Performance Zen

Author: spierzchala

  • On Being a Catalyst

    Lisa Haneberg has a great post today on being a catalyst within your organization.

    This struck home with me because I feel that the word catalyst describes a lot of what I do. I like to try and draw as many threads together as I can, and then help move a project along by helping the truly talented people see how something can be improved, extended or created.

    To many classically-trained managers, I appear to be someone who seems to do or produce very little. But what I am paid to do is absorb and process as much information as I can, synthesize new ideas from this input, and then help provide the spark to start, or be the catalyst to accelerate, projects both internally and externally.

    I like this job. It suits my nature very well. And I am glad that Lisa has given me a word to describe it.

  • More on the Geek-Gadget-a-go-go Bag Search

    Thanks to everyone for their suggestions on my search for a new geek-gadget bag.
    I want the Waterfield. Can’t afford it…someone (you know who you are!) suggested that maybe we can get one of their most enthusiastic users, Joi Ito, to seed a couple of us with some VC money to help spread the Bzzzz about these great bags.
    Ok, so I can dream…I mean, look at the Powerbook Lust count in the top right corner of the page!

  • Elizabeth Albrycht on Pigeonholing your Employees

    Eric Eggertson has some thoughts on Elizabeth Albrycht’s post describing how companies with rigid, hierarchical job titles can’t cope with people who know a lot about many things.
    I couldn’t agree more. When asked for my title, I tend to give a vague response, rather than my job title. I don’t want people to think that they can only discuss certain topics with me. As well, I don’t want to be restricted in my opportunities simply because of my job title.
    I have had the benefit of spending 6 years in jobs that allowed me a great deal of latitude in expanding my areas of knowledge, while still challenging me with interesting internal projects.
    I look at those people who get stuck with “she’s a programmer”, “he’s a creative”, or “she’s in sales” tags as having their entire life experience boiled down into a sound byte.
    My life is not a sound byte (or bite); my life is a large canvas, and I am constantly adding to the picture. My life is a library that is always adding new volumes.
    Remember that the people you work with are people.

  • My desk — May 12, 2005

    Just for giggles…my desk.

  • Another OneNote Fan

    Phil at geekyinfo is another OneNote fan. [here]
    Like I said before, my Moleskine habit covers my note-taking needs quite well.

  • Robert J. Lang Origami

    Oh…wow! This Origami is insane!

    Thanks to the Frog for the link…an Origami moose?

  • The end of DNS as we know it?

    DNS has been a great hidden mystery to most people who use the Internet regularly. As a Web performance analyst, I see the effects of poorly deployed or improperly maintained DNS services.

    Business 2.0 brings this to the rest of you. While sounding a little apocalyptic, it does highlight a problem that those of us who work close to the ground know: DNS is inherently complex and fragile.

    Complex in the sense that a single mis-step can bring down a site like Google, or prevent Comcast users from using the Internet (not just the Web). Complex in the sense that the software, even after being re-written from the ground up for BIND 9, requires an incredible level of knowledge and expertise to configure and maintain correctly.

    I run caching BIND servers at my home, because I know how easy it is for a DNS outage to take me off the Internet. But the level of knowledge needed to set up that service for 5 computers is incredible.

    Services such as UltraDNS and Akamai have made DNS management for large companies a core component of their service offerings. Nominum, home of Paul Mockapetris (father of BIND and DNS), sells a robust and scalable BIND replacement.

    The question now is: what next? What could replace the DNS infrastructure? So far I haven’t been hearing a lot of conversation about this, because without DNS, nothing will work.

    DNS and name resolution using DNS are integrated into EVERY operating system from phones to supercomputers. So is the question not what will replace DNS?, but what will replace BIND?

    Don’t know….

  • Podcasts? Why?

    Ok, maybe I am only partial digerati. I cannot understand the love and passion generated by podcasts.
    And after flaming him, I have to come down hard on the side of Charles Cooper. I can’t see how podcasts will change the world.
    I did amateur radio in the 80s at CFUV at UVic. Many weird “aaahhhhh…uhhhhh….ummmm…” moments, followed by obtuse humour and loud music.
    I have also been recorded and have heard my own voice. Wouldn’t want to share that with anyone….[shudder!]
    Maybe I am just having a post-customer presentation stupid moment…maybe I will get flamed as well…but if I want amateur radio, I’ll hit up a college station.

  • Big Old Public Apology to Charles Cooper of C|Net

    I flamed Charles Cooper in a spur of the moment post a few days ago, and he burned me back this morning.
    I pulled the post, because in 20/20 hindsight, and to quote Michael Keaton, “I sir, am an ass!”.
    Charles, you didn’t deserve it; just two smart people coming to the same conclusion at about the same time.
    Shake?

  • Google Content Blocker

    Now, pair this up with Adblock in Firefox and poof! Web goes bye-bye!
    Via John Battelle