I've been a bit brain dead lately but believe I've managed to resuscitate it to a somewhat respectable level - It's Alive! It's Alive! - and hopefully my noggin has more to offer than Frankenstein's Monster.

I hear from people when posting gets light and know folks are looking for interesting, unique, quality content from the blog's they subscribe to. Here's a look at what's coming to Raven's Brain over the next few weeks:

• Rolf responded to my request for guest articles and has already submitted a great piece titled Heaps of Risks (Why Managing Too Many Risks is Risky) which will be posted shortly. You can read more about Rolf and his thoughts on a variety of subjects at his blog: http://clearconceptualthinking.blogspot.com/
• Jerry Manas recently published an e-x-c-e-l-l-e-n-t book called Managing the Gray Areas: Essential Insights for Leading People, Projects & Organizations . Guest voice Lisa Forsyth is wrapping up a detailed write-up on this MUST read for managers, leaders and the rest of us looking to manage those, well, "gray areas" - the business world isn't black and white and this book will certainly help you grow. You can learn more about Jerry's book, his upcoming seminars and more at his website: http://www.marengogroup.com/
• Michael Michalko's book Thinker Toys and the accompanying Think Pack have been on my Management & Leadership Books list since this blog was created in Fall of 2005. Imagine my surprise to recieve an article from him in response to my request for guest articles! Regular readers know I try to mix up content and look at topics not traditionally linked to project management - like creative thinking and brainstorming - so of course I'm ecstatic to have an article from a noted author and super creative thinkinator posted at my humble blog. Look for Michael's article titled THOMAS EDISON to be published soon, and in the meantime check out his blog www.creativethinking.net to learn more about him.
• I recently test drove a killer business application called Smart Draw. I originally expected (yet another) Microsoft Project knock-off, or similar, application, but was pleasantly surprised to find a great tool dedicated to business graphics. Think Visio but more visual and much easier to use - less robust - yes, but SmartDraw makes up for it with killer graphics that will make your presentations pop and documentation stand out. They do offer a free trial, you should check it out as the few hundred dollars for the application are well worth all the benefits and functionality, not to mention the edge it'll give you! I'll do a more detailed review soon, until then check out more on SmartDraw here: http://www.smartdraw.com/

There is of course a backlog of feeds, posts, articles, papers, etc. to catch up on and share - if there's anything on your mind you'd like to share I'd love to hear from you! Also, I'm still collecting guest posts - let me know if you're interested! raven_young AT hotmail DOT com

posted by Raven Young under Raven's Brain
Tags: Raven's Brain, Raven Young, Lisa Forsyth, Jerry Manas, Michael Michalko

I created another windows live space called "Raven's Brain On Comments" to allow users at this site to leave comments without signing up with Microsoft or WLS. If you're not familiar with the story, see the clip below

How To Leave A Comment For Raven's Brain

Windows Live Spaces (WLS) requires that a user create a Spaces, Hotmail, MSN, other account in order to leave a comment for a WLS blog - such as my current blog Raven's Brain. I've received countless emails from folks who wanted to leave a comment on one of my posts but didn't want to have to register for yet another web service, and so I've created this (lame) solution so users can leave a comment at my blog Raven's Brain without signing up or divulging personal info.

 

To leave a comment on a post:

 

Simply click "Add a comment" at the bottom of ANY post and use the following info to "Sign In":

Login: RavensBrain@live.com

Password: comment1

Note: You will see a message saying you are required to have an account to leave a comment - click "Sign In", enter the login info above and you should be taken back to the page to leave a comment. It might be a bit clunky, but at least you'll be able to leave your thoughts without a WLS account.

 

Be sure to leave your name, details and blog/website info so I'll know who the comment came from.

