed me in her arms to rest,
And on my cheek sweet kisses prest?
My Mother.”
~Ann Taylor

“A mother’s heart is a patchwork of love.” ~Author Unknown

“On Mother’s Day I have written a poem for you. In the interest of poetic economy and truth, I have succeeded in concentrating my deepest feelings and beliefs into two perfectly crafted lines: You’re my mother, I would have no other!” ~Forest Houtenschil

“Mom, when thoughts of you are in our hearts, we are never far from home.” ~Author Unknown

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” ~Washington Irving

“Most mothers are instinctive philosophers.” ~Harriet Beecher Stowe

“Before a day was over,
Home comes the rover,
For mother’s kiss – sweeter this
Than any other thing!”
~William Allingham

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ~Marcel Proust

“A man’s work is from sun to sun, but a mother’s work is never done.” ~Author Unknown

“Sing out loud in the car even, or especially, if it embarrasses your children.” ~Marilyn Penland

“No language can express the power, and beauty, and heroism, and majesty of a mother’s love. It shrinks not where man cowers, and grows stronger where man faints, and over wastes of worldly fortunes sends the radiance of its quenchless fidelity like a star.” ~Edwin Hubbell Chapin

“The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.” ~Honoré de Balzac

“Motherhood has a very humanizing effect. Everything gets reduced to essentials.” ~Meryl Streep

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” ~Washington Irving

Do you ever just feel tired?

Posted by Recruiterpoet - Professionalism With Flare on May 9, 2012
Posted in: depression, Despair, isolulation, Life, Loneliness, weary. Leave a Comment

Do you ever look in the mirror and question whose reflection you are seeing?
You haven’t aged more than a day but you look and feel much older than your years.

Sometimes life just beats you down so hard that it is difficult to mentally overcome all the obstacles being thrown your way. It has a way of spiraling you into a state of depression. One where it is easier to admit defeat than fight your way out of it.

For some it is illness, a damaged relationship, job loss, keeping a family together, a tragedy or a combination of things that piles up on your shoulders that you feel like a thousand pounds of weight bearing down on you.

It is in that moment of darkness that you realign your perceptions of life and begin to ask yourself some questions. How superficial was my life before? All the pet peeves I had were meaningless in respect to the suffering around us? What purpose and meaning do I serve in this life? It is these deep fetching questions that just compound the sense of despair.

Life is hard. I can quote until the cows come home the words of great literary writers and poets, but the words are nothing more than ink on paper. It is when the breaths become harder, the silences more deafening and the loneliness so isolated that reality really sets in.

What then?

You can sift through all your old photo albums and remember your childhood and how you had no responsibility, you were invincible and everything was simple and innocent but those are nothing but mere memories; reflections on past moments. The unknown is in front of you. If life is this hard now, will it get easier? The likelihood is not.

This by no means is a proclamation that suicide is an option or to run away to a remote island somewhere away from all communication. This is the life we lead. We think about our grandparents that went from not having phone or TV to all this. What a remarkable evolution. Maybe we can look back and say times were easier back in the day and now technology is corrupting us, but that is nothing more than a set of excuses.

I don’t know the answer. I don’t even one when you stop being tired. I don’t even have advise at this point on how to overcome. Many are fortunate to have family, friends, values and faith that guide them through what seems overwhelming. Some do not. Maybe clinging on to the few things that are consistent is the right start.

Whatever the answer is, we are listening. I guess in the end, whether you are friend, foe or stranger, if you can help someone, in a way you are helping yourself by given yourself a sense of purpose and achievement in making another life better, even for a moment.

Life’s Stage – Original Poem

Posted by Recruiterpoet - Professionalism With Flare on May 9, 2012
Posted in: Action, Frailty, Life, Poem, Poetry, Recruiterpoet, Stage, Writing. Leave a Comment

I saw you yesterday hypnotizing my emotional frailty like a circle in the wall spinning away from my mind

Writers and prophets tattoo forever a moment in time etched into the foundation of compassionate retreat

The words spray painted in our minds, dripping of blood from the crying children of yesterday

Home is a friend in need when the need of friendship is the glue holding us apart from a puzzle that has no end

Chimes of the passing seconds erase now leaving only memories hidden over our shoulders in the distance

We retreat to the safety of danger awakened by life and frightened by the notion of accepting our existence wrapped in the cornerstone of realistic fantasy

Dream away your life, live out your dreams

Tomorrow is the only way to hold on to yesterday

Act one, life begins and action….

