random rants - banjax blog

Like a fish in water

Link: Fast Company Now.

"I don't know who discovered water, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a fish." -- Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980) Media critic & writer

Something to consider:

Just like a fish can't see the water it's swimming in, you can't see the world immediately in front of you. It takes someone with a different perspective to point it out. These people can see opportunities that you can't see. They can see pitfalls that you can' t see. They can see them, ironically, because they aren't staring at them every day.

I liked their suggestions for transformation:

1. Sit down with a sharp person from another industry.
2. Describe the details of a project you're working on (include your challenges).
3. Ask them to point out opportunities you might be missing.
4. Switch it up and do the same thing for them.
5. Recognize that someone else can often see the opportunities/challenges in front of you a lot easier than you can.

I might just try that.

I'm back.. for good (or bad)?

Well, things sure have changed a heck of a lot! I stopped blogging March-04 and then the world changed. BitTorrent and Skype are now pervasive, podcasting is taking off, everyone is forecasting the death of the major TV networks and the BBC is planning on making programmes freely available online (in the UK only though).

My life has evolved somewhat too! Banjax is now expecting to be in production on its first productions this year after three hard years of slog. This is the second time around for me after setting up, building, growing and selling blackstar.co.uk* (*courtesy of the WayBackMachine), now known as sendit.com, "The UK's biggest online video retailer". But I totally underestimated the difficulties in trying to create an globally ambitious digital media company in Belfast! I could go on for weeks about the Byzantine bureaucracy that is prevalent in Northern Ireland, but that would just increase my pain! (private bitching sessions about Invest NI by email only please!)

With the change in our fortunes, I am hoping to be able to devote more time to this blog. I'd like it to be used as a way to sound off on the things that matter to me, and sometimes my business. So. More later!

Whacky Anagrams

This:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

is apparently an anagram of:

Immaculate and pregnant? Horror! She's deluded about her abdominal mass. Whose fetus? From where? Your Jewish boyfriend's flesh got you in the family way, not Mr Ghost! That HRT tale of hers don't fool us.

Davy Jones Wee Car

When I was growing up in Lisburn in the 1960's & 70's I would always look out for Davy Jones' wee car. My father has managed to track down a photograph of Davy AND his car! This takes me back...

Suspected Terrorist

Annie later told me that the stewardess who had gone to fetch her said that she thought the button was something that the security people had made me wear to warn the flight crew that I was a suspected terrorist(!). Now that would be really secure.

Hello

This is the first of my rambling rants. I hope to keep it up and keep it meaningful. Wish me luck!

Thought for the day: "If you are not the lead dog, the view never changes."