One big bummer with using Windows Live Spaces as my blogging platform is that users have to actually sign up for a WLS account in order to leave a simple comment. Obviously, not a lot of folks want to take the time to set up another online account just to leave a comment, so I get a lot of emails with comments and accolades, and mentions in posts at other sites and blogs. I don't often do this, but I've received some great feedback and had some interesting exposure lately, and wanted to share here:

• New Ventures: New Book on Project Portfolio Management - Johanna Rothman's writing a new book on PPM and referenced my cartoon on priorities. I'm really looking forward to what she has to say on priorities in the new text, as well as her perspective on PPM in general.
• Daria from the New LinkedIn Group for Project Management Bloggers wrote to say she's enjoying my blog and the company she works for, Wrike, added me to the blogroll at their PM blog: http://www.wrike.com/projectmanagement.htm. I really enjoyed Andrew Filev's post Bridging the Three Gaps in Project Management and there looks to be tons of other great content to read through. 
• Jurgen wrote to say he follows my blog and shared his own site as well: NOOP: Management of Software Development. Check out his latest post: Why Managing Small Projects is Harder - good stuff!
• Behavioral Change & Silver Bullets - Bruce over at the Liquid Planner blog has a nice write up on the myths of silver bullets and he gives me a shout out. I really like the analogy he uses to put the focus on changing behavior rather than searching for the elusive and - let's be honest - nonexistent silver bullet!
• I've been corresponding with Paul from Idea Sandbox on his tool the Idea Sandbox Big Dig and a newly launched, killer and f-r-e-e online prioritization tool called "Idea Sandbox, Prioritizer". Read more about Prioritizer, a unique tool that helps you prioritize tasks in a snap online, or give it a test drive now! I loved playing with Idea Sandbox, Prioritizer, and plan on writing a more detailed review soon. FYI - I may be a geek but I'm no dork -  I would have used a phrase other than "by golly" in the my email if I knew it might get published on the 'net and used as a testimonial for such a cool tool. Hmm, maybe I *am* a dork.. <delete>by golly</delete>
• Edward messaged regarding my water me cartoon  on priorities - he liked it! - and PMI. He says "I try to use a PI (Priority 1, etc.), PII, and PIII method to avoid just the situation you spoke about.", and I think this is a pretty common tool for getting a good handle on priorities. Ed - couldn't leave you a message back at your site- but thanks for your comments!
• GlobalProjectManagement.org added me to their active project management feeds and in their rolling updates widget as well. It's awesome to be listed iat a pm site with a global perspective!
• Episode 028- Project management in the real world with Elizabeth Harrin: You can listen to the podcast or read the article, where I get a brief mention in the "Women in Project Management" section. Great interview with Elizabeth and a perfect reminder for me to write more about grrlpower and project management. 
• Ludovic from PMToolbox contacted me and now his website is syndicating my blog "Raven's Brain", categories Project Management and Project Management Humor
• Rafael Peixoto de Azevedo gave me a quick mention in an interesting post titled The Trust Requirement. The blog itself is very new, only two posts at the moment, but the goal of the site sounds interesting: Synergising the Enterprise through Innovation & IT. I hope to read more from Rafael soon!
• Did I ever mention that Bas De Baar from softwareprojects.org started a new series called Proud Postings and I got in on the second week? Check out Proud Postings: Raven's Brain. My thanks to Bas for publishing some of my content at his esteemed site!

Ok, enough horn tootin' - thanks to all who helped my blog continue to grow and develop!

Note: Awesome raven image via Naturally Speaking, Nature Photography and Conservation, photo by Lauren Darcey. All rights reserved. Photographer Website: http://www.perlgurl.org. As *a* Raven, I have a special place in my heart for ravens (the birds, yo!). For an excellent write up on these superior birds, their behavior, skills and problem solving abilities, check out this great write up Resourceful Ravens - it includes additional incredible images, tons of details on ravens, video clips and other interesting info.

posted by Raven Young under Raven's Brain
Tags: Raven's Brain, Raven Young

If you didn't find this funny you're either too cool, fool, or your hidden nerd has finally died ;)

And now, back to your regular programming...

Your Kung Flu is strong but, after a week+ in bed and a myriad of medicines and concoctions digested, I am stronger! Or...at least, uhm, less ickie! hmm..

