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Why does it take a shock to the system?

David Newberger — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:31:15 +0000

What did I do when I realized Systems Administration wasn’t the right thing for me? I thought and I thought and I thought some more. It may seem counterproductive to think about things as much as I do but for me it helps out a lot. What follows it just some of that thinking I did.

This weekend I had some time to think while I was working on a laptop that just wouldn’t work right. Surprisingly my thoughts were not on this laptop but on my general situation at work. I had agreed to come in on a Saturday because a group renting out our conference room needed IT support. So I thought why not work on the machine that is being such a problem child. This got me thinking and when I get thinking boy oh boy it’s hard to stop sometimes.

My official role here is Systems Administrator for the company I work for. As systems administrator my job entails everything from rebuilding a PC to configuring a switch to setting up and checking backups.

I have unofficial roles like systems administrator for a spun off company. My role there is just about the same although I don’t rebuild computers as much as I do for my primary company. I also have become an unofficial CMS asset for our company. By unofficial I mean they ask and I answer and that’s the end of that for a while. I am also an unofficial social media asset for our company.

The amount of time I spend doing any of these roles varies from day to day. Take today for example. This morning I setup a new computer for a new employee as part of my primary role. I then went into the all staff meeting and found out I am the go to person for people who don’t have Facebook accounts in the company per marketing proclamation. Then I had a short meeting about some events taking on later this week at the spun off company. Finally I scheduled time to work on a Drupal training for marketing at 1 this afternoon.

In contrast last Friday I had planned on doing to Drupal training and working on a few sites. That all went out the window and I spent 6 hours working on PCI compliance checklists for the spun off company. Both of which allotted me next to nothing time wise to focus on my primary role. The scary thing was I enjoyed not focusing on my primary role.
Again I thought about this. Why is it that I seem to enjoy the two unofficial roles that lean towards marketing more than the one official and one unofficial role that is straight IT. Well the only two things I can come up with is farming & the Marine Corp.

Yes you read that right FARMING & the Marine Corps. Organic Farming to be more precise. See I spent about 6 months working for a CSA called Fresh Earth Farms before I started working where I am currently working. I worked at the CSA because I wanted to do something different. I wanted to do something so different that it would be almost like a shock to my system. Well I got the shock I was looking for and then some. Best part is I wouldn’t trade that feeling for anything else in the world.

The Marine Corps was the same. I was a introvert through and through when I joined the Marine Corps. I was also a nerd through and through. At that point in time I decided against the urging of my family to do something drastic. I went for the heart of the Marine Corps. I joined as an Infantryman. I was a hard charging, ground pounding Grunt. Again I did this because I needed a shock to my system. I needed something to break through to me. Those Drill Instructors sure know how to break through. They are like artists or surgeons.

I received the training and the discipline I was looking for. I also received one other thing that I wasn’t looking for; a fractured hip. This unfortunately got me a one way ticket out of the Marine Corps.

My point is this. If I wanted to be a systems administrator all my life why would I take time off to become a Organic Farmer or a US Marine. I wouldn’t really. So I looked at this a bit.

When I was a Organic Farmer I noticed I was still thinking about Social Media and Content Management. I was still thinking about the web. When I thought about it while farming I was thinking of how to incorporate Social Media and Farming.

I was thinking about Fresh Earth Farms and how to use the web to assist in the core business functions. I thought about how to create a CMS for the farm. I thought about app’s that could be helpful to the farm. I thought about Facebook, YouTube & twitter for the farm. I did one thing that I didn’t like though I kept all of this to myself. It wasn’t mentioned to the owner. It wasn’t mentioned to the other farm hands.

I still think about Fresh Earth Farms and the Marine Corps but now I also think about Meet Minneapolis & Social Media as well. It’s one of the few high points of working here.

Major Personal Announcement

David Newberger — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:48:37 +0000

Yesterday I decided to take a day off from my job. During this time I contemplated where I was in my career and where I wanted to be. I took stock of the last 2 years working for my current employer. Things have changed a lot on this landscape. I got a job just before the market really tanked. The job comes at a price though and that price is steep for me both professionally and personally.

The freedom that I once had as a freelance and consultant is replaces by a strict and rigid structure. The passion I had for the projects I worked on while a freelancer and consultant is replaced by conformity. The drive I had as a freelancer and consultant is replaces by the daily grind.

The things that I value the most have disintegrated into thin air. The ideas I shelved to come work for a company are still there. They have always been there in the back of my mind. This freedom, passion, and drive are what keep me going. If those are gone then well I might as well be gone.

I know my family suffers from me being more distant. I hear how I don’t laugh as much. I hear how I don’t smile as much. And I hear how I don’t talk as much when I’m at home as before. I get stressed a lot more easily than I did 2 years ago.

