Santa Monica by Bike

I went to a Green Business Networking Event that provides the owners and decision-makers of socially- and environmentally-conscious businesses a time and place for connecting, sharing, deal-making and networking. It was at the Ambrose Hotel in Santa Monica. Which is aesthetically pleasing, though the bike racks leave something to be desired.  The staff did let me store my bike the Study Room though, that was extraordinarily kind of them.

The Green Business Networking Event takes place on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. It was  a good event to attend, I got a number of business cards that will be good for both school and personal related issues. From Solar Panel providers to Organic Landscaping Consultants, and even a LEED Accredited Financial Consultant.  More on the individual people and the companies in the future as I follow up and see which worth noting.

And in the spirit of being Green, I biked there from Eagle Rock.  It only took an hour and half, including the stopover at 710 Heliotrope drive for Scoops Ice Cream Shop. It's on the way, what's a 50 yard detour in an 18 mile trip? The travel time still beats out taking public transportation which would have taken 1 hour and 52 minutes. And public transportation beats out a car which would've cost the equivalent of $13.50.  It all depends on your frame of reference, and priorities of what is important, time, money, individual health.

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The return trip was a slightly different route (Santa Monica Blvd all the way to Sunset Blvd, then down to Silver Lake), and it took less than an hour. I felt safe the entire time considering it started at 9pm at night.

Cheat Neutral...

This is a fantastic parody of Carbon Offsetting over at CheatNeutral.  Just as the US Government considers whether to trade or tax carbon emissions. How long have Carbon Offsets been around I wonder, and there is already talk of possible fraud.

I've been somewhat unsure about Carbon Offsetting.  It was never so clear until a man commented on the CheatNeutral idea (at point 2:12 of the YouTube). The greatness of this whole act is the power of framing (or reframing). It is very successful in pointing out the gaps in certain aspects of behavior. 

I had a final thought about how framing is a great tool in creative development when one feels writer's/designer's/etc block. Just think about some aspect of what you're working on in a new context, how does that change what you're working on and push it forward?

via inhabitat.

English Ivy (Hedera Helix)

An indoor houseplant that requires very little sun.  It is normally a ground cover plant, so it will require trimming from time to time.  It only needs to be watered when the soil is dry.  Be sure to have drainage for the plant, less you drown it when you water it.  It can be divided after it reaches certain size.

It is also among 17 indoor houseplants noted by NASA to help improve indoor air quality. It is also good at removing the following specific chemicals formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide.  Two plants per 100 square feet is recommended to keep the air pure and healthy.

Multitasking

I'm not so good at it.  I realized this a while ago when I was typing on my computer while having a DVD running in the background.  I found I wasn't able to focus on what I was typing, and at the same time, I wasn't enjoying the movie as much as I could.

As of recent, I've found much more enjoyment in doing one task at a time. Putting my attention towards a single task allows me to consider it, focus, and take more enjoyment out of it.

Goal Setting

While cleaning up my room, I've found a valuable tool in setting goals.  Originally I started out by going through my room discarding random effects that had little value to me anymore.  I also put aside objects that I wasn't sure what to do with at that point in time.  I thought to myself, I'll know what to do with it in the future.  The problem is, I've done that countless times before, set things aside for my future self to take care of. Thanks a lot Past-Nathan.  No longer though.

I then opened Pages (Mac's Word Processor) and typed myself out a few goals. I then went back through my stacks of junk and successfully sorted it. I know I was successful because I had sorted it according to my goals. They allowed me to know when I was done. Closure is a fantastic feeling.

How To Leave A Voicemail

1. Move the Conversation Forward

2. Be Brief (try for under 1 minute)

3. Leave Your Number

4. Speak Clearly

The rest of this post is backstory to those rules. I've started listening to another Podcast on iTunes, Manager Tools. The hosts (Mark and Rich) talk a little too much, drowning key points in between banter. They acknowledged the fact that they talk a lot, and it is just their presentation style for the podcast. To their credit, there is a level of authenticity in the conversational aspect of the podcast. They do have very good points in the podcasts, worth listening to. There are few other places where one can find the information they share.

That being said, the basic concept of "moving the conversation forward" is lost on a lot of people (myself before they noted it in the podcast).  Voicemail is a way of continuing a dialogue with a person, even when they are not available.  To say "Hey, it's [name], call me back" doesn't move the dialogue forward. Respect who you're calling, leave a message that actually says something. I've found it helps to know what I'm going to say on a voicemail before I call someone. It is good planning in case you have to leave a voicemail, and helps the other times when you get through, leading to smooth conversation.

Other episodes of this podcast I recommend:

How to Write a Thank You Note

How to Write More Effectively (1 & 2)

image courtesy gene

Car-less

First week back in the LA area, and not having a car isn't so bad.  Having a phone and friends to call helps.  It can be a bit limiting at times, though while on break from work and school I have all the time in the world.  The need for a driver means that I have had company at almost all times while back in LA.

Visiting my parents in Orange County is a different story all together.  I attempted to look up bookstores in the area.  The google results follow:

Orange County is highly un-walkable and has poor access to diverse literature.  (Sure, there's Amazon or Barnes & Noble online, I want to buy local though) With a bike still in transit from Oregon, its a long walk to any of these destinations.  It is hard to imagine someone living in this area without a car.  With the suburban sprawl, even someone who does try walking my not get very far. It's a good thing that I'm going back Los Angeles, what can be done for the OC though?