I think we all know the importance of washing hands frequently while sick - I probably used up an entire bottle of purell this bout! - but, since it IS flu/sickness season, I thought I'd pass on these helpful links on dealing with a cold or the flu so that you too can battle Kung Flu!:

• What Can I Buy for Fast Relief from a Cold or the Flu?
  #1 Should I take a decongestant or an antihistamine?
  #2 Is it safe to take a decongestant if I have high blood pressure?
  #3 How often should I use nasal spray?
  #4 What's the deal with cough medicine?
  #5 What should I take for fever and aches?
  #6 What's best for my sore throat?
• Sick? Don't Go To Work!
  'Presenteeism' May Be Bigger Problem Than Absenteeism
• More cold tips from readers - USA Today
• Sick parents go to work, stay home when kids are ill
• Cold & Flu Report 2007-2008 | CNN
  Prevention can be the best treatment for colds and flu. Get tips and strategies to bypass those sniffles, sneezes, aches and chills and sail through the cold and flu season.
• Germ warfare: How to protect yourself
  7 myths and facts about preventing the spread of germs
• Why people come to work sick
• 6 easy ways to sick-proof your winter
  Don't become another sneezy statistic
• Stop your sniffling! Tips on preventing a cold

 Take care of yourself this winter!

-Raven

A post by Lisa Forsyth, guest voice inside Raven’s Brain.

My brain rarely cooperates with me because of lapses in my synapses.  Sometimes I hate my brain.  I don't understand it.  I want so much more than it provides.  I want what everyone else has.  I want to remember your name, someone I work with everyday, but it's gone.  I stare at your face, seeking  some visual cue to bring it back, but nothing.  I picture other people we have in common and events we attended together, hoping somewhere along the line I will hear someone else say your name, and then I'll remember.  I’ve been your manager for two years.  I know your name, I know it well, but I can’t remember your name.  I want to remember why I just walked into this room.  I needed something but I'm just standing here.  I try to trace my steps backward: I was sitting on the couch, got up to get this thing I can't remember, walked into this room where it was supposed to be, now what could it have been?  You wanted a drink of water you yell from the kitchen, knowing me better that I know myself.  I want to remember what I am looking for when I am looking for it.  I rifle through my bag looking for my car keys but someone walks past my office.  My attention moves to the footsteps.  I resume looking.  I look and I look and I look.  I come across the keys.  I keep looking.  I don't know what I am looking for.  I just know I am looking so I keep looking.  I want to make it through a day without spilling something on myself, walking into a wall that's always been there, or tripping over the same piece of furniture again and again.  I want to be able to prepare a meal without cutting or burning myself.  I want to be able to follow a movie with more than one plot twist.  I love movies.  They are one of my passions.  I want to discuss the movie I saw last night, but I don't remember anything about it, just that I saw it.  "Hey Lisa, remember the part when..."  No, actually, I don't.  I won't.  I can't.  I want so badly to remember what you just said, but it's gone.  I stare at your face, look into your eyes, anything, please just come back to me.  The harder I try to remember, the further away it gets.  What was I trying to remember again?  I slow the brain right down.  R.e.m.e.m.b.e.r.  R.e.m.e.m.b.e.r.  I slow it down so much, the word itself loses meaning.  R.e.m.e.m.b.e.r?  I know the word, but it doesn't make sense.  The context is gone.  It is reduced to a series of sounds that should but don't trigger something.  I don't remember what remember means.  I want the woman I love to feel treasured but I can't remember what we talked about soon after we stopped talking.  I want to be more attentive but I can't get outside my own head.  Her birthday comes and goes and I want so much to remember, and I do, but I can't remember at the right time.  I plan on getting something or doing something to make her feel special but I don't act on the plan.  I forget the plan.  I try to sleep at night and that's when I remember the plan.  OK, get up and write down a reminder.  I’ll forget I wrote a reminder.  I won't remember to look at the reminder.  If I find the reminder a day later, I won't have any idea what it was about.  In fact, I probably got distracted while writing it.  It probably says something like "go tomorrow" because my brain was done writing before my hand even started. Go where tomorrow?  Do what tomorrow?  I know I wrote the note for a reason and I want to remember what that reason was so I can understand what the note says, but the context is gone.  The note becomes words on paper the way words become sounds without meaning.

