Training Yourself: The 21st Century Credential

by Race Bannon on March 10, 2012

Training Yourself: The 21st Century Credential
By Charles D. Hayes
Published by Autodidactic Press

This tiny book is deceiving. When you first hold it you wonder if much wisdom can be contained in such a small volume. It can. I read this short work in a single session. The writing is to the point with a lot of good information and advice scattered throughout.

The essence of the book’s message is that education (learning) is something you “take” rather than “receive.” Rather than viewing education as a passive exercise of being taught as the only practical method of learning, education is viewed as an active undertaking. Along with fostering this refereshing approach to education, the author emphasizes the importance of self education in maintaining excellence and competitiveness in the modern workplace.

Anyone, and I mean anyone, can benefit from the information and advice in this book. Buy a bunch and give them to friends as gifts. I gave my entire corporate staff each a copy as a gift.

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How To Improve Your Writing

by Race Bannon on March 9, 2012

I believe the ability to write well is one of the vital skills that improves our chances in the employment marketplace as well as in life generally. I can attribute much of my income and personal success over the years to my writing skills. So how does one improve writing skill? Here are some tips based on my experience.

  • Read. You might say that reading isn’t writing. True, but do it because it’s by reading and consuming other people’s writing that our brain clues into the various approaches to structure, tone, style, voice and content. Good writers read a lot. That’s an observation consistently mentioned by good writers. I consider my voracious reading habit to be one of the reasons my writing has been good enough to make me a decent living.
  • Don’t sweat the grammar. There are all sorts of grammar rules. And they are great to know. But learning them in the abstract without actually experiencing them in the written word itself is rarely a good way to learn them. Grammar is assimilated over time by reading good writing and by the constant self-examination of our own writing. The grammar just happens.
  • Create writing opportunities. Sometimes we need to create writing opportunities to encourage ourselves to write more. Perhaps make it a project to write detailed thank you letters to people you’ve been meaning to thank. Maybe when you create that Facebook post you can hone the writing a bit more than you might typically for a casual post. Anytime you write try to write better, more clearly, more concisely.
  • Blog. Blogs like this one are great avenues for writing. Having a blog encourages you to write. Knowing that your writing will be seen by anyone on the web who navigates to your page inspires you to write well. Blogs aren’t that difficult to set up and manage these days. And personal blogs are fun!
  • Write daily. Develop the habit of writing daily. It’s consistent usage and improvement of your writing that will make you a better writer. It does not happen overnight. Good writers develop over time. Consider regular personal journal writing so that no one will see your writing. That way you can write without pressure and easily experiment with your writing style.
  • Swap writing with a friend. Make a deal with a friend who also wants to improve their writing. Exchange writing and comment on and edit each other’s work. All writing can be improved when seen through the eyes of someone else.
  • Read your writing out loud. It’s astounding how many errors, clumsy phrases and otherwise bad writing are revealed when you hear it spoken aloud.
  • Assimilate writing tips over time. Google the phrases “how to write better” and “how to improve writing” and any other similar permutations. You’ll see hundreds of online resources to offer you tips and guidance on how to write better.

The most important thing to remember is that writing skill develops slowly over time. Keep working at it. Everyone, even the best of writers, can become better writers.

Do you have some writing tips that work for you? Please share them here by commenting.

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One Year Without a Car

by Race Bannon on February 24, 2012

This week marks the one-year anniversary of me living without a car. Well, not quite. The men I live with have cars and I am able to borrow them on the rare occasion I need one, but I have essentially lived without a car for a year now. It’s been an interesting experience.

The decision to live without a car was not entirely mine. I took my old 2001 Ford Escort in for an oil change about 12 months ago where they convinced me to also do a radiator flush. Unfortunately, they neglected to put any fluid back in the radiator after they flushed it. Oops! I made it home, but the next day when I tried to start the car the engine froze shortly thereafter and the car was trashed.

I was in mild shock. It marked the first time since 1981 I had been without a working car. I decided to work past my shock and dismay and see if this might become an opportunity.

