rainy sunday
love this view. different angles of it mean i'm at rest, at work, at practice...this particular view meant i was laid up on a lazy sunday with two snuggle pups and a stack of vapid magazines, just watching the light change the colors in our trees.
the view's nothing stupendous compared to the fab stuff we get around here (gotta love the bay). but it's becoming something akin to home, to sanctuary. i keep having to remind myself that it's just a place and like all things, temporary. but i do love it.
Labels: bay area, belly palace, go stay come, homey, random

:: ewee 2:31:00 PM [+] :: 0 comments ::
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:: Thursday, February 18, 2010 ::

5 of 100

In accordance with my Sifu's recommendation, I've embarked on 100-days of training. I'm starting small, with a basic set of hand strengthening qi gong exercises. If I get inspired, I'll do my best to work in other movements as I learn them, but I'm setting the bar low, in the hopes that it'll make it more attainable. (Also, I'm admitting it here, hoping that it will keep me honest.)

So far, the main challenge has been to stay focused on each day as it comes. If I look too far out at the remaining days, it quickly feels overwhelming, and all I can see are the many possibilities of failures/missteps.

The movements are still challenging, but, remarkably, I can feel small changes in my body, and I can feel the work pushing through old injuries. By far, the best part has been starting my day in my studio, looking at our yard. I love that view, and no matter how awkward, the movements feel meditative.

It's also gotten me thinking about working my painting/drawing into the practice. 100-days of painting is daunting to consider. After all, my one-a-day has proven to be challenging (definitely in posting, and often in drawing). But I was struck at how well it fit into the idea of the 10,000 hour rule from Outliers.

Devoting time to art is exactly what I want this year to be about.

Although I've been privileged to already have amassed 10,000 hours drawing and painting, it seems like more rigor and more focus could only be for the good. Something leads me to believe that this will dovetail nicely with my impending (looming?) milestone in the next few weeks.

[Also: happy happy 70th bday dad! ...talk about a milestone!]
Labels: art, inspiration, kajukenbo, one-a-day, practice, qi gong

:: Eliza Wee 3:28:00 PM [+] :: 0 comments ::
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:: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 ::

WIPP 2010: Notes

[Apologies for the delay in posting, I've been busy doing good and bad things--you know--the usual. If you went to the conference, I'd love to hear about your experiences. If you didn't go, but have comments, questions, or other responses, feel free to post a comment or to ping me more directly (twitter.com/ewee, ewee at dogmo dot com).]

Initially, I'd hoped to have more analysis/response to the Women in Periodical Publishing conference, but since it's been over a week (!), I thought I'd post, for the couple people who'd expressed interest in my notes (thanks!). Of course, my notes are disproportionately skewed to focus on what I thought was most important/interesting. Apologies for any glaring omissions/errors (feel free to note them in the comments, and I'll update the post).

Overall, it was inspiring, and as good experiences tend to go, it left me with more questions than answers. We're at a time of disruptive technology--which is both exciting and daunting. I will say that I refuse to buy into the binary notion of web vs. print (or, for that matter: HTML5 vs. Flash, Twitter vs. Facebook vs. Blogging vs. Buzz). It's all fabulous stuff, and I enjoy exploring the bits I'm excited about, and learning from people's experiences with the rest.

Ok, here goes the notes (in schedule order, morning sessions only):
Introduction | Keynote | Opening Panel | Diversity Panel | Solopreneurs Panel

Introduction

Jane Goldman (VP, EIC at CBS Interactive, prev. Chow): "The demise of the professional--experts vs. expertise.

Keynote: Beyond Equality. Change publishing, and the world.

Deirdre English teaches at UCB, former EIC at Mother Jones, wrote (with Barbara Ehrenreich) For Her Own Good: Two Centuries of Experts' Advice to Women (rev. in 2004).

Printing press = disruptive technology. Made literacy available for the people. Brunelleschi, built cathedral w/o dome, thinking that the tech would come to be able to build it--and it did. Same thing now, tech will come, and in the meantime, think about how to use it as a humanizing force (another interesting parallel: Renaissance ended when patrons went bust due to banking crisis).

Unprecedented growth--lots of great projects, but not sustainable. Failing business model--publishing has been captives of advertising industry for so long. Possible solutions (all have problems, possible areas of conflict):

Economic deals (w/ Google, etc.)

Government support (ex/ BBC)

Billionaire (but they're fickle...)

Nonprofit sector

Universities (both have an investment in finding the truth)

Public (subscriptions, micropayments, "tip jar"--ex/ micropayments for Obama)

Opening Panel: Where is the Media Revolution Headed?

Speakers
Michela Abrams, Dwell Media

Amanda Edwards, Google

Sarah Granger, BlogHer, HuffPo, SFGate, techPresident.

Lynne d Johnson, Advertising Research Foundation

Moderator
Cindy Johanson, The George Lucas Educational Foundation

In 10 years:
Michela: Everyone is a publisher.

Lynne: Media convergence, moving away from CPM model.

Sarah: Short form journalism innovation.

Amanda: Global audience over half outside of US.

Sarah: Realtime tools for media. (How will this effect Tivo/DVR culture? Rtn to demand for info in real time? FB vs. Twitter--walled garden vs. new open platform, akin to platform presented by blogger.com and now evolved beyond).

On revenue streams:
Michela: If you are innovative, curious, determined--you can have good success this year.

Lynne: Mobile apps, augmented reality--advertising, online archive of publications (do we have this for IDG pubs?).

Amanda: As of 2009, smartphones outpacing PCS (in both Google searches and purchases).