So what's my problem and why am I writing this?  I love to write and I resent my brain.  I am bright, creative, energetic, and successful.  I have a Master's Degree.  I have a job I love, a team I adore,  and a compassionate and understanding boss that supports me.  I have ADD.  I withdraw in group situations and can't sit still in meetings.  I make sudden movements I can't control.  I fidget and twitch.   I think everyone is watching me.  I drop my pen.  Bend down.  Pick it up.  Drop it again.  Over and over and over.  I am embarrassed every time it falls.  I pick it up and set it down so I don’t continue dropping it.  I tune out, the channels change.  I cannot attend to what is being said.  I pick up the pen.  I fidget.  I drop the pen.  I fear discovery.  If you knew I had ADD, you would question everything I did.  You would think I am an imposter and wonder what I am doing here.  So I hide.   I am tired of hiding.  I have much more to offer.  This is who I am.  And this is my bad brain.

What you won't find in my posts
Reading through my posts will not provide you with a diagnosis. You may identify with one, some, or all of problems listed above, but even that doesn’t mean you have ADD. The diagnosis is a tricky thing because each symptom could point to a different problem. After eighteen years and numerous misdiagnoses, I was labeled as ADD. Do I finally have the correct diagnosis?

What you will find in my posts
I'm not sure exactly what you will find here yet, but I do have some idea of how I would like it to develop.  It will include some self-analysis.  I want it to be positive, yet realistic.  You are perfect the way you are!  Ok sure, but I still hate my brain.  I want it to be helpful so I will share coping skills for ADD in the workplace.  I will post on a variety of other subjects as well.  There is much more to whom I am than just ADD, but ADD informs everything I do, including how I manage, what I struggle with most when managing projects and people, the organizational tools I find helpful, and the type of books I enjoy reading. You will find posts on these topics, and many more.   Above all, I want you to find me here. This is who I am.  And this is my bad brain.

2007 kind of fizzled out here at Raven's Brain - I got caught up in the holiday whirlwind and didn't get a chance to wish everyone Happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year -- so Happy 2008!

I also didn't get to a lot of posts and articles saved throughout the year and, though I know lists of links are not the best way to share great content, I do need to clean out my bookmarks and saved items to make room for the new year. Categories covered are Project management, Agile, Management & Leadership, Business, Software & Technology, Personal Growth and GRRRL Power.

Below is a list of the great stuff I found throughout 2007:

Project Management

• Advice from the Fiddler on the Project
  I listened to Rich Maltzman talking about his forthcoming book Fiddler on the Project (co-authored with Ranjit Biswas) on Controlling Chaos, way back in July. We’ve been corresponding since, trying to find time to talk about project management and authoring. I finally got round to asking him some questions last week, and from the sounds of it, the Fiddler book is going to be a really interesting read..
• Agile or Waterfall…does it matter?
  First off…let me answer the question: Does it matter if I use Agile or Waterfall methodologies in my project? My opinion is no…it doesn’t matter…but there are a few caveats to that answer. Read on..
• Organizational Alignment and Project Success
  Organization Alignment seems like one of those ‘touchy feely’ things that most technical folks would rather not discuss but it’s actually quite relevant to success in todays technology and project driven organizations.
• How to create a Pareto Chart (see below)
  Pareto Charts are commonly used to identify the source of chronic problems / common causes in a process. The Pareto principal commonly states that 80 % of the trouble comes from 20 % of the problems. A Pareto chart is a graphical technique which quantifies problems in order to position efforts to be expended in fixing the “vital few” causes versus to the trivial many.
• Pareto And Management (see above, below)
  In 1906, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto created a mathematical formula to describe the unequal distribution of wealth in his country, observing that twenty percent of the people owned eighty percent of the wealth. In the late 1940s, Dr.Joseph M.Juran inaccurately attributed the 80/20 Rule to Pareto, calling it Pareto’s Principle.
• How useful is the Pareto Principle? (see above)
  The Pareto Principle is often quoted as a way to save time and effort and thus lower pressure. In theory, it’s a great idea. And, if you look back at the past, it can seem quite easy to identify the 20% of situations, actions, or even people that generated 80% of the returns. But is it quite as simple as it appears?
• Requirements Value
  This article will explore a different approach to gathering requirements that would not only deliver a full release, but maximize the business value as well.
• Requirements Practices Every Project Manager Must Know
  The practices presented in this article--to build a requirements tree, create and use a requirements traceability matrix, and manage to requirements baselines--will make a significant difference in an organization's success rate and promote improved partnership and standing within the enterprise.
• Perception and Reality in Stakeholder Management
  Even when everything seems to be going well, things may not be as rosy as you think. All the facts might point to success, but perceptions can often trump that reality. Here's some practical advice on aligning how things are and how they appear.
• Leadership-Powered Project Management
  Read on for successful traits to propel you from project manager to leader--and discover the single greatest and most underestimated leadership attribute you should not ignore.
• How to Improve Project Sponsorship
  Some years ago, I worked as a PMO manager for a multinational company in which business managers were assigned as project sponsors for the whole project life cycle. Results were not very good because project managers often felt alone when dealing with customers. As a solution, I organized a workshop meeting with the project sponsors...
• Project Management Confidence
  If you have been doing project management for a while, your confidence has probably gotten an occasional shaking. And the resulting lack of confidence hurts you, but it also hurts your team members who need you to be confident and not self-conscious.
• Study for the PMP Exam on Your iPod
  Cornelius Fitchner, the project management podcasting pioneer (see The PMPodcast.com), has done it again. This time, he has created The Project Management PrepCast(tm), a new and unique way to study for the PMP exam.
• Marc Evers: Failure is not an option … it’s a necessity
  Lots of IT projects are said to fail - many people are complaining, calling shame on the IT profession. An example is the recent article Okay to fail from the CIO Weblog, which talks about poorly run projects and underperformance.
• What Project Managers Need To Know About Testing
  What happens when project managers of cross-organizational teams don't have all the cross-functional team knowledge, such as testing, they need to manage all the teams? In this week's column, Johanna Rothman explains that managers in this situation might have a recipe for disaster. But with careful planning, any project manager can quickly turn it around and create an efficient team and a career development opportunity for everyone.
• The problems with problem statements
• Johanna Rothman: Too Simple a Definition of a Project

Agile

• The High Cost of Management Indecision
  Rob Walling writes about the high cost of management indecision on software projects.
• Agile Project Management: What's In It For The Customers?
  One question I'm asked frequently is how Agile project management is different from traditional project management.
• Paul Duvall - ?Am I Agile or Not??
  This is one of the more annoying questions I get. Nothing against the people that ask this question. It’s a perfectly reasonable question for someone to ask.
• No Really, What is Agile?
  My friend Rich Zeliff commented on my post which attempted to define Agile...
• Top Ten Agile Analogies
• What is Your Impression of Agile?
• Layman's Manifesto
  Here is Jason Yip's more personable version of the Agile Manifesto.
• Scrum and XP Practices: Cross Reference
  I've had several people tell me how useful the Scrum/XP cross-reference in our book is, so I thought I'd share it with you, too.
• Agile Project Management Manifesto
  Similar to the Agile Manifesto, a group of ten people have gotten together and worked out a small number of principles for "modern (agile/adaptive) (product/project) management".
• Is the Agile Manifesto Appropriate for My Domain?
  A post by Jason Yip prompted a thought. Is the Agile Manifesto Appropriate in my domain. Or for that matter, in what domains is the Agile Manifesto appropriate?