Rather than pursue legal action with the oil change venue and all the angst that might cause, I decided instead to just let it go and donate the car to a nonprofit organization, get the tax writeoff, and experiment with living without a car for a while. Needless to say, the experiment paid off. One year later I do not regret my decision to live without a car. And I will be the first to admit living in San Francisco, a dense urban area with lots of transportation options, makes not owning a car a lot easier.

The benefits from not owning a car have far outweighed the downsides. I’ve crunched the numbers and I’ve saved a lot of money. A lot. Even using more public transit, taxis, car services and the occasional car rental has not amounted to anywhere near what maintaining an automobile does. And my car was an old, cheap 2001 model. The differential if I owned a more expensive, current model would be significantly greater. I have also noticed less stress without having to wash, gas up, maintain and park a car. Overall, the reduction in cost and stress has been dramatic for me.

If you live in an area that allows you to not own a car, consider it as an option. Maybe do an experiment with not using your car for a while to see if it might work for you. It might help you save money, reduce stress, and take one more vehicle off the roads. It worked for me.

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The Formula – Chapter 2

by Race Bannon on January 17, 2012

This is a chapter of a writing experiment I’m undertaking for what I hope will be a novel someday. I know the basic premise, the title, and a few things about the main character. The rest is being written without much of a plan. The book started with this post. You can click on The Formula – A Novel under Categories to see the entire set of chapters to date.

Mike stepped through the door as Jake opened it. Mike Crowe, a tall and strikingly handsome man, entered wearing classic black silk pajamas and slippers, a cup of coffee already in hand. “Hey there Jake.”

Mike bent over a bit and kissed Jake fully on the lips as Jake was closing the door. This is their standard greeting that often raises eyebrows when others witness it. Most write them off as foreigners for whom mouth kissing is part of their culture, or as gay lovers. It seems to bond their friendship, so Mike and Jake keep doing it. Since Mike is gay, or actually more specifically closer to a 4.5-5 on the Kinsey Scale, Jake is often assumed gay as well. They both find it amusing mostly. Mike said the first words.

“So we’re both in Las Vegas and we have no commitments ahead of us for a few days. What do you want to do?”

“I want to sleep in late, eat at a few great restaurants, see a few good shows. Just chill. We both need it.”

“Jake, nowhere in that list did I hear women. At least in your case isn’t that pretty much a necessity?”

Oddly enough, women were not at the forefront of Jake’s mind. As Mike so bluntly implied, they were typically an integral part to Jake’s existence. But the crazy schedule Jake had been keeping lately kept the opposite sex as a lower priority. Perhaps it was time to change that. Just didn’t seem so important this weekend. Hanging out with Mike seemed like more fun.

“No. Not saying I’d turn it down if a beautiful offer crossed my path, but let’s just hang out.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“And, by the way, couldn’t I say the same thing to you? No pursuit of men this weekend? Or are you still seeing that Brazilian?”

“Sort of still seeing the Brazilian, but since when does that matter? You know me.”

“True.”

“So, how was the last adventure? Sorry I couldn’t help. Fashion Week always heats up this time of year and I like the energy there. Got a few great gigs.”

Jake found amusing Mike’s passion for one of the two careers he’s well known for, modeling. It just didn’t seem to sync with the more intellectual Mike that Jake had known since high school. Freshmen year in high school to freshmen year in college was a period of astounding transformation for Mike. He went from bookwormish average meek guy to movie star handsome outgoing stud without losing the smarts.

Jake began to recount his last case (or adventure as Mike preferred calling them).

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There Is Hope For Education

by Race Bannon on January 4, 2012

Today I was having lunch at my favorite lunchtime spot here in my Castro neighborhood in San Francisco. At a nearby table I overheard a conversation that brightened my spirits considerably and gave me hope that our educational system is not a lost cause.

