Gmail Getting “Long in the Tooth”
I was going through my Gmail messages and found when I had created my account.
12/01/2004!
I’ve been using the same email account for the last 7 years!
Love the next message I sent to my wife:
I also discovered that it was my best friend in high school, David Diers who hooked me up with the service. He and I were in a band called “Random ID” back in our teens. Thanks Dave!
When, if you do use Gmail, did you first sign up for Gmail account? Who ‘invited’ you to use it at the time? Do you still use it today?
Classic Dilbert – Flawed Logic
This one made me laugh out loud.
Always amazes me how relevant Dilbert can be.
Difference between a Task, Goal, Project, and Mission
Implementing the Middle Way Method | DIY Planner.
Found this nugget on the difference between Tasks, Goals, Projects and Mission (statement) buried in the comments:
- Task - find a panda
- Goal - find a panda and hug it
- Project - Complete the Hug a Panda Project (Get lots of people involved in a systemic approach to hug pandas - comments 'me')
- Mission - To be a happier, more rounded and claw-scratched panda hugger"
That sums them all up pretty nicely.
Wut?!?! of the Week #2 – Bad Taste
Well here’s installment number 2.
The Cordoba center at ground zero is bad taste at the very least.
This song, worse taste.
Thanks to http://www.jesusneedsnewpr.net for tipping me off to this musical atrocity.
Cable Management – Fail
Thought this was funny, though it reminds me of the back of my TV.
Extract Data from a Symantec Q&A Database for * possibly * free
I work for a medium size manufacturing company in upstate New York. We are trying to centralize/modernize our systems that used to exist as 'information silos'. One of these systems we use is a DOS based Database system known as 'Symantec Questions and Answers' or 'Q&A'.
They used Q&A to create separate information stores about customers, machines we have built and shipped, Technical Service/Field Service calls, etc. I am evaluating each database they currently have and seeing if:
- The information is already collected and we just need to do some database/report magic to extract the info.
- By altering a business process, our ERP system, CRM System, or Microsoft SharePoint becomes a better fit for the information they wish to collect.
That lead me to yesterdays quest * attempting * to find some helpful information on how to extract data and field definitions from 'Symantec Questions and Answers' or 'Q&A' in order to import the information into an access database so that I could first clean it up, and later import into the SharePoint Call Center template.
My quest seemed extremely unfruitful yielding no direct instructions, save a few 'costly' consulting services who, for the right price, would do it for me. But alas, I am the type of person who wants to the 'how' to do it, and I don't mind getting my hands dirty in the process.
Since I had such a hard time finding this information freely on the internet, once I finally figured it out (my wife knows all about my inability to 'let it go'), I was inspired to join the 21st century, create a blog and share with you my experience.
Below are the steps I tool to get the data out. Looking back it seems so easy, yet in the middle of the process it seems confusing. You may have to change certain variables in the formulae to achieve the desired results. You take full responsibility for your actions should you decide to follow my advice.
Phase 1 - Emotional Preparation
- Get over the fact that you are a stubborn German man, and cannot export to a .csv file to achieve the results you want. This step is paramount, do not overlook this step.
- Accept the fact that you have to export the Q&A database into a temporary Paradox database.
- Brace yourself for the ramifications of bothering the sales quoting staff for 5 minutes so you can start the process.
Phase 2 - Get to Work
- Through VNC remote into the sales staff's desktop before she returns from lunch and fire up Q&A in Windowed mode so you can tell WTH you are doing.
- Through Q&A export the data to a file. Choose Paradox
- Name the file 8 characters or less with .db at the end - Q&A is a DOS based lifeform.
- Make a copy of the export file so you always have a source file to open.
- Open Microsoft Access 2007 (if you have it)
- Create a new database
- Go to the 'External Data' section of the Ribbon
- Go to More -> Paradox File
- Select 'Import Source Data...' and browse to the location of your copy of the data.db file you created
- A table is now created with the name of your source file
- If you go to Home->View->Design View you can see the field names/definitions
- Now your data is in Access 2007 and you can clean it up and export it to any format you wish.
To quote the company computer Guy, "That wasn't so hard..."
- I used Gadwin Software's Gadwin PrintScreen free edition to create my limited screen shots.
- If you find this post helpful, please leave comments below.
Does E-mail help or diminish productivity
I am starting to see that e-mail may cause just as many interruptions to productivity to unapproved data stores (excel spreadsheets, silo databases, etc.)
I was reading an article that offered the following insight
“However, Basex proposed several steps to mitigate information overload. With e-mail as the biggest offender, Basex said users can save time by not e-mailing someone, and then following up with a phone call or an instant message two seconds later [Or, walk to your office 4 seconds later and ask “did you get my e-mail”] (a no-brainer perhaps, but a trap many of us fall into).
