Introvert

Confessions of a Gadget Freak

My first laptop was a Gateway Handbook. It was a 386 running Windows 3.11. It was the size of a large paperback and my pride and joy. Over the years I experienced a number of mobile computing experiences including a Palm VII with an early radio technology.

Today, I am cruising down Interstate 24 about halfway between Nashville and Chattanooga on a Teklogix Netbook Pro - a Windows CE mini-laptop with a Verizon wireless card giving me full internet and email access as I drive (or ride actually).

But I guess the more I have the more I want - a company called OQO has released a full Windows XP machine with a 20 gig hard drive which is the size of a 5 x 8 card - see it here.

Shadow People

I finally finished my children’s book. (I have to stop and look at that sentence a for a minute. Okay, on with the entry.) Not that I think they’re great literature but I’m amazed each time I read them.

I love words; I’m one of the few people I know who can amuse themselves for hours with a dictionary. (note to self: get out more … ) [Reply to self: I’m an introvert, remember?]

If you’re interested, you can find “Tales from the Clan of the Shadow People” over here at my other website (where I store my brain).

The order is wrong over there - It should be “Introduction to the Shadow Clan Stories”, “Who they are”, “The Box of Tears”, “The Chamber Mountains”, “Fire Night”, “The Darkness without a Disguise”, “The Day of the Airborne Dreamers”, “The King of Circumstances”, “The Impatient Farmer”, and “The Stillness Broken”.

Now I’ve got to find an illustrator …

Career Blahs

Did I ever tell you (you as in “all you millions of imaginary blog readers existing in spacetime”) that I was/am a career counselor?

Well, that’s as good an intro as I can come up with to introduce this exchange of emails:

Here’s the question: I am a graduate and searching for job for a year…being at home i have become so lazy that i feel to much tired and rejected always…i want to overcome this and become what i want…please help with some advise or something to avoid this.

And here’s my cliche, er, answer:

A lot of my ideas may seem like clichés, but here goes anyway. First, action begets action - the more you sit around the more tired you’re going to feel.

Volunteer somewhere - at a hospital or clinic or homeless feeding station. You must have something regularly scheduled to give you a sense of purpose and a reason to get out of bed.

Second, instead of “searching for a job” work on building a referral network - go to friends, neighbors, associates with your resume. Instead of asking for a job, say “I’m trying to determine my best course and I would appreciate you taking a few minutes to give me your advice and any information you might have.”

Everybody loves to give advice, ask them if they know anyone else you could speak with and contact those individuals as well. This approach to job hunting is a job in itself and attitude is EVERYTHING. But if you keep this up, sooner or later someone will connect you with the right person or company with the right job for you.

Best wishes,

Hal Warfield

Of course, then the question comes up, “what’s an introvert doing counseling others on their careers?” Remember that Introverted doesn’t mean anti-social; it means we draw our strength and find renewal by turning inward rather than outward.

Online Non-Community

This actually made me laugh outloud (as in LOL not ROFLMAO). With all the sites available that allow you to “community” (not really a verb is it now?) this one is perfect for introverts — it lets you get rid of people!!!

Whatta concept! If you’re not sure if you’re introverted or not take this simple test over at my other site, “I’m gonna keep on looking”.

Big Fish

It’s been a long time since a movie had involved me so much. Big Fish, directed by Tim Burton, is such a film. I won’t spoil it for you except to say that it is the story of a man who takes life’s everyday trivialities and adds details to them from his imgination until they seem as “tall tales” to his son.

But I am still seeking out the underlying message — I think it’s that life is so precious and unique that even the mundane should be enjoyed and cherished and looked on as miraculous. And this is so hard for me to do — to witness life arising from the activities of everyday life — to avoid boredom and anxiety.

And yet, the other message in the movie is that we each write the story of our lives. I have often said that I do not want to get to the end of my life and find regrets waiting for me there. I must work harder to write the story the way I want it told and remembered.

The Sky Above

As an introvert, I’m continually fascinated by the question of significance. Personal significance — the “why am I here?” kind.

And I’m always on the lookout for articles and such that add meaning or perspective to that question.

So for your introspective pleasure, I give you this article which again indicates how huge our universe is and how small we are.

Space … the final frontier … (sorry)