#grateful – Page 5 – That's News To Me

#cloud, Career, Coding, Digital Platforms, Employment, Mentoring, Technology

Optimize Your Video Workflow and Improve Productivity Using FFMpeg, Ruby on Rails, Django, Laravel, React, and Angular.

Revisiting FFMPEG, and adding Ruby on Rails, Django, Laravel, React, and Angular

FFmpeg is a command-line based open-source multimedia framework that includes a set of tools to process, convert, combine and stream audio and video files. FFmpeg works by taking input from a file or a capture device (such as a webcam), then applying filters and encoding the data to a new format as output.

Here are some key components of how FFmpeg works:

1. Input: FFmpeg can take input from a variety of sources: video files, audio files, image sequences, capture devices, etc.

2. Decoding: Once the input source is defined, FFmpeg decodes the data from its original format (e.g., H.264 video codec) into an uncompressed, linear format, which is easier to process and manipulate.

3. Filters: FFmpeg has a vast set of filters that can be applied to the data, including scaling, cropping, color correction, noise removal, and more.

4. Encoding: After filtering, FFmpeg compresses the data back into a new format (e.g., MPEG4 video codec), using one of many built-in or external codecs. FFmpeg has support for dozens of codecs, containers, and formats.

5. Output: Finally, FFmpeg saves the newly encoded data to a file, streaming server, or other output device, typically in a format such as MP4, AVI, or FLV.

FFmpeg provides a flexible and powerful way to manipulate multimedia content on a wide range of platforms and operating systems. Its command-line interface allows for fine-grained control over every aspect of the processing pipeline, making it a popular choice for integrating into larger workflows and pipelines.

Buckle up, we’re about to dive into the wild world of frameworks.

In computer programming, a framework is a pre-existing software infrastructure that provides a set of guidelines, pre-made code libraries, and tools to help developers build and deploy applications more efficiently.

A framework generally consists of a collection of libraries, modules, functions, and other pre-written code that serves as a foundation upon which developers can build their applications. A framework often includes a set of conventions and best practices for developing applications in a specific programming language or domain.

The goal of a framework is to provide a standardized approach to building applications that reduces development time and minimizes the possibility of errors. Frameworks can help developers implement common features like authentication, routing, and database access more easily, allowing them to focus on the unique aspects of their application.

Different types of frameworks are available for different purposes, such as web application frameworks, mobile application frameworks, software testing frameworks, and more. Some popular examples of frameworks include Ruby on Rails, Django, Laravel, React, and Angular.

1). Ruby on Rails is a popular open-source web application framework that is primly used to create dynamic, database-driven web applications. It is built on top of the Ruby programming language, and provides developers with a set of tools and conventions for building modern web applications. Some of the core features of Ruby on Rails include its emphasis on convention over configuration, the use of a Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture, and a wide range of built-in libraries and tools for handling common web development tasks, such as database management and asset compilation. Overall, Ruby on Rails is ideal for building complex, data-driven web applications quickly and efficiently.

1A) The Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture is a design pattern that is commonly used in software engineering to create scalable, modular, and maintainable web applications. The key idea behind the MVC architecture is to separate the different components of the application into three interconnected layers:

– Model layer: This layer is responsible for representing the data and the domain logic of the application. It encapsulates the data and provides methods for manipulating it, as well as rules for enforcing constraints and performing computations.

– View layer: This layer is responsible for presenting the data to the user. It provides a user interface that allows the user to interact with the application, and displays the data in a meaningful and intuitive way.

– Controller layer: This layer is responsible for handling user input and coordinating the communication between the Model and View layers. It receives input from the user, manipulates the data in the Model layer, and updates the View layer to reflect the changes.

– The main advantage of the MVC architecture is that it promotes separation of concerns, making it easier to build and maintain complex web applications. By keeping the different layers separate, developers can modify or replace a component without affecting the others, making it easier to test, debug, and extend the application.

2) Django is a popular Python-based web framework that is often used for building complex, scalable, and data-driven web applications. It provides developers with a range of tools and libraries for handling common web development tasks, such as request handling, database management, and user authentication. Some of its key features include its built-in admin interface, robust security features, and support for rapid development.

2A) A Python-based web framework is a software framework that is built using the Python programming language and provides developers with the tools and libraries they need to build web applications quickly and efficiently.

Web frameworks provide a set of pre-written code and tools that help developers define the structure, behavior and presentation of web applications. Some of the most popular Python-based web frameworks are Flask, Django and Pyramid, each offering their particular strengths and weaknesses.

These frameworks typically provide a variety of features and functionality, including:

– Routing: mapping of URLs to application code.