Basex also said users must not combine multiple topics or requests in a single e-mail; make sure the subject clearly reflects the topic and urgency of the message; read their e-mails before sending to make sure they make sense; and will not hit reply-all unless necessary or [not] reply with one-word e-mails such as "thanks."
This Dilbert comic seems to offer a similar conclusion.
Another company I’ve been looking at called ActionMethod offers similar insight:
Email can kill productivity, because the actions you must take get buried in regular communication. Tasks should have an ecosystem of their own.
It suffices to say that the issue warrants a deeper study which should result in proper workplace policy for the use of e-mail and collaborative tools (SharePoint, etc.).
True Intimacy – Eoghan Heaslip
I just recently re-stumbled across this song in my collection. This is one of my wife’s favorites. At the time she loved it, I didn’t really “get it”.
Being a little further in life, and having gone through a few trials and tribulations within the church walls and without, I get it.
No matter what happens, I just want to have a pure relationship with Jesus Christ. He will be with me through every step of the journey. I need His strength and wisdom to navigate while I am on “the journey”.
Verse:
With all of my heart I hunger for You
All I want and all I seek is true intimacy
With all of my heart I hunger for You
All I want and all I seek is true intimacy with You
Chorus:
Here I stand waiting Lord
Touch me now like never before
Let me change and be transformed
True intimacy is what I'm longing for (repeat)
Coda:
Intimacy is the longing
Of my heart Lord, of this heart (repeat)
You can pick up the song on Amazon here (not an affiliate link)
In the comments below, please let me know if the song spoke to you.
The Power of Pairs
Recently I’ve been thinking about how the music ministry is not a one man show. The Lord brought the scriptures to my mind how he sent out the disciples two by two. There was Elijah and Elisha, Moses and Aaron, Paul and Silas, etc.
While trying to see what others have received on the subject, I stumbled upon an excellent article regarding “The Power of Pairs”. Below are some borrowed, some original thoughts on the subject.
I’ve been transitioning our worship team to try and get into a mindset where we put together our worship set together. This is a stark difference from the days of old where the worship set would be dictated.
A recent email I sent out to the worship planners (formerly called worship leaders)
Disciples were sent out in pairs to do ministry. Planner/Assistant planner works as a check-and-balance concept.
Assistant planner will work with the Lead Planner to put together the worship "music" set. Pray with together, meet once prior to the worship set (ideally mid-week before the set-list is published) to bounce any insight, concerns, "oh-remembers", etc.
In Matthew 18:20, Jesus is saying that "two or three" is best. He is saying that when two or three Christians are working together for him in unity, his Spirit will be with them in all his fullness. They have the total power of God. Therefore, two or three people moving in the power of the Spirit is as good as it gets. If we really want to know the presence of Jesus we must get together in twos or threes. This is why pairs are so important. By not understanding the importance of pairs, we have been missing out on the blessing that Jesus promised.
This removes the one-sided nature of things, I'm not seeing the Lead planner as someone who says "I say this and everyone else follows or else", but more of the Acts 15:28 "Seems good to us and the Holy Ghost". When there is two or three of us involved in decisions, things end up more edifying.
Working together is biblical concept and a requirement to be working with God
For we [Not I; emphasis mine] are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
It seems good to us and the Holy Ghost. Acts 15:28
We are efficient
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. Ecc 4:9.
We are protected
Though one may be overpowered two can defend themselves. Ecc 4:12
We are not without help in a time of need
If one falls down his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up. Ecc 4:10.
We have biblical companionship
If two lie down together they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone (Ecc 4:11).
We are constantly being put ‘back on track’
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Heb 10:24
What are your thoughts on this? I’d be interested in getting your input below.
Blessings!
Strings-N-Things
I recently picked up the acoustic guitar again. It is nice having an instrument that I can easily take to any room in the house if I feel creative, or inspired to sing a song of praise unto God. The big plus is I don't need a computer, amplification or any electronics to do so. Just one-man, his guitar and his God. 
I traded in a Franken-Fender for a acoustic-only Cort Dreadnaught guitar. It has a nice tone. I am now using Elixir Polyweb Medium gague and really like the sound of the strings. http://www.elixirstrings.com/products/product_acoustic.html
I also recently took advantage of some awesome upgrade promotions from Cakewalk (which was recently purchased by Roland who makes my Juno-Stage - That I love) to upgrade from Home Studio 7 XL to Sonar Studio 8.5.2. There are some great tools (such as the SessionDrummer2, some great soft synths, etc.). My sales rep at Sweetwater recommended I stay with Sonar as opposed to trying to get into ProTools M-Powered for the value I was receiving.
Hopefully once I am a little more familiar with things, I will be able to share with you some of my progress.