Reinventing The Wheel

Reinventing The Wheel

They say that just about everything has it's origins in in just a few inventions.  Most people do not like change and will say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".  My experience is that taking what is already there, changing or, in this case, reinventing the the process will allow you to get the job done.  In the case of the MAJOR PLAN, which was a system-wide process for utilizing public funding for effective Technology Planning, was adapted for personal home use.

The MAJOR PLAN,

Managing the funding source, 
was changed to: 
Making a Budget Item for Personal Technology Usage.

Analyzing the needs through the use of assessment tools,
was changed to: 
Assessing your Personal Inventory to determine what is still working and what are your current needs for Technology.

Jointly utilizing existing technology resources and personal, 
was changed to: 
Jointly combining your current knowledge and utilizing online sources, seeking out reputable computer repair services, and finally, focusing on only what hardware and software you really need to use.

Offer adequate Training,
was changed to: 
Organizing friend, other family members, and existing user groups in your area to learn tips and techniques.

Revaluate the Process,
was changed to: 
Reinvent the Wheel.

As you can see, while the process might seem detailed, it really will save you time, effort, and most importantly, money, in the long run.  My experience is that if you follow the MAJOR PLAN for determining your needs, you will avoid many of the common pitfalls that tend to derail you.

Tomorrows blog will be, Avoiding Common Pitfalls.  Let's see now, where do I begin?  Oh yes, what is my focus and how much will my wife let me spend.  Have a great day!

Retirement and Technology

Now that I am retired, technology is so important to me. A few months before I retired, I assessed my technology inventory. Due to the fact that my "work technology tools" would be staying with the job, I needed to take stock in what I would be needing to carry on my technology outreach. Since I also was unsure about finances, this became much more important to me. The usual needs for e-mail, Internet usage, blogging, presentations, and other demands were looked at. The next level I explored was software and hardware. Since I had been blessed with unlimited technology at work, moving towards retirement was going to limit my inventory. I had not really updated my personal technology in a few years. It didn't seem unrealistic because of the flow of technology in the workplace. Now that I was facing this reduction, I decided to learn how to continue my work using less. Thanks to the cloud based software, the hardware issue was the least of my worries. While it didn't remove the fear, it did help me focus on what was important and I was able to develop a plan. In the past three years I had help my department to develop a plan for technology and was able to guide them in responsible thecnology usage and increase knowledge in how to purchase the right type of technology. Now it was my turn to put that knowledge to the test in my own personal life. In the next few weeks I will discuss that plan and how I adapted it on a personal level.

I called it the MAJOR PLAN. Today I will outline the plan for you.

Manage The Funding Source

Analyze The Need Using Assessment Tools

Jointly Utilize Exixtinf Technology Resources And Personal

Offer Adequate Training

Reevaluate The Process

Tomorrow, my Blog Topic will be called, "Reinventing The Wheel". I will explain how I took a System-wide Plan and adapted it for personal use.

Technology at the Mall

Sitting on a bench near Starbucks using their WiFi is really a great way to keep up with your email, keep up with the news, and avoid the standing in the story waiting on my wife. This might just be a great way to spend my new found retirement time. Don't get me wrong, I really do enjoy coming to the mall but I do seem to get so tired just sitting around. I play silly games like, "counting the number of cell phone users", checking out the strange fashion trends, or just trying to avoid the "how does this outfit look on me". Blog writing at the mall. Now that is a great idea if you have a lot of time on your hands. I guess that making sure I have my ipad or iphone becomes very important. I think I really have found a way to stay out of trouble and me the good husband and sit with all the stuff they have bought.