– Request/response handling: Parsing HTTP requests and sending HTTP responses.

– Template engine: allowing developers to create reusable HTML templates for UI rendering.

– ORM (Object-Relational Mapping): simplifies database access by abstracting the underlying SQL and database tables with Python classes and objects.

– Authentication and session management: developers can control user login, logout and session tracking.

– Server-side caching: to optimize the serving of static assets and large response data.

– Error handling

Using a Python-based web framework, developers can minimize the amount of low-level or repetitive code they need to write, speeding up the development process and ensuring the quality of the application.

3) Laravel is a popular PHP-based web application framework that is primarily used for building backend web applications. It provides developers with a range of tools and libraries for handling common web development tasks, such as routing, database management, and user authentication. Some of its key features include its elegant syntax, built-in support for unit testing, and support for building RESTful APIs.

3A) RESTful APIs (Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interfaces) are a type of web service architecture for building client-server communications over HTTP. RESTful APIs provide a standardized way for clients to interact with server-side resources in a stateless manner.

REST architecture is based on the following principles:

– Client-server architecture: A clear separation is maintained between the client and server components in the interaction.

– Stateless: Client-server communication is free of any context of previous requests from the client. Every request is a self-contained transaction without requiring knowledge from past transactions.

– Cacheable: Responses from the server can be cached by the client to enhance performance

– Uniform interface: Standardized interfaces for interactions that include four different types of operations: HTTP Methods: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE and HTTP codes like 200 for success or 404 for not found.

– Layered system: Components of the endpoints can be created in layers to improve scalability, security, load balancing and support.

– Code On Demand (optional): Capability to return executable code on-demand like Javascript code served within HTML.

RESTful APIs can work with various formats, including JSON, XML, and plain text. RESTful APIs are widely used to integrate web applications, microservices architectures, mobile applications and other distributed systems. Applications, web services or websites can use these APIs to deliver data to various platforms and devices, enabling easy cross-platform and device communication.

4) React is a popular JavaScript library that is primarily used for building user interfaces in web or mobile applications. It allows developers to create highly interactive and responsive UIs using reusable components, making it ideal for building applications that require a lot of user interaction. Some of its key features include its declarative approach, virtual DOM, and support for building composable UI components.

Declarative Approach:

4A) React is a JavaScript library designed for building user interfaces. It’s based on three key concepts that make it unique and powerful:

1. Declarative approach

2. Virtual DOM

3. Support for building composable UI components

– Declarative Approach: React follows a declarative approach to building user interfaces, which means that you tell React what you want your UI to look like, and it takes care of the rest. Instead of directly manipulating the DOM (Document Object Model), which can be time-consuming and error-prone, developers provide React with a description of the desired UI structure and state.

– Virtual DOM is a lightweight copy of the actual DOM in the memory that React uses for rendering. It allows React to update only the parts of the DOM that have changed, rather than re-rendering the entire UI on every update. This makes React much faster and more efficient than traditional DOM manipulation.

– Support for building composable UI components: React supports building composable UI components, which are modular building blocks that can be combined to create complex user interfaces. Each component is independent of each other, making it easy to reuse code and design complex interfaces in a modular approach. React components are also highly customizable, can have state and are designed to be reusable multiple times across different scenarios.

Adding these concepts together, React provides a simple, efficient and maintainable way to build complex, highly interactive user interfaces that can scale easily. React’s declarative approach, virtual DOM, and support for building composable UI components help to make development faster, more enjoyable and scalable.

5) Angular is a popular JavaScript framework that is often used for building complex, scalable, and data-driven web applications. It provides developers with a range of tools and libraries for handling common web development tasks, such as data binding, dependency injection, and user authentication. Some of its key features include its support for building Single Page Applications (SPAs), two-way data binding, and support for building reusable UI components.

5A) Single Page Applications (SPAs). It offers many features to help developers create scalable web applications with a strong focus on user experience. Here are three key features of Angular:

– Support for building Single Page Applications (SPAs): Single Page Applications (SPAs) are web applications that load a single HTML page and dynamically update as the user interacts with the application. Angular provides a modular architecture and Routing system which helps developers to create scalable, single-page apps that can run in any web environment.

– Two-way data binding: Angular’s two-way data binding feature allows the exchange of data between a component’s view and its model. Data changes in the view are automatically propagated to the model, and vice versa, without the need for additional coding. This feature simplifies code and makes it more readable, as developers don’t need to write as much code for data update mechanisms.

– Support for building reusable UI components: Angular follows the Component-based architecture, where components are modular and can be reused throughout the application. These components are also designed to be decoupled and extendable, which makes them more flexible to adapt to different scenarios. This feature allows developers to create a UI toolkit that can be reused across different web projects, making the app development process faster and more efficient.