Lessons Learned from Californication

Posted by Recruiterpoet - Professionalism With Flare on May 6, 2012
Posted in: Californication, Family, Hank Moody, Lessons, Life, Love, Writing. Leave a Comment

Whether you are a fan or a loather of Californication you must accept the notion that the power of the show is influential and the character development and story lines take on a very rare element in Hollywood: realism. This is a show about flaws. None of us in life are perfect. We all make mistakes and all live with the consequences of those actions. This show has not only dared to force us to look at ourselves but helps us laugh and smile at our own misfortune.

Hank Moody is a man with ideals, a damaged soul in a world lost for direction. He embraces his passions while falling victim to his vices. He is a man that is within all of us. Through his words and his unconditional protection for his family, we see the true guardian who, through the power of love, fights the good fight. In the end, we don’t know if Hank or anyone in his circle will find the Yellow Brick Road, but for those that have discovered Californication, we love the ride.

Over the coarse of five seasons, the words, the music, the relationships have given me room for thought and have challenged my personal pursuits as a writer and a dreamer.

I want to share a few moments that have continued to leave an impact on me and I feel will have a similar effect on you.

Your homework, if you chose to accept it is to feel the power of this rare exceptional piece of television.

Remember:

We all have the ability to love.
We all have the ability to dream.
We will all fail but never stop trying to succeed.

Love of Family (Family isn’t perfect but in the end, they never stop caring)

True Love (When you know she/he is the one)

Say Goodbye with dignity and integrity

Never stop loving your child..Never

The Future is unknown (Sometimes you just have to drive)

Relationships are hard, Life is harder

I Broke Up with Facebook…And I’m doing ok

Posted by Recruiterpoet - Professionalism With Flare on May 6, 2012
Posted in: break up, Culture, Deactivate, Facebook, Loneliness, narcissism, Society. 3 comments

It has been almost two weeks since I broke up with Facebook.
I have not liked, shared, checked-in or uploaded anything and it feels quite refreshing.

How ironic, on the cusp of perhaps the biggest IPO in history that will make a few key individuals billionaires within minutes, I have chosen to break up.

This is by no means finite. I downloaded my file to a zip and I can re-activate at any time. Please don’t shed any tears.

Before we move forward, there are several key points that need to be made:

1. I do much of my professional duties in the Social Media space.
2. I manage a successful blog and chose to walk away from the biggest social network in the world and currently the #2 ranked website in the world (Alexa.com Ranking of Facebook)). Yet there has been no significant decrease in traffic.
3. Since deactivation which removes all comments, likes and administrator duties, only 4 of my 1075 even noticed
4. Without the ability to share every activity of my life with pictures, video and commentary, I do not feel any less valued by society.

Now back to the story.

A recent study came out indicating that Facebook is increasing levels of loneliness and narcissism in people. Duh! A need for instant affirmation is critical with status updates, pictures, videos, comments, likes and shares. For those that stay at home and scroll down on all their friends and contacts out and about doing fun and exciting things could create a sense of loneliness and lack of societal value. That just saved thousands of dollars and labor hours. I should do more of these studies.

Why now do we feel we need instant gratification for each and every move of our lives? Is it society that has always been this way and now we have a tool to feed on these actions or has this tool contributed to the evolution of a new way of life? Interesting coffee time discussion if you ask me.

Whether it is an IPad, laptop or mobile device, millions of people around the globe are creating their own small version of The Truman Show. We are all open for broadcast 24/7 whether anyone is watching or not. Who is our target audience? Is it our friends, our family or ourselves? Maybe in a way, we need to document the timeline of our life to validate its importance to ourselves. These visual journals may create the perception of a higher sense of worth.

Facebook has given us the tool to bring us to the highest levels of happiness and depression almost simultaneously.

Divorce, Stalking, Crime – Facebook Style

Has Facebook become the new face of divorce? Not necessarily marriage divorce alone but relationship divorce. How many relationships are not official until it says so on Facebook. How many break ups happen because your significant other was seen doing something inappropriate or became friends with an attractive person.

Transition into the new face of stalking? Oh stalking. Now you can check up on your friends, your significant other, a potential candidate, a potential vendor, contractors or anyone. Not only does your profile reveal so much but your pictures, likes, comments are all becoming more and more public. All of this allows us to create (in our minds) a picture of who we think you are. If I see you curse on a comment or show what I feel is an inappropriate picture, will I not hire you? If you believe in something I am against, will I not become friends with you? Hmmmm interesting.

