Alan’s Kiloblog

When you are in the psychological moment for a particular project, something will beacon you to leave your moment, and expend that certainty and conviction elsewhere.

It is amazing. Is amazing that there is an economy for that sort of thing, but it is true, there are those that sense this. It is amazing how efficient these markets are.

Which is why I’ve decided that these are the following questions to ask, the next time I’m faced with an opportunity that does tie in with my stated agenda.

• This hasn’t worked before, is the first thing to state.
• How exactly will I benefit? Exposure doesn’t count. I get better exposure working on my turf.
• Who pays for it? It had better be all expenses paid, and then some, because I don’t have time to entertain.
• How much of what I’m doing are you aware of? Because, you might have got it into your head that New Orleans needs to be a component of your master plan, but if you haven’t done the research, I’m not going to change my position on matters to suit you.

Hint: If you’re thinking opportunity, be informed that I’m thinking crisis. I checked the Chinese dictionary, the are not the same word.

My routine. When I don’t have anything better to do I write about my routine. You always know you are not getting things done when you think that the first thing you need to do is get things done. I’m experience a moment of resistance. Need to publish something. Anything. Anywhere.

Had to look and look to ask why this man was so familiar. He’s from Ann Arbor! The photographer has a very nice photoset of Ann Arbor places.

We didn’t have the concept of a notary in Michigan. I need to find a Notary today to notarize the articles of incorporation for Think New Orleans. Today will be quite a little trek.

There once was a time when I said that I couldn’t do social work. That it is not in my nature to be able to deal with people’s problems. That’s work for a different temperament than my own.

I am angry with that sentiment.

I will have to simply dismiss that world view that was shaped by a pointed isolation from social problems, to an extent that any sort of service, read to children, bring meals to the elderly, any sort of tangental intersection might reveal evidence of the pressures that people feel every day.

With so many projects, and so many people showing an interest in Think New Orleans, it is hard to find the right organization model. It would be a loose model, and it could learn from open source development, but in open source you have a source control system. You have a product that is also on the Internet, while our product is much more physical. I’m hoping that the Wiki can be that source control system, and I need to think of it as analogous.

The want to help, but the won’t do it if they don’t get to play with their tagging toys.