Angular’s support for Single Page Applications, two-way data binding, and reusable UI components make it a powerful framework for developing complex, scalable web applications with ease. With its ease of use, it reduces the complexity of development, increases productivity and ultimately improves user experience with fast application speed and functionality.

Please reach out with questions, comments. Please like if you enjoy this content.

Thank you!

#cloud, Career, Digital Platforms, Employment, Mentoring, Moving Forward, Technology

Mastering the Basics of Layer Protocols: Elevate Your Network Performance Today!

The layer protocol that follows the order from lowest to highest is:

1. Physical layer: This layer defines the physical interface between a device and a transmission medium, such as copper wires, fiber optic cables, or wireless signals. It deals with the physical transmission of data bits over the medium.

2. Data link layer: This layer provides error-free communication between two nodes in a network by handling the framing of data into frames, error detection and correction, flow control, and addressing. Examples of protocols operating in this layer are Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.

3. Network layer: This layer provides end-to-end connectivity between devices across multiple networks. It handles routing, forwarding, and logical addressing, and its protocols include IP, ICMP, and ARP.

4. Transport layer: This layer provides reliable end-to-end communication between processes on different hosts using services such as segmentation, flow control, congestion control, and error recovery. Examples of transport layer protocols are TCP and UDP.

5. Session layer: This layer establishes, manages, and terminates sessions between devices, which can involve multiple connections and may span different transport layer connections. Its protocols handle session establishment, synchronization, and management.

6. Presentation layer: This layer provides data presentation and formatting services to applications by translating data into a format that the application can understand. Examples of this layer’s functions include data compression, encryption, and character encoding.

7. Application layer: This layer provides services directly to the end-users, such as web browsing, email, file transfer, and video streaming. Protocols operating in this layer include HTTP, FTP, SMTP, and DNS.

Examples of protocols and technologies for each layer are:

1. Physical layer: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB, HDMI, Bluetooth, NFC, DSL.

2. Data link layer: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Frame Relay, HDLC, PPP.

3. Network layer: IP, ICMP, ARP, OSPF, BGP, IPsec.

4. Transport layer: TCP, UDP, SCTP, TLS, SSH.

5. Session layer: Remote Procedure Call (RPC), NetBIOS, AppleTalk Transaction Protocol.

6. Presentation layer: Encryption (e.g., AES), compression (e.g., gzip), ASCII, Unicode.

7. Application layer: HTTP, FTP, SMTP, DNS, SSH, Telnet, SNMP, SIP, POP3, IMAP.

Feel free to add any information, leave a comment, and like my content.

Life Choices

Tips: Breaking into the Broadcasting Field

You will need to gain (over time) extensive knowledge and experience in the field. Here are some steps you can take:

Get a degree: A bachelor’s degree in broadcasting or a related field can provide you with a strong foundation of knowledge and skills required in broadcasting.
Gain hands-on experience: Get involved in student radio, TV stations, or other broadcasting organizations to gain hands-on experience.
Specialize: Choose a niche or specialty field within broadcasting, such as sports, news, entertainment, or production, and become proficient in it.
Stay current: Stay up-to-date with the latest trends, technologies, and developments in broadcasting by attending industry events, webinars, and workshops.
Build a network: Build connections within the broadcasting industry by attending conferences, industry events or joining related groups on social media.
Share your expertise: Share your knowledge by writing articles, giving talks, or teaching others in the broadcasting community.

Remember that becoming an SME takes time and dedication. Continuously developing your skills and expertise will boost your career and improve your chances of becoming an SME in broadcasting.

Golf, Life Choices, Mentoring, Moving Forward

Giving Yourself Credit

If you’re like me, you beat yourself up for every mid-step, mistake you make, big or small. I played softball yesterday and made a ton of good plays, ran for first to be safe like a jet, scored at home plate twice by out running the throw, but also was thrown out once at second base, bobbled a ground ball and didn’t get the runner. I remember the mistakes more than the good stuff.

The same goes for my golf game. I hit the ball straight most of the time, but a lot of the time I don’t hit it very far, or get “air” on it. The ball rolls down the fairway pretty far at least and is competitive. But, if I’m swinging over water I choke. If I swing out of a bunker or high grass, I chip like a champ. My tee shot is terrible, my short game is awesome. I love chipping and putting. I practice driving on the range into the water, and I hit equally good and bad shots. Putting and chipping, I’d say I do what I want to do and am successful 90% of the time.

