Head Games to Play While Interviewing

Posted on August 20, 2018 by

While I make a good effort to maintain an upbeat, cheerleading tone on this blog, I’d be lying if I told you I was in a great mood all the time. This is especially true if I’ve been out of work for a long time. It’s been a while, but, that doesn’t mean I’m unfamiliar with long-term unemployment or low morale. It can be a challenge just to get up in the morning, let alone show up for the occasional interview or client. Yet it’s never more crucial to summon a positive attitude than when those opportunities arise. So how do you do sound your best if you’re really not feeling it? Read on and see how I’ve done it. Continue reading →

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Technical Writing and the 48-Hour Film Project

Posted on August 16, 2018 by

Note: This post has been updated. The original post included an inoperative link.

Last week I discussed my intended adventures with the 48-Hour Film Project. You can find my personal observations and photos about the experience here, but today I’ll talk about how the 48HFP relates (or doesn’t) to the practice of technical writing. Continue reading →

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Setting and Enforcing Personal Boundaries

Posted on August 13, 2018 by

Do customers get in your personal space? Do they trample on your free time or push you too hard to get extra work done or cut ethical corners? If so, you might have what my mentor D2 calls boundary issues: both setting them and enforcing them. Today I’ll spend a little time discussing how that happens and what you can do about it.

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The 48-Hour Film Project

Posted on August 9, 2018 by

To try something completely different, this weekend I will be joining my friends D2 and Curt as part of the 48-Hour Film Project. It is pretty much what it sounds like: you and a group of suitably equipped creative people write and produce a film within 48 hours. Why on Earth would a technical writer participate in such madness? Read on! Continue reading →

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Day Off

Posted on August 6, 2018 by

Taking today off to celebrate my latest orbit around the sun. You folks have a nice day!

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Reading the Fine Print in Contracts and Solicitations

Posted on August 2, 2018 by

I was trying to book a quick getaway trip for this coming weekend, which led me to an online booking site. They showed a hotel deal for $327, which sounded great. However, I had to dig deeper into the application to discover that was the price per night, not for a full four nights. That served as a great reminder to read the fine print, which can affect not just personal travel arrangements but proposal solicitations you read or contracts you sign. The fine print matters. Continue reading →

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Mentoring–A New Opportunity

Posted on July 30, 2018 by

I recently received an email from the University of Central Florida Alumni association asking former UCF graduates to volunteer to become mentors for current UCF students in the 2018-2019 school year. While I’ve had some mentoring experience here and there over the years (and have been a literary mentor on this blog for almost seven years), I’d never really performed as a mentor in a formal, ongoing capacity. Having figured out teaching wasn’t for me, I thought I’d try this avenue instead. Continue reading →

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