Dare to Shoot for the Moon

What is more personal (and potentially scary) than exposing yourself and your art to the world for the first time?

It was quite unexpected to be greeted by Nils van Breugel as we entered his exhibition, “Bouncing with the Atoms” this weekend in Delft.  Not exactly a wallflower, Nils was dressed in a very official looking and very bright orange NASA space suit.  In contrast, some of his pieces are dark in both color and emotion.

Nils’ artistic style is difficult to describe or define, but his talent and passion are both abundantly clear.   PrimeShapes.com was launched by Nils as a platform to launch other artists into orbit and make art accessible to all.  He is an entrepreneur in the IT sector by day as well as a Man on a Mission in the Art World and beyond.  In the period leading up to his expo, Nils put all other pursuits aside, including his business, and focused solely on  preparing for takeoff!

Nils is a great example of someone truly going for it and his focus and determination are to be admired.  In the photo, Nils poses in front of my favorite piece, “Goodbye My Jag”.

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The New “Open Source” Model for Business Networks

Not since Al Gore, have I heard anyone claiming the internet as their own (except Google of course), but this week, I received a surprising email with a similar ownership claim.  The sender was an Internet Consultant who decided not to renew her membership with our organization, the Women’s Business Initiative International. She feels that the WBII unfairly competes with her business because of our efforts to make the internet and social media tools accessible and less scary to our members.

Upon reading her take on what a  Business Network or Club should be, I realized that her assumptions are based on an old fashioned traditional model, while the WBII operates in a collaborative “open source” model.   She questioned our integrity in competing with her business, by sharing information openly.  Her business is based on keeping the barriers in place that make people feel required to hire an expert.  Of course there are plenty of circumstances when businesses do require and hire special expertise.  In fact, if you lower the initial hurdles that exist for small business owners to take their business online, the demand for “expertise” will expand. Continue reading »

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Chronic Complainers- Insensitive, Inconsistent or Insane?

Is it common sense to not bitch about your job to someone who is desperately searching for one or to not go on and on about your nagging Mother to someone who is grieving the loss of their own?  Evidently not.  Lately I’ve noticed a surge in irrational (unfounded) complaining.

There are a few chronic complainers in every workplace.  The Insensitive Type mentioned above are probably well known to be annoying, while the chronically Inconsistent Type are frustrating and likely unaware of the gap between their whining and reality.  Isn’t it always the coworker contributing the least that complains most about being overworked?

The  inconsistencies between your words and actions can diminish your credibility, especially among co-workers and others that witness the reality of your daily life (even if it eludes you).   Do you moan about being flat broke and and then regularly show up sporting new outfits or jetting off on trips?  If you like to splurge and treat yourself, your choice, but refrain from remarks about your depleted bank account.  No one feels sorry for you! Continue reading »

Filed under Just Life, Unsolicited Advice | Comments (2)

Comfort Food Trend Gone Wild

The healthy food frenzy has been going on long enough to be officially boring. To be noticed, you have to buck the trend in a Big Greasy Way! Comfort Food has been on the rise as the economy slumps, but KFC takes it to the extreme!

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