What do I remember most? The misses. It’s time to change that. Especially after all my lofty (pun intended) plans in January. They weren’t resolutions, they were plans.

I also wanted to write everyday. I’ve written some, so I’ve attained that. But, I haven’t written everyday and posted it like I planned to.

I wanted to improve my running time, I hurt my ankle and had to take downtime, so now I started over again last week – slowly.

I swim, I’m trying to improve my lap time, but my ankle kept torquing there too, I had to get a swim ankle brace, but I’ve been able to swim regularly again now, and my lap time has improved, and I now do over a mile 5-6 days a week. Days that I feel tired, I have a slower lap time, I beat myself up for going so slow all the way home, but try to shake it off while making dinner.

At work, I can do every right. Cross all I need off my list, and I feel accomplished. Then I realize I forget to get an essential ingredient(s) for dinner at the store. What do you think I think of? Not the accomplishments, but then I pivot on the dinner, and make something else, most of the time it turns out better than I thought it would.

So, my point it, it’s time to reset. Reset your thinking if you’re like me. Remember the good, the great, the lucky break even. Yes, I’d rather be great or even good than lucky, but I’ll take the luck, any day.

We all need some encouragement sometimes, so hopefully this has helped someone recalibrate their mindset to remember the good or great things you’ve done and accomplished up to now. And, if you’ve taken mid-steps or not even started your plans for 2023, reset now.

There are 24 hours in a day. You can restart your 24 hours at any time, whether it’s 10am, 2pm, or Midnight. It’s YOUR 24 hours. Let go of any regret of not even starting what you set out to do – YET. You can start your 24 hours now, or anytime you choose.

Love Yourself First, the rest Will come. Act and think like “it’s on its way”, and it will come. You need to think that it’s coming first, then it will. Be patient, be persistent, be courageous, be humble, be grateful.

Love yourself like you’re the last YOU on earth, because you are.

Charity and Giving, Giving Back, Life Choices, Moving Forward

Rescued Right Back

I love to help people and animals. One of my rescues is Peter Parker (aka Spidey). He’s a jumper 😊 I adopted him when he was a few weeks old, and now he’s almost 15 years old.

This year, a few months after moving into a new place he ate something – I still dunno what. But he went from a playful carefree cat to practically not moving in a day.

I brought him to the vet immediately. His kidneys and liver were failing. Overnight, I picked him up gently, but he was inanimate. The vet was grim. “He’s stage 4 and won’t get better”. No more jumping, no more belly rubs, no more knocking everything off my home desk while playing.

That was the prognosis not the reality.

We brought him home with an IV bag that I learned how to administer to him. We were giving him a few days, and processing what was going on. The next day, he was a little better, and every day for weeks we gave him IV, other medication to entice his appetite, and he slowly became his playful self again.

The vet said, “he won’t make it to thanksgiving”, he did – in fact he’s back to stage 2, thriving, playful, flips over for belly rubs, and playing, he runs to eat food without medication or IV, although it’s standing by if need be. So, don’t accept the worst, better can happen.

Lola left, and Peter Parker right 12.27.22

But here he and his sister are waiting to be fed 16 & 14 years later. Everyday is a gift. They stay by me when I’m sick, they run to the door to greet me when I come home, they nudge their heads into mine when playing – we are family

I may have gone to the animal rescues to adopt them both, but in turn they have rescued me. All these years later I consider every moment good or bad, a gift from the universe.

As this year is coming to a close, I want to acknowledge how much they mean to me. They are part of my family, and as I’m writing this, the boy (old boy now) has situated himself on my lap.

They rescued me right back.

Career, Charity and Giving, Giving Back, Golf, Life Choices, Mentoring, Moving Forward

Lessons Learned: My First Golf Experience

I’ve learned to Face Everything And Recover (facing one’s fears)

When I was young we had a couple of golf irons (I just called them clubs back then) among a garage bin-full of other sporting equipment. One day my brother and sisters decided to try “golfing” in our front yard for the first time.

I couldn’t tell you the brand of the 2-3 irons, or the golf balls we had acquired from a garage sale, but since it was something we were “trying out” for fun, they did the job for a group of kids ages 7-19 years old just trying something out.

Our corner property was long and large enough to play many sports on. We didn’t have an actual hole or pin, just a target we competed to get within range of. We did this with many activities and sports, it was a lot of fun.

At 7 years old (I was the youngest), I didn’t know anything about golf, but I had watched Wide World of Sports on TV, so I tried to emulate what I saw. Big swing, aim for the ball, and off it went – in at least the smallest of coincidences – it did so in the right direction. But, not for everyone in the group of course.