The End of the Story WiFi

The last time I blogged, I was in search of WiFi because my home connecting was down. After several online chats with my provider, we got it back on. I installed a new wireless router and now the signal is strong. Ok so what did I learn? Well I guess it goes without saying that I am so dependent on the internet that some times it takes over my life. The second less ion seems to be centered around the lack of free WiFi in my area. I live in a college town with a large medical presents. You would think that we would have more access to WiFi but we don't. Finally, the lessons learned should move us towards fixing the issue. That remains to be seen. One thing I do know is that once you begin to depend on technology, it has to be there all the time. Gone are the days where you were able to life your life without having to know what is going on at all times. Technology brings you the cutting edge but at what cost. I know this entry is starting to become deep but I feel that we should sometimes stop what we are doing and just let the natural flow of life take over. I would reflect more about this subject but somehow I am drawn towards checking my e-mail, catching up on the latest wire story, and I here "Angry Birds" calling my name. Until then, stay connected.

In Search of the Free Wifi...Part Two

My last entry focused on my inability to get on line from home. My daughter had orders to place on line and I do tech support for a "Cloud-based" software program. If my teachers call even after hours, I need to be online in order to help. So now we are on stop number two in our search for wifi. Welcome to McDonnald's and the Big Mac wifi connection. I really need to get a life but then again, the internet is my life. I guess after 3 large iced teas, two Big Macs, and more frys then I care to eat, I think I have decided that unless my cable system comes through, this is really not the life for me. The realization is this; why is the internet and connecting so important to me. Well for one thing, I get all my current events on line. I live for social networking, and e-mail is the only way to communicate. Because I also do online tech support, I can't get away from it. Don't get me wrong, I love McDonalds but I think I have dropped to a new low in staying two hours sponging off the wifi. I just noticed that they close at 11:00pm. Well that gives me only about an hour and a half to connect with the world. Well let me rethink that, I do have my iphone. All I hope is that this time tomorrow evening I am laying in my bed, connecting at home with my peeps and using my own wifi...if not...its back to my Free Wi-Fi finder on my iphone attempting to locate that one place that will give me the connections that I desire. It might the an all night laundry or maybe I will book a room somewhere. Well this ends Part Two

What do you do when your Home Wifi goes out?

I am setting at the the local Panera Bread attempting to get this blog entry out before they close for the evening. I won't mention my home internet provider here (email me for the details) but because of some "difficulty" my home wireless is not working. Ok, so it might not be that important for me to get this blog post done tonight but you see I live and die by the internet. I really didn't seem to understand how much I would miss the internet experience. Right now I have my ipad and my netbook on line working on two projects. As long as Panera Bread remains open I can get some work conpleted. I know this is crazy but then again this is America. Don't call me cheap but desperate times call for desperate messures. Did I mention that I also am texting my daughter who is also here working on some order that "just has to be in tonight" If we run out of time here, we will just jump in the car and seek out free wifi. I guess you can say I am a total geek when it comes to being connected. As I look around the store, several people have their laptops open and either downloading e-mail, working on a school assighment or maybe on Facebook. Either way, I am connected. That is until my batterys run out. Technology is wonderful when it works and it sucks when it doesn't. I don't really understand why I am this way but if I really could face the truth, I am addicted. Hum, do they have programs out there for people like me? And would I attend the sessions in the first place. Well I only have 15 more minutes until they asked me to leave so I better end this short entry. OK let me see, where do we head next. Wifi...here we come.

Blogging at the Mall

Ok so I know that it is not really a big deal to be blogging at the mall but I think I hear the best and worse tech advice while sitting in the bookstore using their free wifi. It seems as if everyone is an expert when it comes to technology. I hear what is the "best" smart phone to buy, what notebook computer is currently being used and finally why you should stay away from certain technology. I know that most advice is not based upon knowledge but instead on usage. This information is good because you either hear the passion or pitfalls of each device in real time. The guy sitting next to me is using an iphone and across the room is a windows phone being used. The android phones must be in big demand due to the fact that several folks are using them while drinking coffee or reading books at the bookstore. If I were to guess, it seems as if just about everybody is holding some type of device, either a smart phone, notebook, ipad, or tablet in the bookstore now. I guess the quality of bandwidth must be good. While this blog entry doesn't really focus on a certain type of technology, it does underline the total take over of "Handheld or mobile devices". This really makes me wonder what is next. Of course we can expect technology to out grow what the public demands but as long as there is a need to know and gather informantion, keep in touch, Facebook, Twitter, and just interact, technology is the ticket.