Has anything thought through the idea of crime. Take for a moment to think about a family going to Orlando, Florida for a week. They send pictures from the road, laughing with Mickey, dancing at night and all is peachy in the world. Now that means there is a likelihood the house is vacant. Is it that hard to use the White Pages, find an address and burglarize the house? I think not.

Situation #2, take a jaded ex-girlfriend, ex-boyfriend, old boss or criminal that you put away with your witness testimony. If you continue to check in everywhere you go, you take the mystery away from someone who is trying to hurt you to find you.

None of this is new.
Safety and security concerns has come under constant scrutiny on Facebook for years but it is not stopping millions from becoming part of this global domination community.

Facebook is more than a social network
It is more than a business model
It is more than a community sharing device.
It is shaping a world that is weak to cultural acceptance
We all want to belong and what better place than the biggest virtual network in the world.

When we look back 50 years from now and there are more humanoids than humans, this could have been the catalyst that started us on the road to disconnection. It could be the moment that changed the face of Earth.

I have often asked myself, when did things start to go wrong…2003

Now as I begin week three single from Facebook, I can say the following things:

1. I have not thought being on the site.
2. It is very refreshing not having your work, lifestyle and relationships under constant radar.
3. It has freed up more time to live.
4. It’s only a social network. There are many many many more including but not limited to: Our Bucket List, Pinterest,
LinkedIn, Twitter, Deviant Art, Live Journal and Google+,

Whether you stay on Facebook or not is a personal choice and this article is not meant to sway you either way. Just make sure at the end of the day, you are happy.

The Will To Be – Original Poem

Posted by Recruiterpoet - Professionalism With Flare on May 6, 2012
Posted in: Inspiration, Journey, Poem, Poetry, Recruiterpoet, Risk, soul searching, Writing. 2 comments

I may lose the battle but you’ve given me the will to try

You are my sight when I have no eyes
You are a voice of reason when I am speechless
You are the guide in my journey for my legs are numb

The thorns cut my skin and blood drips on the beautiful rose in a cascade of nature and humanity

It is with passion that I say these words
It is with love I have the strength to wander into the temple of darkness
Risking the safety of all that is familiar
Stepping away from the rising sun and entering the eclipse of light

Now; the birth of a moment
Take my hand
With your gentle skin I melt into your fortress

The philosophy of sanity is your bible
Echoing the silent lessons of innovators of past

Acceptance of the end is only the beginning
Greatness is within reach and you have exalted all that is right

With a kiss, I am indebted

Name the Next Book – Your Vote is needed to help us decide

Posted by Recruiterpoet - Professionalism With Flare on May 4, 2012
Posted in: book title, Competition, Poetry, prose, Publication, Writing. 3 comments

The third installation of poetry and prose is close to publication.
For this next edition, I am teaming up with the editor of Sonni’s Abyss, Raquel Avila for a duel effort. Along with Caryn Hull, editor for book II and III and one of the most amazing poets alive, we are seeking your assistance in titling the next book.

We have compiled a number of possible titles and we would like your opinion.

Please help us continue to share the beauty of writing (Please comment below with your vote):

When Hearts Collide: A Collection of Poetry & Prose

Passages: A Collection of Poetry & Prose

Two Lives Intertwined: A Collection of Poetry & Prose

Betrayal and Friendship: A Collection of Poetry & Prose

Connections of Love and Hate: A Collection of Poetry & Prose

Love and Hate: A Collection of Poetry & Prose

Just Breathe: A Collection of Poetry and Prose

A Journey of Discovery: A Collection of Poetry and Prose

Merry Go Round of Memories: A Collection of Poetry and Prose

Together at Last: A Collection of Poetry and Prose

This Time Around: A Collection of Poetry and Prose

Top Attributes of a Strong Candidate in the New Economy

Posted by Recruiterpoet - Professionalism With Flare on May 3, 2012
Posted in: Attributes, Candidates, Career planning, Communications, Creativity, Cultural fit, Employees, New Normal, Skills, Teamwork, Technology. 1 comment

Don’t fear the new economy…Embrace it!

We have officially stepped into the new normal. The evolution of the job market has witnessed some dramatic change in the last decade. Automation, operational cost management, productivity efficiency and M&A have bestowed a new workforce. One that is driven by higher expectations of performance and stronger measurable results. With less opportunities available and more pressure to succeed, what attributes are potential employers seeking in their candidates?

Do you have what it takes to make a difference? With the ever increasing competition, a candidate must look at an application like an audition for a Broadway show. You stand on line back stage for hours and hours and then finally when you get your moment, you have the stage alone with the spotlight on you and 30 seconds to impress five strangers whose shadows lurk in the distance.