Here’s where a massive problem arose. It was my third turn up to swing (we started each “round” in order of oldest to youngest at the same place in the yard from the target at the end of the property). I blithely set-up the ball and positioned the shared club (fearless, and unaware at that time). Started on my BIG back-swing. Aaaaaand Whammm – my sister was sneaking up behind me to break my concentration. She succeeded. Aaaaaaand, I accidentally hit her hard with the club just above her left eyebrow. It was a gash, (lucky it wasn’t her eye), but with that back swing, I had given her not just a welt, but a bloody gash, aaaand turns out – a concussion.

She was rushed to the hospital. It took decades for the guilt to go away, and seeing the scar to this day, brings the whole episode to the forefront of my memory. Yes, I do realize that it wasn’t my fault, but I was involved, I was holding the club, I still hold myself responsible even though ultimately my sister was and is ok.

But, I was so traumatized, I didn’t pick up a golf club again until last year. I still to this day look around me before ever thinking of striking a ball (whether a softball, or golf ball, a good idea no matter what).

Later in life, I worked at ABC’s Wide World of Sports – in fact I told my mom earlier that same summer when I was 7, yes 7 that I was going to “work there someday”, and I did. Out of the mouths of children comes truth. I didn’t know what that meant at the time, luckily I do now.

I never was told that was a big dream back then, I wasn’t told it wouldn’t be attainable, I just received the gift reply of “ok honey”. My parents had no idea what it meant either, so there was no reason to not believe it was true.

I worked on many different sporting events including golf – I studied the players for each event I worked so I could recognize them if and when needed. From Golf, College & Monday Night Football, Horse Racing, Auto Racing, Bowling, Ice Skating, and Gymnastics. It was a great time. Thing is, I worked out all the, but stopped playing sports. I didn’t really even realize that until right this moment when I wrote that.

I played sports, did running events, did gymnastics, and dance class in grade & middle school, then went to performing arts high school for dance, but with that stopped “competitive sports”.

After college, I took to physical volunteering for different causes: cycling events, running events, swimming events, then began triathlons, just last year I participated in tough mudders too (and I love doing all of them).

Last year I started playing softball again. I’m relearning everything, I also have set aside my predisposition regarding golf, have taken lessons, and love the entire process. I regret not getting out of my own way mentally about the game. I’m still cognizant of my surroundings, where people, animals, and things are in relation to what I’m doing, not just in golf, but in life as well.

My Personal Take Away:

It’s wise to always know my surroundings, the fear has left, but the good practice of ensuring my and others safety prior to taking any swing (in sports, personally, and business opportunity), is just good sense. Don’t let fear stop you, let it inform you to be careful, but not hinder you action.

Keep Moving Forward, and Enjoy the Journey.

Career, Charity and Giving, Giving Back, Golf, Life Choices, Mentoring, Moving Forward

Your Big Break

You’ve worked and worked. Shown up, gone above and beyond at work, with friends and family too. You’ve volunteered for the food bank, and local toy drive, helped neighbors with packages, and driven them to appointments they forgot about, and they didn’t want to take a car service.

You’ve gone to holiday gatherings for over a month for work and with friends. You’ve networked with your business contacts, sent notes, emails, well wishes done everything possible to bring good will to others.

Work is great, your friends and family are great, you’ve taken care of your significant other. Now what ?

It’s YOU time, that’s what!

Don’t forget about Yourself. I learned 12 years ago (on my yoga mat) that taking time for yourself is Not selfish, it’s actually one of many self-less things you can do for yourself and others. Ummm hmhmmm – it’s true.

Say what now?

Take one hour for yourself Today in anyway you’d like. A walk, meditate, if you want movement involved – work out (today I worked out, then did yoga, later I’ll play a little golf), listen to music, take a bath, swim, read, write, play an instrument, play /practice a sport, but do it. Yes Today!

You should set aside time everyday for yourself. It doesn’t always need to be an hour, just set aside some “boundary time” (time you will not be disturbed). No kids, no family, no friends, no texting, no social media – just where you’re doing You, unplugged to reset. No bills, no cooking, no cleaning, no kids (even for 5 minutes), breathe…..

This brings you back to you, the best version of you gets to emerge from this practice because not only your wants are met, an intrinsic Need of Re-connecting with yourself occurs.

You don’t know what to pick? It doesn’t HAVE to be any one thing. Pick one thing a day to try. Try something new. I chose yoga, it was the single greatest thing I did, because I didn’t even know at that moment how much I needed it yet. I just wanted to get out of the house, be with people – and try a class at my new gym. This year, learning golf and its process has me in the same zone. It’s amazing.