Management & Leadership

• How to swim with sharks
  I came across this article the other day, and it was remarkably suitable. So I’ll share for those who are where I have been.   HOW TO SWIM WITH SHARKS: A PRIMER By Voltaire Cousteau
• Leading Geeks
  Ralph Nader once said, "I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers". In the IT world is is hard to produce leaders and it is doubly hard to produce and keep followers.
• There's a hole in your side of the boat
• How Can a Leader Avoid Becoming a Selfish Jerk? 245 Answers on LinkedIn
• How Common Sense Leaders Avoid Alienating the People They Lead
• Common Sense Advice for Developing Leaders
• More on Teamwork
• Questions leaders ask themselves
• Constructive conflict is essential for creating commitment to decisions
• Leaders connect with the people
• 13 Sources of Workplace Irritation
  Who gets to you at work? What gets to you at work? What are those things that irritate you the most?
• Motivation: Gag me with a Carrot
  STOP! No more books about employee motivation with a carrot or batch of carrots on the cover.   I am sick of carrots and sticks. Don’t treat me like an elephant. Carrot and stick (also spelled “carrot-and-stick”) is an idiom used to refer to the act of rewarding good behavior and punishing bad behavior.
• 7 ways to be a damn good manager
• 37 Unhabits of Highly Successful Managers
• The best of Slacker Manager
• Delegation is art and science
  Delegation. Does the word evoke strong, perhaps other-than-positive, emotions in you? If it does, you’re not alone. If there is a single most misunderstood or misused concept in business, the delegation process is the leading candidate.
• The forgotten power of conversation
  Talking to others, rather than at them, is becoming a forgotten art Conversation is becoming a lost art, replaced by endless talk. To converse is to share ideas and learn from one another in the process.
• Are we losing our understanding of trust?
  It’s a mistake to underestimate the importance of trust to a civilized life   If you google the word “trust,” it can be a surprising experience. I was more than 20 pages into the results before meeting a single instance of trust in the sense of belief in something or someone.

Business, Software & Technology

• Training Requirements for 2008
  What with a growing shortage of technical talent, companies have to pick up the slack and spend more on training. What training innovations can we look forward to? Read on..
• Got pecha-kucha? (see below)
  PowerPoint is like the weather or Dancing With the Stars: Everybody complains about it, but nobody does anything. Enter Mark Dytham and Astrid Klein, two European ex-pat architects in Tokyo, who've come up with an elegant hack. Use 20 slides. No more, no less. Each slide must be on the screen for exactly 20 seconds. (The presenter doesn't control the slide advancer.)
• Pecha Kucha (see above)
  My ebook Really Bad Powerpoint has generated plenty of mail and comment in the years since I wrote it. I just wish everyone would read it. Now, though, Rick points us to Pecha Kucha Night.
• There is no Bug. It is not the Bug that Bends, it is Only Yourself
• Desiging Software is the same as Predicting the Future
• How to Build a Somewhat Successful Blog: 16 Lessons I Have Learned
• 2008 Predictions - SOA, Grid, SCA, Web 2.0, REST, etc.
• Social Network Aggregation, Killer App in 2008?
  Managing scattered online Social Life on multiple Social Networking sites, I sense, will become a Killer App Category 2008. There are several startups now in the "Social Network Aggregation" space and this App Category should diversify and catch momentum in 2008.
• Dvorak Looks Back At 'Another Crappy Tech Year'
  The Vista Death Watch is PC Magazine's most popular column. That is just one of many items in Dvorak's review of yet another 'disappointing' year in Technology. 'I was not a fan of 2007. It was another crappy tech year...
• How To Lose Your Job, Thanks To The Internet
  The New York Times has up an article discussing the trend of employers tracking the 'free time' activities of their employees via their web presence.