Advice, resources, tips:
Michela: 70% startups/apps/new tech, 30% media/mags.

Lynne: six apart blogging sw, typepad journalism, etc.).

Sarah: media bistro, shewrites.com, writersmarket.com, shesource.org.

Amanda: Don't get distracted, focus on your goals, and let all else fall by the wayside.

Diversity Panel

Speakers
Goli Mohammad, Make/Craft

Maire Walsh, Next Steps Mktg

Shaunice Hawkins, Evolutions Consulting

Moderator
Cristina Azocar, SFSU

Why am I on this panel?
Interestingly, all but Shaunice seemed to wonder a little at their inclusion on this panel.

Goli spoke on Sebastopol being a little unusual and being a "very huggy environment." Maire mentioned her queer identity, and being Irish from Ireland. Shaunice said that this is what she does, mentioned her identity (French, German, Native American, African American).

What identities bring to careers and how to sell your content?

Shaunice said "You do what you are." (-Morgan Freeman) She mentioned working to explain to people that "we're not all bad," and she's interested in working/explaining intraracially/intraculturally. She sells diversity--it's less about anxiety/discrimination--she can't be angry and teach you, needs to be very patient, calm to raise your awareness/intelligence ("Raising people up from stupid to smart"). Doesn't matter what color you are--the only color that matters is green. Get past the hokey stuff, we're here to sell stuff. If you add race into the picture, you're adding over one trillion dollars (if you add other groups, even more trillions of dollars!).

Advice

Develop friendships outside your comfort zone. It's human to categorize. It's also important to notice it when we're doing it, and change our actions.

Other notes

Digital divide: "Everybody doesn't have a voice." The elderly, people with no access to the Internet, more schools/libraries closing down. Without access, people will be left behind. Mobile phone tech--eventually replace computers? Organizations should look to this direction. To reach a broader, more global audience, need to be platform agnostic, mobile and portable.

Solopreneurs Panel

[note to self: must download iphone lego app!--apparently it lego-izes your photos, and for free. thx to my tablemates who introduced me to it!]

Speakers
Heather Boerner, writer and editor

Grace Hawthorne, co-founder of ReadyMade, and consulting associate professor, Stanford Design Institute

Lane Wallace, founder and editor, No Map. No Guide. No Limits.

Moderator
Holly Brady, consultant, and former director of the Stanford Publishing Courses.

Introduce yourself--5 words: Best/Worst thing about being a solopreneur

HB: Writing with a human face, coaching, serenity for the self-employed. Been a solopreneur for 5 yrs.

+: Freedom, creativity, independence...
-: Stress, workaholism, unpredictable...

GH: Been self-employed 13 out of the last 18 years. Launched ReadyMade, recently started teaching at Stanford. C-level executive, works with the intersection of creative and financial together for start-ups.

+: You are your own boss.
-: Your future is very uncertain.

LW: "I tell stories." Self-employed 20 years, wrote aviation books, 6 NASA books, used book content (that didn't sell) as a column for an aviator magazine, curious seeker of the world, correspondent for the Atlantic Monthly. Building a survivable lifeboat in an uncertain time.

+: Freedom, control, and limitless possibilities.
-: No support and constant uncertainty.

How do you make money?

HB: Contstant query from writing projects, life coaching. Charges/calculates $100/hr for everything, doesn't change from that, uses that to figure out if is one she can afford to do the project in terms of time/cost. Has a business plan, work week about 30 hours.

GH: When starting company, no money for 3 years, during this time freelanced as a consultant ($250/hr to $5000/day). Worked 100 hour weeks, do it because you have to. Has to be within the same channel of interests/desires. Her strength is in the marriage of art and commerce. Pick your passion, and let that be your beacon. How it expresses itself is unknown. The uncertainty is scary, but believe in yourself.

You don't become a solopreneur for the money, "If I wanted to make money, I could sell...toilets." You have to make a choice with your life. What impact you have with your venture did you have on the world. Learning experience, and community of people.

LW: Vision, strategy, tactics. If it feeds your soul, not an easy road. Has to be passion or vision. Death comes by scattershot--have to focus. Passion/Vision, Strategy, Focus on your brand. All jobs must meet 3 criteria to meet goals: make money, fun, advance my career. Diversification is important.

How build brands?

GW: My personal self is not a brand--I create brands.

Word of mouth--if you do things, and do it well--that will speak for itself.

Your work is your calling card

Reach out and touch someone--politely follow up. Don't be embarrassed, don't be afraid.

LW: Body of work and personal contacts are everything. Look for resonance.

HB: Cold query with good followup. Mktg plan: 3 queries/wk, plus follow up. She's queried for as much as a year--it's not personal. Have to be persistent and act on faith.

Network--from her business plan. Went through all clients over the prev year, and figured out the impt of networking.

Q/A Section

Brand clarity--how get there?
Pigeon-holed into beats--avoid? good/bad? Find ways to get your "yes" spin your experience.
Working alone, finding comradery with other people? Grotto(?), other writing communities to get together to work.
Without structure--challenge of self regulating. Time/project management.

HB: Overview and daily chunks.

GW: Schedule chunks of time to focus, public library.

LW: Broad brush schedule, sprinter.

Transition, when/how to know to shift to solopreneur, how they decided. "Hard deck" flight term--take leap, don't be afraid to do it, keep in mind limits (*before* crashing)

Labels: 2010, conference, inspiration, notes, publishing, WIPP 2010, wlc10, women

:: ewee 11:28:00 AM [+] :: 6 comments ::
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