After the new year I’m taking a 4 day completely unplugged break. No phone, no email, no phone calls (except for emergencies only). I haven’t had a break since COVID began. Working and living at home has crossed some serious time boundaries, every day seemed to run into the next until I set some boundaries.

Exception: In an emergency, “me” time can be interrupted – but the house better be on fire! Ok, maybe not literally on fire, but I think I’ve made my point.

And, if I haven’t made my point. My point is take a break before you do!

Everyone needs even a quick reset, make it a 5 minute a day practice to start (and build from there), I guarantee others will see a positive change in you before you do. You’ll be healthier and much happier.

You’re worth it, believe it, own it, be it. You have permission to just think of yourself for at least 5 minutes a day – for the rest of your life. Then, you can return to your job, following up on tasks, the carpool, doing the dishes, grocery shopping, cleaning up after your pets and loved ones.

This is not a New Year’s resolution. Leave all your worries and things to do outside a virtual or physical door. When I step onto my yoga mat or write, nothing else exists at that moment in time. I can compartmentalize with such focus that nothing else exists, it’s almost like being in a trance. There are hours I’ve easily written through, and stepped onto my yoga mat hundreds of times, hearing just the voice of the instructor, going through the entire class, moving through each Asana, and found myself at the end not even realizing that someone else was in the room with me. It’s transcendent. It’s transformative.

It’s what I didn’t even know that I needed. Permission. Permission to think of just that for that moment in time.

You have permission to break from the task filled universe and be selfish for yourself, then you can be of service and more of yourself with the world.

Do it, you have Permission.

Career, Employment, Life Choices, Mentoring, Moving Forward

The One Single Word Everyone Wants to Hear

There are many articles on many subjects about creating connections, friendships, collaborations, instilling trust with colleagues. Are you connecting? If not as much as you’d like, or if you don’t know what missing it could be this one essential thing.

People love many many varied things in their relationships whether in business or personal. Having things in common is a great conversation starter, but halfway in after meeting someone for this first, second, or third time, they and YOU may not even know what’s missing. Have you guessed it yet?

You’ve had a great conversation with your new doorman, store clerk, waiter/waitress, business contact, interviewer, interviewee, video or in-person conference meeting, or a friend of a friend you met at a gathering, now what are they and you subconsciously waiting on?

I can’t believe I don’t remember, they “just said it” you think to yourself. Uhh, thank you……. “Thank you, nice to meet you”, with a node or handshake depending on the situation. That’s nice but that’s not it. Plus, that’s more than one word – just sayin!

What is The Single word everyone wants to hear?

Their Name! It’s the ultimate recognition.

Tips to remember:

1. If on the phone speaking with a customer service person, pharmacist, sales person, anyone who is helping, or trying to help, write down their name right away. Say their name back to them a few times in the conversation if you can.

2. If on a video call or meeting, jot down the person’s name discreetly if it’s not displayed on the screen. If there are many people in the same meeting take a quick screen shot so you can revisit the name with the face. The participant drop-down menu is also usually a good resource to get full names depending on each participant’s input.

3. In-person meetings, if you have a meeting invite, writing down the name of whom you’re meeting with before the meeting can solidify their name. Make sure when you’re first introduced to make eye contact and say their name back. “Nice to meet you, X”. Use their name as much as is comfortable in your conversation.

Pro Tip: If in an interview remember to follow-up with a Thank you email. Get their physical or digital card. Or, their email address should be on the invite. Don’t be shy in asking for their email address in the interview, it shows interest and initiative.

4. Ok. So you met someone you like at a gathering – big or small, but just about everyone is a new face and name (this can also apply to a new work situation). When you first meet people via remote video, or in-person again, say their name back to them as soon as comfortably possible. Again, use it in sentences as much as you can without being creepy.

5. Stop saying you’re “bad with names and faces”. I know this sounds odd, but if you keep saying it, it “becomes” your truth statement. Say to yourself, out loud in the mirror, “I’m great at remembering names and faces, I Rock at remembering names, I own remembering names”, repeat it, believe it. Write it on a post-it notes still. You’ve got this too! You can do this.

It’s not a trick, it’s not creepy, it solidifies to another human that you’re paying attention to them. It shows them you believe they are worth knowing. With a little practice, you’d be amazed at how fast and easy remembering becomes.

I worked at a very large company for 26 years. I knew just about everyone’s name. I made sure I called everyone, yes everyone from the security personnel, cleaning crew to the President of the company by their first names, or the nick name they enjoyed.

I loved making those connections, and it showed them that I respected them, which I do to this day.