Personal Growth

• Don't multitask
  Kevin Fox identifies multitasking as one of the main reasons why projects take so long and are still completed late. He says there are three central reasons organizations find themselves in the trap of multitasking...
• Taming the Savage Beast: Dealing with Negativity at Work
  Have you ever worked with one of those people who are so unfailingly negative that they tend to suck all of the life out of a room? The person who has an objection to every idea, a snide comment for...
• Venting, Whining, and Ranting: Dealing with Frustration at Work
  Today I'd like to poke a little bit at the idea that venting is a healthy workplace behavior. Most of us have vented to a coworker from time to time - and I'm certainly no exception. When frustrations rise and...
• The Art of Winning Others Over
• Remaining an Artist
  Katie Ledger’s blog features a witty and insightful speech titled ‘What Should We Teach Our Children’ by Sir Ken Robinson at the famous TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) symposium which includes a powerful message about embracing failure to drive creativity..
• How To Become An “Active” Listener
  Your role in the leadership situation alternates between sender and receiver of messages. The very best leaders devote a large portion of their time listening - in order to better understand. Some Thoughts About Good Listening: Creative ability is geared to perceptiveness. Your ears are as important to perception as your eyes.
• Dissatisfied at work? Perhaps it’s you
  Just about every month, there’s a new research report detailing the seemingly higher and higher degree of worker dissatisfaction. Whether it’s a Gallup poll or a Conference Board report, the results are strikingly similar — workers are becoming more and more dissatisfied with their work.
• 5 Reasons Why You Should Simplify What You Say, and How to Do It
  “You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere”. Lee Iacocca One of the trickier things about social skills is to get your message across. One reason why people have difficulty with this is because they use more words than needed.
• How to Make a Great First Impression
  First impressions can be quite important. Everyone stereotypes everyone on first impression, even if we are reluctant to do it. We all get a first impression of a new person that creates a mental image of his or her personality in our minds.
• First Impressions
  I was recently interviewed by Josh Hinds of BusinessNetworkingAdvice.com, and he asked me a very good question: "How do you generally engage a person in conversation upon first meeting them?"
• Ten Rules of Effective Language

GRRRL Power

• The Gender Gap
  Each week Computing and Computer Weekly rehash old material about how important it is to get more women working in IT and how terrible it is that there is unfair treatment in the workplace. I’m sure there is unfair treatment in many workplaces, although I’ve been fortunate enough never to experience any.
• A question of shopping
  There were plenty of questions about project management at last week’s womenintechnology event on how to be a successful woman in IT. Mainly people were interested in how to break into project management.
• The Ripple Effects of A**holes: When Women Are Treated Badly, Everyone Suffers
• Tech Republic’s Women in IT series: Esther Dyson
  Sonja Thompson, a news editor at Tech Republic, has launched a Women in IT podcast series, which consist of interviews of women who are currently working in IT, their careers and technology in general.

posted by Raven Young under Raven's Brain
Tags: Raven's Brain, Management, Business, Leadership, Agile, Project Management, Technology, Personal Growth

Happy Holidays everyone!

I've received a few great comments regarding the free book offer in this post. Remember that emails must be received by Monday. Why not take a break from the holiday rush and send a quick email with your own "tip of the day" to get in the mix? email raven_young AT   hotmail DOT com

Hope everyone has a happy holiday!

 p.s.
This picture was received in an email with no info on who to credit. Send me an email if you know it's origin.