I was so taken with the conversation that I took out my pad and began to jot down the conversation as best I could because I already knew it was prompting me to write this post. (Yes, I eavesdrop sometimes. I learn a lot that way.)

My awareness of the conversation started when I overheard a man saying “So that’s why I chose the academy for my schooling. I have some learning disabilities and at my community college I was on my own. I got no real help from anyone there. It just didn’t work for me. Now I’m on my own, but in a different way and I get lots of help and support in my self-education along with the classes. This works for me in ways regular college classes didn’t.”

As the conversation progressed it became clear that the woman sitting with the man was some type of educational counselor who was likely associated with the academy to which the man referred. She was listening intently as the man explained his situation.

The man continued. “I know there’s no one around this month for me to work with. So my plan is to do a lot of work on my own and then utilize the support and coaching services afterward to help me with any questions that come up from the school work.

The counselor agreed that this was a good approach and gave him strong encouragement and support for the approach he came up with for his own educational goals. Then she began to discuss the associated internship and career development that evidently the man was part of that paralleled his official class work. The man sounded truly excited, motivated and energized about it. He kept explaining how this more self-defined approach to his education, with a real-life internship component, within a formal program that gave him support and guidance, was a much better fit for him and how he liked to learn. He was very excited about it all. How cool.

Then the man talked about looking forward to the three classes he was taking: graphic design, web tools, and American history. Interestingly, he was especially excited about American history because when he took such a class at his previous school he felt he got little out of it and it was actually a subject he was extremely interested in. If you could have heard this guy’s voice, you would have sensed the excitement he had for learning and exploring subjects he was interested in using a learning approach that stylistically really worked for him as someone with learning disabilities and as someone who didn’t feel he fit into the usual classroom-based approach to education.

Then he began to talk about the development of his portfolio and he got really excited. He mentioned how he had previously sought a job in his target field of interest (not sure what field exactly) and that he never got a serious offer from his interviews. He mentioned that the interviewers were mostly interested in his portfolio of work, not his formal education, and he was clearly ecstatic he had found a program that allowed him to pursue his education while building his portfolio at the same time.

The counselor spoke up. “A few things. First, I’m always available to you. Call me. Email me. Text me. Whatever. Reach out to me when you need me. That’s what I’m here for. That goes for your instructors as well. Never hesitate to reach out to your instructors, and to your fellow students, using the various social media and other contact mechanisms we’ve provided to get answers and collaborate with others. Second, I’m glad you’re excited about building your portfolio. It is going to be your calling card to a great job and career eventually. We’ve learned this as we’ve worked with other students.”

Then the man discussed one of his past college instructors saying that she wasn’t a tough grader. Sure, he got an A- in the class, but he knew the whole time he wasn’t getting much out of the class and she was just going through the motions and being overly generous with grades. She was basically a lazy teacher and it bothered him. He wanted someone who challenged him, engaged him, worked with him to achieve rather than just go through the motions. This guy was obviously self-motivated and it was heartening to hear it.

When I finished my lunch I got up and had to say something. I turned to the man and said “I apologize for eavesdropping. All I want to say to you is that you’re going to be incredibly successful in life with your attitude. Keep it up.” I turned to the woman and said “Keep doing what you’re doing. You’re helping people in ways that will impact them positively for the rest of their lives. What a wonderful gift you’re giving your students.” They were a bit stunned, but clearly pleased, and they thanked me as I quickly departed.

This all left me with some hope for the future of education. If it could happen for this guy, it could happen for any student. If this educational program existed for him and in my city of San Francisco, it could exist anywhere for anyone. Creative approaches to education are the only solution to improve what has often become a terribly broken system. Honoring self-education and self-motivation while simultaneously providing instruction, guidance and coaching when needed is a far better way to educate than to simply dole out facts and ideas and ask the student to regurgitate them back through testing. I left that restaurant with hope. It was a great feeling.