Lastly, I want to express my gratitude to everyone else out there – from strangers who have helped me when I needed it, to acquaintances who brightened my day with a smile. Thank you all for being part of my life and helping me become the person I am today

#Offering help: If you need assistance in getting started, I’m open to free consultations. Just contact me via this site, or LinkedIn. You’re not alone in this – I’m here to help every step of the way.

If you would like to converse about my services please reach out as well. I am passionate about helping people reach their goals and turning them into a reality. I know I can help you make the impact you are hoping for, as well as reach your target audience either by writing product information, learn more “call to actions”, newsletter and email writing.

Career, Employment, Life Choices, Moving Forward

It’s About Progress Not Perfection

It’s not about being perfect; it’s about making progress. Every day, we are presented with opportunities to move forward and improve our lives. Sometimes, we take those opportunities and sometimes we don’t. But as long as we keep moving forward, even if it’s just a little bit each day, we are making progress.

As we evolve we hopefully become more self aware. We know what we want, and possibly more importantly we know want we don’t want for ourselves. We can still make “bad” decisions, but I have to believe that each decision one makes is based on a belief system or defense mechanism we each have built for ourselves. A belief platform that tells us over and over again of “how it’s supposed to be”. But is it right? Is there a ”right” way? Only one, or just the one you’ve come to believe in?

Take the holidays. Chanukah, the Festival of Lights. When you were a child it was one thing, as an adult is it another ? Does it mean as much? How have your beliefs changed in what it was or is? Have they changed? The same can be asked about Christmas as well. Goto church, pray, get gifts, gather and eat with family.

How do you deal with the holidays, family, family “friends”, new “friends”? Are you excited, stressed out, evasive, apathetic?

If you’re going to be uncomfortable being with family, you have permission to not go (or host).

In tech, we build software applications and systems, test them, then give them to others to test and “break”. We WANT them to find flaws so they can be fixed before a bigger problem is found. It’s an iterative process. Yes, sometimes frustrating, but usually satisfying especially if it’s an easy fix. No one expects it to be perfect.

Now imagine crafting your life that way. There is no right, there is no wrong, there just is. The good, the bad, the frustration, the elation all will pass, nothing is permanent. A moment from now you won’t be exactly the same person you were a moment ago, so quite possibly the NOW person doesn’t want or need what the person they were a moment ago needed.

My whole life changed again during COVID. One day I was living alone in a condo in northern NJ working 2 jobs commuting to NYC 6 days a week, and on March 9th, 2020 I shut down my section of MLB Advanced Media, a brand new multi-million dollar office, and have barely traveled to NYC again, even for fun. If you told me that – on that day at that moment, it didn’t seem like that something so extreme would even be possible. But it was.

The next day the entire team pivoted to be home based, and we got to work, and we made it work. In no small part of that equation we’re my bosses, who were and are stellar in every sense of the word. Was it seamless and perfect? Not even close. The whole team was clamoring for more work hours, but we all made due with what was given. It worked somehow.

In my off hours, which were now many, I began long walks outside, worked out more, went to the grocery store as little as possible, but when I did I wore my mask, came home took off my shoes at the door, washed the food, all the clothes I was wearing, and took a full shower. It was exhausting, but I didn’t get COVID.

I helped neighbors, and met with friends outside 6 feet apart, took care of my pets, and just kept moving forward. Was it perfect? Again, not by a long shot. I applied to any job I thought I could do remotely for months, I was about to lose my condo when I sold it and moved in with my boyfriend. I then also started a fully remote mainstream job for the first time in years. I was a fish out of water, but I learned about the people, the culture, the job, the technology, and the competition. It was all new like I was a beginner again, because in a certain way, I was. Tech in broadcasting was rapidly changing, evolve or die, I choose to live, and so I did.

Is it perfect now? Nope. It’s progress not perfection. I’m in a New home, with a great guy, great friends and family, a great job, still working out everyday. It got better and still gets better everyday. It’s been a long road but setting expectations and accepting where you’re at in that exact moment leads to a certain peace in life that perfection can’t deliver.

#keepmovingforward

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Career, Charity and Giving, Employment, Giving Back, Life Choices, Mentoring, Moving Forward, Technology

The Broadcast Engineer Unicorn

#Offering Help: #Mentoring, #Writing, & #Engineering Services

I’ve been fortunate throughout my 33 year career to have found many mentors. I now happily find myself still working, but also mentoring the next generations of broadcast employees. Not only to have had such a diverse career So Far – it’s certainly far from over, but a female engineer in the world of broadcasting I have been termed a Unicorn. Who me? Yup!