• Time Tracking from Happy Mommy Thoughts:
  Today I came across a blog post on Raven’s Project Management Blog where she interviewed Curt Finch, the author of All Your Money Won’t Another Minute Buy. I found it quite interesting and entertaining too - Curt dyed his hair blue when he lost a bet If you have a minute, check out the post and see if you learn a thing or two about time tracking and how you could use it to your benefit
• What a Want Ad Really Means from KnowHR:
  I spent a little time today working on a variation on a job description. It was pretty different from what the client was using as an example. Way different. Which is why I thought this table that translates want ad jargon into real words was so apropos.
• Raven reviews and interviews Curt Finch from Life in America:
  Raven's Project Management Blog does a great job on many subjects. Raven has especially done a great job on an interview with Curt Finch on his new book on time tracking: All Your Money Won't Another Minute Buy.
• All Your Money Won't Another Minute Buy? The Interview Of Author Curt Finch Explains It All from Ms. Latina Renee:
  Well, its a new book written by Curt Finch that insists on valuing time as a business resource. We were able to gain insight from the interview and the book review over on Raven's Project Management Blog.
• Free Requirements Management Webinar on Sept. 25th from Undocumented Features:
  Raven over at Raven’s Brain just posted about an upcoming Free Requirements Management Web Seminar on September 25th.  More details on Raven’s site, and more details after that on Sticky Minds.  The seminar is being led by HP and Blueprint and might turn up some value.  If you have the spare hour, do check it out!
• In Good Company from the Juggling Elephants Blog:
  Raven Young of "Raven's Brain" put "Juggling Elephants" in some pretty good company. Read her thoughts at:
  http://ravenyoung.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!17376F4C11A91E0E!3774.entry
• Requirement management articles from Ranjit:
  Raven's Brain: Some Good Requirements Management Articles
• Six Excellent Requirements Management Articles You Should Read from Undocumented Features:
  Raven over at Raven’s Brain again brings us some wonderful content worth repeating.  Here’s a link to a collection of six excellent requirements management articles.
• The Latest Management Fad: One that Finally Makes Sense from PMThink!:
  If you're getting weary of managers who lead by MMA (Management by Magazine Article), you'll appreciate this bit of humor, courtesy of Raven Young, from the wonderfully eclectic Raven's Brain blog site.
  
  For those who haven't checked out Raven's site, it's one of the best blog sites around. The problem is, there's so much great content, you're liable to not get anything else done.

These reviews and links are AWESOME!! Thanks to everyone who visited, commented, emailed, sent LinkedIn invitions and even posted about Raven's Brain. It's nice to have regular readers and a wider audience who let me know when they find something useful or interesting at my blog.

Leadership Tips
If you're looking for a blend of humor and good business information geared towards project and program managers, Raven's Project Management Blog is a good place to go. Here, Raven, who has 13 years of project management experience, with a focus in IT, and Web and software development, blogs about leadership skills, personal growth, productivity and communications. She also reviews tools, books, and software. I know several folks that would benefit from reading this blog and you don't have to be a project leader to benefit. Anybody in supervisory positions would find this blog helpful.

If the song wasn't bad enough - somebody's been watching me and has rendered an image to prove it:

 They got it right except there is usually music or TV (or both) on in the background and I am not the proud owner of a sleep mask, as depicted in the last frame ;)

posted by Raven Young under Raven's Brain
Tags: Raven's Brain, PC humor, Computer Humor

Users of Windows Live Spaces or subscribers to any WLS feeds might notice frequent and random updates of blog photo albums. I even had a note up at one point letting my site visitors know it wasn't *me* re-publishing my album daily, but the publishes were coming less often and I thought the defect might be fixed. Now the issue seems to be back - I've gotten several notices that my album had again been re-published (sigh). This post, however, is a real, actual update to my blog photo album! If you don't want to see some adorably cute pics of my kids, er, I mean animals - you should definitely skip this post. BTW - For some reason new photos are added to the end of the album and no sorting options are available. Sooo if you want to check out the new pics just start in reverse ;)

• Olive is a white lab, a little chubby but she makes up for it in spunk and cuteness
• Grace is a great dane/collie mix (!!) 157 lbs - a big girl with bark and love to match
• Moose is a tubby tuxedo tabby that is too adorable for his own good
• Ben is an all black rescue kitty that is always talking or eating, unless he's napping
• Our 5th kitty Nikki is shy and not as hammy as the rest of the brood, thus no pics

posted by Raven Young under Raven's Brain
Tags: Raven's Brain, Raven Young, Cute Animal Photos

Check out Jack's post: http://zo-d.com/blog/archives/design/build-your-own-diesel-motorcycle.html
He has a link to a larger pic of the stripped bike above, more info on the engine specifics and more

Check out Die Moto's website: http://www.thecrucible.org/about/diemoto.html
More photos, design and trial run videos, and lots more info

posted by Raven Young under Raven's Brain
Tags: Raven's Brain,  Motorcycles, Biodiesel Motorcycle