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M.I.T.x Launches Offering Free Online Education

by Race Bannon on December 30, 2011

I think the future lies in self-education. The ability of an individual to self-educate is what I think will differentiate the successful from the non-successful in the coming years. Knowledge and skill sets grow and change so quickly these days that it’s only through self-education that someone will be able to keep up with the times, both from a professional and personal development standpoint.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) has announced that they intend to launch an online learning initiative called M.I.T.x. The courses will be available free of charge to anyone with an online connection.

This is a really big deal. M.I.T. is doing a wonderful thing by launching this initiative and they are to be commended for their efforts.

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Informal Learning Recognition

by Race Bannon on December 26, 2011

I am looking forward to the day when the knowledge, skill and experience we possess will mean as much (or more hopefully) than a college degree. College will remain an important option for many, but I see a future ahead where its importance will lessen over time.

The world we now live in moves so fast with domains of knowledge and skill shifting and maturing at such a rapid rate that static credentialing of such knowledge and skill will mean less and less over time. Ongoing, lifelong learning is the only viable option that makes sense and informal learning is an important component of lifelong learning.

Check out this interesting article discussing the potential of informal learning eventually carrying the same weight as college degrees. Let me know your thoughts.

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Acknowledging Kindness

by Race Bannon on December 25, 2011

I just returned from a visit with my parents. I had a wonderful time. I love them so much. And I got to spend some quality time chatting with my dad.

Since it was nearing Christmas, as we sat at the kitchen table my dad was busily writing out his annual Christmas cards to those he wanted to reach out to. But my dad doesn’t do that like many folks do. My dad takes the time to carefully personalize each and every card. He writes a heartfelt note or wish or something that lets the reader know he actually cares. When I was a child my dad wrote a unique poem to me to accompany every gift I received at Christmas (he really did, always amazed me).

For a few of the cards written to those he interacts with on a regular basis, my dad (and mom) not only includes a nice message, but where appropriate include a small amount of thank you cash. They do this for the car valets who take such good care of them when they park their car (they live in Las Vegas where this is common). They do this for their favorite wait staff at their favorite restaurants. They do this for their postman who delivers their mail with care each day. And so on.

What this demonstrated to me was a lesson my father taught me all my life – acknowledge kindness. In this sometimes callous world we live in, it’s important to remember there are some truly great people in it. Some people who provide us with services or products do so with a true dedication to doing it well and with a friendly and caring attitude. In sort, they are kind people.

Of course, it’s important to not only acknowledge kindness from those who provide us services or products, but to anyone in our lives who treat us kindly. There are kind people everywhere. I just happened become acutely aware of it as my dad was thanking certain people.

Not only does acknowledging kindness make the receivers feel good, but it makes the giver feel good. We are biochemically built to react wonderfully when treating others well. Additionally, acknowledging kindness fosters more kindness. When people have good behavior acknowledged, that behavior is reinforced and they are more likely to continue it with other people. Acknowledging kindness begets kindness with a chain reaction that permeates their lives and the lives they touch. How wonderful is that!

So acknowledge the kindness you receive in your life. It will make them feel good. It will make you feel good. And it will foster even more kindness all around.

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College Conspiracy and Why We Must Foster Self-Education

by Race Bannon on December 16, 2011

I agree with the bulk of this video’s contentions when it comes to the college industrial complex being a scam much of the time. It’s why I feel fostering self-education skills, mentorship/internship programs, and leveraging technology for education is so important. We need to move away from the concept that everyone should get a traditional college education in favor of a range of options.

I don’t have the economics background to assess everything this video presents regarding economics, and I’m sure like everything there is a perspective the video producers have that not everyone shares, but I think this video is worth watching in its entirety. You can make up your own mind.

Let me know your thoughts.

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Embracing Our Regrets

by Race Bannon on December 3, 2011

This TED talk by Kathryn Schulz is worth watching. So often we push aside our regrets as something to be repressed and not dwelled upon. Perhaps that’s not such a good approach. Maybe we’re supposed to use the information our regrets, and the collective regrets of many, provide us to learn how to live a better life.

Check out the video and let me know what you think.

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