After all that effort, sweating and anxiety, it is now down to a waiting game.

How do you get that edge?
How do you make yourself stand out from the hundreds of other aspiring professionals?
Do you have the right characteristics to be the best?

Here are the some of the top attributes of a strong candidate.

1. Research

It is no longer enough to use the throw it and see what sticks approach to job hunting. You need to understand yourself and find the culture, environment, associate base and feel that will keep you focused, motivated and satisfied. Look within yourself and find out what makes you soar above the clouds. Are you a techie, a conservative, do you excel with process and structure or free flow? Do you believe in a chain of command or a flat organization? Do you want to be in a big global culture or a small intimate boutique? These are the questions you must address as you develop your personal marketing strategy and identify companies that are a “Fit”.

2. Long term growth potential

There was a time when two years and out was a common practice. You learned a new skill, job jumped and got a huge pay increase. Those days are dwindling away very quickly. Companies are investing in their human capital with more value placed on training, performance management, growth and challenge. If you are the type that wants to be part of an organization and continue to growth and harness your soft skills and technical skills, you will stand out.

3. Stability / Loyalty

I know what you are thinking, loyalty is dead. Businesses only care about profit and growth and not their associates. The truth is that you are the profits of the company. Without your expertise, those well oiled machines would not be moving very far. If you show that you believe in the mission, values, believe in the products and services, continue to give your best performance each and every day, that loyalty will pay off very well.

4. Creativity

In the workforce, as in life, many of us fall victim to routine and comfort. We get used to the same commuting route, the same restaurants and even the same way of preparing your coffee. Once a routine is developed, we tend to resist change and with that resistance comes the shackling of creativity. A strong professional will never stop mentally growing. These individuals always seek out need information and new ways of accomplishing tasks. As we look through history, it is the innovators from Da Vinci to Steve Jobs that have shaped culture. You of course do not have to be a universally known innovator, but never let your creative juices rest.

5. Motivation to go to the edge of reason

Throw out the normal. Throw out the accepted principles of life. Throw out process. Dare to take the ultimate risk. A strong performer will be present in meetings, will take in information, research the best possible options and implement effective resolution. Sometimes the answer is not about what has worked in the past, but what will work in the future. Thinking about the alternatives will open more doors and increase your probability of success. Being a risk taker does not always mean you will always be right, but it will define you as a leader of change.

Be fearless!

6. Technology

You don’t have to read the hundreds of thousands of blogs and articles to know that keeping up to date with technology is a critical skill set for any professional from an intern to a CEO. As the business world continues to shape and mold itself, one thing is certain, technology is leading the way. Whether that is cloud solutions, programming/systems or social media, we are only beginning a new age of technological advancement. You better be on this train.

7. Focus

Focus, focus, focus. We cannot emphasis enough about career focus. Every great performer has a set of skills that are strong, consistent and focused. Look at the career of a great leader in industry and as you review their LinkedIn profile or resume you will see their academics, professional experience and social experience are very focused. Look at the profiles of people in your circle (Facebook or Pinterest and you will see certain interest and attributes that are translated well in the personal and professional lives of these individuals. Your career is merely an extension of your own life. That is an important aspect to remember.

8. Compassion, adaptability and teamwork

A great candidate is involved. They share resources and expertise but they also participate in gatherings. A work experience is a complete experience. That includes birthday celebrations, stressful deadlines, client interface, collaboration, routine and even water cooler talk. A strong candidate is adaptable to the diversity of their colleagues and can make proper adjustments to be part of the community. With acceptance is compassion. A career is also being part of a family and this includes deaths, marriages, engagements and other life changes.

Whether you are an individual contributor, strategic leader or on a collaborative team you will be leaned upon for assistance as well as put in a position where you will need assistance. Creating honest alliances will help make life in the office more productive and will extend further to friendships and more.

9. Believe in yourself

As you stand on the starting line, looking at the runners to your left and to your right and await the sound of the gun, your heart races, adrenaline levels are rising and the feeling of competition hits new levels. Your blood is racing as you now realize that all the months and years of hard work come down to the next 10 seconds. Do you have the will to win?

How exciting was that?

If you don’t believe you can win, all the intellect, power and skill will not get you to the finish line.
The first step is the hardest, maintaining that belief in yourself maybe just as hard but the reward at the end is so worth it.

Now you have an edge on the other career seekers so go and get your dream job!