To help with the issues above I have decided to start consulting and doing web development freelance work again.

So with that said it’s time for me to start making changes to the way things are. It’s time for me to re-ignite that Freedom I once felt! It’s time for me to let the ideas flow! It’s time for me to re-fill that glass of Passion again! It’s time for me to Drive right though the barriers again! It’s time for me to take charge of my own direction again! It’s time for me to be the disruptive force that I once was!

Freedom – Using current and future tools to adapt to an ever changing landscape

Passion – When I get started on something I’m truly passionate about everyone better watch out! My passion is the social web. My passion is information. My passion is knowledge. My passion is Data points. My passion is using the tools on hand. My passion is adding low or zero cost tools. My passion is finding the right mix for a project. My passion is disruption. My passion is living on the digital edge. My passion is experimenting. My passion is game changing!

Drive – Drive is something I can’t define without mentioning passion. When that passion is there no barrier is a limit for me. There will always be a solution to a problem I encounter.

In no particular order my current areas of interest include: IT System Development/Management, Social Media/Networking, Journalism, Web Development, CSS, HTML, XHTML, Ruby on Rails, PHP, User Experience, SEO, SMO, Collaboration, Brainstorming, Blogging, Podcasting, Photography, Web & Social Analytics, Trend Analysis & Engagement

Twitter Updates for 2009-10-15

David Newberger — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:23:00 +0000

@Bruceeric could be worse. Maybe password grabber in reply to Bruceeric #

Twitter Updates for 2009-10-14

David Newberger — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:23:00 +0000

I'll take a bad cable over a bad switch anyday! #
Untitled http://post.ly/8Nyj #
@RachelJeanMpls well yeah but I'm back from the data center now. Took Bosses car/ in reply to RachelJeanMpls #
this is not good. I have a Migraine and I might be coming down with something #
Hmmm me thinks I need to get a #googlewave invite some how #
Why is it so hard for people to say we've decided to role that position in with another position? #
Untitled http://post.ly/8Riv #
I'm now pretty sure it's me that's limiting my own growth. Maybe I'm not communicating well enough? Maybe it's my approch or philosophy? #
Untitled http://post.ly/8RkR #
I've got to rethink or conform to the Corp world better to get where i want to be I guess. #
Do I become a yes man? Do I supress my ideas because they tend to be on the edges? #
@arikjones yeah it's getting to me a bit you could say. in reply to arikjones #
@arikjones I must have a messed up idea of rising through the ranks. Or really I think it's how I either approch or present to upper mgmt. in reply to arikjones #
@JanetVanderhoof fb is good for connecting. Twitter is better for conversations. in reply to JanetVanderhoof #
@aeklund really? I would have thought most of your friends are in there 30's. in reply to aeklund #
Thanks @aeklund you just made me realize I'm turning 30 in 9 days. Was trying to avoid that thought. Oh well we move on in reply to aeklund #
@JanetVanderhoof the connection on fb to me is a more solid connection. On Twitter there are solid connections but most are loose connection in reply to JanetVanderhoof #
@JanetVanderhoof I think it's the type of interaction you are looking for. Speed & Twitter are great. Longer conversations are better on fb. in reply to JanetVanderhoof #
@JanetVanderhoof messenger on the side also works in reply to JanetVanderhoof #
Ok so I have righted the screws that got loose again. Time to adapt and overcome these hurdles placed before me! #
@gillianr how is it that I never met the @bravocino and yet still feel like the world is a little less whole now? in reply to gillianr #
@aeklund the thing I get to look forward too when my 4 yo is a tad bit older. Fear the onslought of fees associated with txting hovering in reply to aeklund #
@panache wow I didn't think our schools had made it that low yet. in reply to panache #

Twitter Updates for 2009-10-13

David Newberger — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:23:00 +0000