Indeed, for many many years I have found myself to be the only female in the room. The only adult in the room, but that’s another story. I’d be promoted into a full room of men and me. If there was another women, she was an assistant or secretary, so I’d do my best to be inclusive and share insight. Paying back the kindness that was so graciously bestowed upon me along the way.

Although, I have to say, I was underestimated along the way as well. I didn’t spout or boast my knowledge, pat myself on the back for a job well done, I just kept my mouth shut and did my job, and did everything I could think of to “move the needle forward” for women in broadcasting.

Unfortunately, back then the loudest person in the room was thought to be “right” or the most knowledgeable, I certainly wasn’t loud, so I took the brunt of a lot of wrongs. Should I have spoken up? Looking back, absolutely yes, I just didn’t have those tools in my toolkit – YET.

Finally one day, I started a new job in the control room. I had not only one woman boss, I had two! I felt lucky. I was in certain respects, in other respects – uh, not so much.

I won’t distinguish which was which, but one superior was never satisfied. If I took care of every single aspect of my job, went beyond what was expected, took initiative to do more, it still wasn’t enough. More was thrown at me (sometimes literally) and I would scramble to “figure it out”. I could ask the other superior clarifying questions, but mostly I was on my own, they were both busy, and that’s why I was there right? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Finally about 3 months in, the superior who was never satisfied went on a 2 week vacation. I was elated, and for good reason. The other “boss”, would check in with me, and on my 2nd day with just her in-charge, she physically came into the control room. I showed her all I did, what I was watching for, what I still needed to finish, and of course asked if I could help her with anything. A simple “Nope, I’ll be in my office, if you need anything, call. You’re smart, I trust you, and I know you won’t wait until you get into trouble to call me”. Then she left. Wow! What a feeling of empowerment.

To this day I do not know that that boss knows what she gave me. Autonomy for one thing, but also confidence. She gave me an example of how I wanted to be when I was in a position like that, respectful, inclusive, giving, everything I needed summed up in a short sentence. Not only did I learn what I wanted to be like, I learned something even more important, what I didn’t want to be like. I didn’t want to create/rule by fear every time I walked into a room, I didn’t want to make anyone feel less than, no matter who they were, I didn’t want to make anyone feel like they were only as good as their last mistake. And so, I’ve taken that goal and hopefully not only successfully achieved it, but surpassed it.

I knew what I wanted, so then I sought out through positive leaders/achievers in and outside of the company. Learned from their vast historical knowledge and applied it to new ways of developing standards. All the men and women of my past have made me who I am today.

Have I made mistakes? Absolutely. Really big ones? That’s an even bigger Absolutely. Have I learned and grown from them? Absolutely. Do I regret some? Absolutely. I don’t regret learning from my mistakes, I regret how I handled my failures sometimes. We all fail sometimes, or a lot of the time, but it’s how we get back up, how we recover that matters. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.

I cannot change the past though, I can only move forward with integrity and perseverance in the future. I can pass on my knowledge to usher in the new generations. And, I do.

In 2019 I took a seasonal broadcast streaming engineer position at MLB Advanced Media. I was fortunate to work with a newly assembled group of engineers. All men and me (a Re-occurring theme throughout my career). Not only was I the only woman, I was also the oldest person in the room by far. The youngest wasn’t even born when I graduated college, he wasn’t even of drinking age yet. But he was/is brilliant. The takeaway is to remain open, accepting, giving, and teachable. And, check your ego at the door.

It was a new system that we all rolled out in only 3 months, so we All were learning something literally brand new together. It was extraordinary. I had as much to learn, and unlearn as they did, but we did it all together. To this day it was hands down one of the best teams I was ever a part of. We all worked together in this small closet of a room, and we successfully streamed out 32 minor league team’s games for the season, ending in an all time high of adding in some major league games too. We all helped each other through processes and SOPs, it was amazing.

The season ended, some found other full time jobs, the rest of us stayed on part-time to work on Major League ballpark infrastructure upgrades in the off-season. Another great experience. But we did it together. I’ve gone back as a part-time employee season after season with great anticipation and openness to learning all the new tech forward innovation each year. I am truly grateful to have found MLB, and many others along my Broadcasting journey. I was asked once, “What will you do when or if they hire another girl/ woman for this office?”, my response was simple, “I’d throw a parade first, then make sure you all treated her with the same respect you’ve shown me (which was a lot, and it never waivered), or you’ll have to answer to me!” That was said with a somewhat joking lilt, but it was true then, and true now. That was verbatim comment recollection. Very smart, accomplished women were hired, and the respect was given, I was proud of this group of fine men and now women.

It’s not over yet – not by a long shot!

If you’d like to chat please feel free to contact me. I can learn just as much from you as you can hopefully from me.

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