The last several weeks have really left me at a loss. I’ve had multiple (3+) clients call me either in a panic or stressed to the max. One said, “I know I can get an honest opinion from you. Tell me if this is true…”. Another started the conversation with, “I just need someone to be honest with me. Can you do that?”.

They feel by asking for an honest opinion that they will somehow avoid the use of rhetoric altogether. They would be wrong.

Of course, I don’t have a hidden agenda for these clients usually. I want to help them. They’ve already signed the contract and I’ve already agreed to try my best. However, that doesn’t mean that I (or anyone else claiming to be ‘Honest’) doesn’t choose their words carefully.

Continue Reading Tell it to me Straight – Honesty in EDR

The Fiancé and myself have been independently struggling with identity for a few months now. For myself, I’ve been leaving a work title paradigm for a value based one after my continued reading of Covey’s book. For her, it’s a similar experience with her name connected with her title and our marriage.

In short, she’s a doctor. My last name is ‘Grim’. Imagine trying to build a family medicine practice as “Dr. Grim”. Just saying, it’s both funny and awesome. However, there are real complications and lessons to be learn about ‘What’s in a name’.

Continue Reading Identity in Context – Dr. / Mrs. / Mr. / Sir

This is my 79th post in a blog that has lasted for 2 years. By far, this blog has served me very well in that time and continues to help guide my efforts in all areas of my life. However, for all this effort to learn the technical and creative skills that go into blogging, I’ve not found this blog to be beneficial the way I had intended 2 years ago.

Continue Reading What I Haven’t Gained in 2 Years of Blogging

Every Steam summer or winter sale is the same. I get excited and a little giggly as I rush to my Wishlist to see what kind of massive discounts I get on 10+ year old games. I usually pick up 4-5 games for around $30. Then, they sit idling in my library unplayed and unloved for years.

Continue Reading Failure to Follow Suit – Rhetoric of Entertainment

I’m coming up to the end of my first 30 day challenge from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and I can’t say it has been easy. For the last month I’ve tried to catch myself from simply reacting. Meaning, I’ve caught myself from taking actions against my core values. I’ve thought about how my responses align, or should align, with my values instead of appeasing others or sacrificing my self-worth.

Continue Reading Nailing down the 1st Habit – Be Response-(able)

I’m a survivor.

Within my lifetime I’ve experienced friends dying to freak accidents and suicide. I’ve overcome a severe diagnosis (given only a handful of years to live). Pain, hurt, with both mental and spiritual anguish have been present for as long as I can remember. While I know things could have been worse, I definitely know they could have been better. I have fought to keep my well being in tact and I’m proud of the person I have become as a result.

I am a survivor.

Continue Reading The Long Dark – My Favorite Game

(If you’ve not done so, search ‘Pac-Man’ in google desktop and play a free version of Pac-man in the search results)

When I was a kid, my family occasionally visited a pizzeria that housed the Pac-Man, Tempest, and Asteroids arcade games.

Of the three, I’ve always sucked at Pac-Man.

When playing, I didn’t understand the point. Sure, I got the mechanics easy enough, but I didn’t get the goal. The player completes a level and moves on in an endless series of mazes trying to avoid ghosts all the while trying to eat as many cookies as possible. Seems pointless to me.

However, all of this didn’t stop me from occasionally using one of my few quarters for the night on this seemingly pointless game.

Continue Reading Why Games as Featured Images

As a project manager, I get glimpses into clients lives every time we kickoff a new project. A laptop camera has become the lens at which I see into the personal lives of everyone I meet. I see their kids playing, their kitchen being repainted, or even that they are a fan of midwest AAA league baseball.

While these details help me humanize and connect with those I serve, their words resound to a greater scale of the day to day turmoils we all face.

Continue Reading What Fears We Share

The last several weeks have been a nightmare for time. Every day I’ve been asked for help on a project while attempting to maintain my own. I’ve also been spending some time working on myself.

Not only have I continued reading 7 habits of highly effective people, I’ve been reflecting on my own experiences at LexBlog. Just getting into the end of the first section (intro and overview) of the book, it dawned on me how wrong I’ve been with my personal paradigm on projects. Feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work has left me drained and emotionally exhausted from a constant need to prove my worth i.e. a “Personality Ethic”.

My set of work paradigms are changing towards a “Character Ethic”. I have seen this growth in myself and others.

Continue Reading A Project’s Carol

Representatives from the realms of Sales, Support, Product, Design, and Operations met to discuss the great enemy of LexBlog. A backlog of blogs, websites, microsites, and portals that threaten our standing with numerous clients. This is one project to rule over all other projects and must been eliminated.

Really, we have a list of blogs that for one reason or another stalled out. Either the client lost interest, communications dropped, or someone somewhere hesitated about a decision. This post is about the beginning of the end of stalled projects at LexBlog.

Continue Reading Fellowship of the Project and Risk Management – Carl Pritchard