ummm has anyone seen my share dive? It seems to be missing for everyone here in the office at the moment. #
Yay, the missing Share drive has been found. Now to hack this VPN concentrator. #
@amysbryant yeah I heard that too. maybe we didn't cash in all our nice weather chips yet @MNHeadhunter in reply to amysbryant #
I'm really digging this note book from #clockwork that I got at the #unsummit this weekend! #
the interpretive dance by @myklroventine & @megcanada is up http://is.gd/4eEYq . was a great way to start the #UnSummit #
Wait there is a raw version? I think it would be even better to see the unedited verison @myklroventine & @MegCanada in reply to MegCanada #
@m3ggiesue how big is your org and how many others are using it so far? in reply to m3ggiesue #
We are not alone. Mayor of Minneapolis had snow rage too. RT @MayorRTRybak: I'm over my early morning Snow Rage. #
well that is odd. The server that is hosting out convention center site looks like it's not. can't find a reference in IIS. cant find Apache #
Wondering how presenters felt when they saw people typing away while you talked. #unsummit #
Untitled http://post.ly/8Gpl #
Why is it so hard to find a package of grandma's fudge choclate chip cookies when you want them #
Looks like the spirit of the #unsummit has a longways to go judging by the lashing I'm getting from the meeting community google group ATM. #
@MrChristopherL biggest takesaways #unsummit = lively & thought provoking dicussions. Ideas being sparked. Connections made. in reply to MrChristopherL #
@cedge318 it's melted already fir the most part in reply to cedge318 #
@MrChristopherL what can I say the #unsummit really struck a cord with me why not share the knowledge of other processes in reply to MrChristopherL #
wish zipcar was in downtown Minneapolis. not over by the U of M but the heart of the downtown area. #

Twitter Updates for 2009-10-12

David Newberger — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:23:00 +0000

@aeklund awww come on the first nuisance snow of the season what's not to like about that. Well if you forget about the drivers on the road. in reply to aeklund #
@NicoledeB @amysbryant @MNHeadhunter you would think that would be the case but this is MN after all. in reply to NicoledeB #
@hclib is there tunnel access to the central library? #
Ok my network has a mind of its own right now. People are reporting the shared drive as gone AWOL #

Twitter Updates for 2009-10-11

David Newberger — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:23:00 +0000

#unsummit sitting in on the pitch to bloggers. Interestingly I've been giving tech suppot to the person next to me #
I'm at Minneapolis Central Library w/ @myklroventine. http://bit.ly/vBTgD #
#unsummit == better format to add and share value than #mimasummit or other traditional conferences #
Breaking! Your tomatoes are not OK. #unsummit (via @patrickrhone) ps Minnesota specific #
@aeklund i might be interested in it. My 4 year old has been asking for one in reply to aeklund #
@aeklund hmmmm #unsuimmt or @graemethickins pre-game frat party in reply to aeklund #
just got Rick rolled by @perfectporridge thanks #
Interesting look at the #unsummit. Of the 15 who followed me today only 3 of them are 1k+ in followers. May be a waterline? #
@MNHeadhunter This is the first year it's snowed before my birthday so yes our chips are gone #bizarroweather #
@MNHeadhunter sorry all out after my last issue in reply to MNHeadhunter #
@ashleyvaness I thought you could do that. I sure I did it before in reply to ashleyvaness #
I don't know about u but when I hear #socialmediaexpert or #socialmediaconsultant my bs detector goes into overdrive. #

Twitter Updates for 2009-10-10

David Newberger — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:23:00 +0000

My head feels like it's on swivel right now. Don't think I've sat down for more than 5 or 10 minutes since 6:15 am #
Untitled http://post.ly/7t1L #
I'm at Franks a Million (330 2nd Ave S # 218, Minneapolis). http://bit.ly/68j4X #
I just became the mayor of Franks a Million on @foursquare! http://bit.ly/68j4X #
I'm at Meet Minneapolis Official Convention + Visitors Association (250 Marquette Ave. S Suite 1300, 3rd st., Minneapolis). http://bit.l … #
Well this is an interesting looking morning. Woke up to a dusting of snow on the ground http://yfrog.com/14764zj #
Untitled http://post.ly/7zEH #
At the #unsummit checking in right now #

Twitter Updates for 2009-10-09

David Newberger — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:23:00 +0000

@stoweboyd I'm seeing only my @ to people on my page. #
At the corner of hennepin & 6th street in Minneapolis you never know what you'll see http://yfrog.com/1rfpskj a photo shoot #
Just outside the photo are 2 guys smoking weed and chatting about music #
K so I'm happy I got to watch the bombing of the moon. However that was the most uneventful think I have seen in a long time. No flash #
As much as I like @Digsby I really want to see two things before I start using it again. 1 MAC CLIENT! 2 IPHONE CLIENT! #

Twitter Updates for 2009-10-09

David Newberger — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:23:00 +0000

@stoweboyd I'm seeing only my @ to people on my page. #
At the corner of hennepin & 6th street in Minneapolis you never know what you'll see http://yfrog.com/1rfpskj a photo shoot #
Just outside the photo are 2 guys smoking weed and chatting about music #
K so I'm happy I got to watch the bombing of the moon. However that was the most uneventful think I have seen in a long time. No flash #
As much as I like @Digsby I really want to see two things before I start using it again. 1 MAC CLIENT! 2 IPHONE CLIENT! #