Observations-Engagements

I am listening, on this 9-11-11 tenth anniversary remembrance day, to the opening concert of Sacrum Profanum, a new music festival in Kraków, Poland. Much of the week’s program is devoted to the music of American composer Steve Reich, whose music I have loved since my high school music buddy introduced me to “Music for 18 Musicians” in 1978, when we were seniors in high school.

What amazes me, though, is that through the magic of the internet, I can sit in my home in Chicago and listen live to a concert in AlcelorMittal’s tinning plant in Kraków, and hear Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood perform “Electric Counterpoint” and the Ensemble Modern perform “Music for 18 Musicians”.

This bringing together through technology represents to me the best of humanity. It represents the solidarity felt within our city and our country, and indeed throughout the world, after the terrible attacks.

Sitting in a coffee shop today in a college bookstore, I realized once again, as I eavesdropping on a couple of conversations, how life is marketing and sales.

Read about marketing and sales for PhD students and university administrators in “It All Starts with Marketing and Sales” in the Canright Communications Onlines blog.

The most critical element of maintaining contact and building relationships with a network is to touch people as many time as practical using as many ways as possible—from emails to blogs to newsletters to social media to phone calls to face-to-face meetings.

Read about five ways of maintaining contact with your network in 5 Ways to Connect with Content in the Canright Communications Onlines blog.

In her blog post, “American Consumption and the New Normal,” Nancy Koehn discusses how Americans are going through the greatest changes in how they spend since the Great Depression. It’s one of the many references I’ve seen in the last year to how today’s economic situation is like the Great Depression.

It’s also one of a number of articles, including my own, using the phrase “the new normal.” Read more in “The New Normal and Brand Perceptions” ,in the Canright Communications bog.

A Virtual Celebration!

I’m 50 today, October 25, 2009. To celebrate and review my life to date, I’ve put up a series of posts, mostly on my work to date, including articles, photographs, videos, and audio recordings. Part of turning 50 is looking back to see what you have been but also looking forward to see what you want to become. I’d love your thoughts and comments.

I was surprised to spend too much time in my college years. I haven’t gotten to my recent (as in past 15 years) work, my personal and leadership transformations, the pilgrimages I’ve done, and my future plans.

So you’ll just have to come back! You can check the Updates page (when it’s ready) to see what’s new. Or connect with me on Facebook or Twitter. Or sign up for this blog’s RSS feed.