Christmas Decorations: Is One Way the Best?

The Story

Its the week after Christmas and I've begun to think about taking down the holiday decorations. As I was out for a walk this morning, I decided to take a closer look at my neighbors' selections this year. Throughout the town home community there are still many remaining signs of the holiday.

Some of my neighbors appeared to favor the simple, adorning their decks with strings of white lights. Others displayed bows, flags, ornaments and wreaths. And a select few seem to love everything about the holiday, placing a wide variety of signs, symbols and colors around the perimeter of their dwellings.

In the habits of decorating I also noticed patterns related to individuality and collaboration. In some cases, the decorations were unique, individual and singular. Some neighbors appeared to have collaborated in color scheme or theme. In at least one case, an entire group of homes had created a unified display of bows and lights for their combined unit.

The Technology

In working in education for over twenty-five years, I have seen the many different ways that we engage with and utilize technology. Often times humans employ a large group mentality. We use the technologies that are given to us, in the ways that we are directed by those in leadership positions. This style of useage often creates results that are more uniform and predictable.

For many years, as a member of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), I saw another familiar pattern. At the annual convention, presentations often focused on creative uses of technology - on what was perceived as new or "hot." This stance had the impact of creating a group of users who based their practices on replicating the popular or innovative.

The third means of engaging with technology might be defined as highly individualized. In this stance, technology users are more intuitive, unique, and less status driven. These sorts of individuals engage with the technologies of their choosing in the manner which best fits their lived situation.

Connections

The two examples this week have many similarities. They both contain clues into understanding ourselves and the ways in which use experiences to relate to one another as human beings.  Each example illustrates how we each choose to collaborate with a group, replicating the ideas of others, or maintain our individuality.

In thinking about these three categories, I began to think about why we seek to describe and compare our lived situations in the first place. I believe one of the reasons is a common desire to understand and make sense of our world. Creating categories supports our understanding in the same way that metaphors provide us cognitive frameworks to connect to our prior knowledge to new and novel situations. 

I believe, however, that there is a potential challenge to consider in our over use of categories and descriptors.  So often I see myself becomming trapped in a particular way of seeing, being and knowing - of assuming that the way in which I perceive or "decorate" my world is the only or best way to do things.  As we each begin the process of taking down Christmas decorations, I invite us to examine the motivations behind our particular way of doing things. In this New Year, may we each find ways to become more mindful of our use of technology to connect with others and retain our individuality.

2014 image courtesy of Pixabay: www.pixabay.com

New Snowfall: Start Fresh

The Story

Its the week after Christmas, and gifts and treats have been exchanged and opened. Visits with family and friends are complete. The weather which had been cold, created a new blanket of snow covering everything in a blanket of white.

I found myself noticing the cleanliness, the crispness, the clarity and simplicity of the natural environment in my surroundings. It led to an interesting discussion about what makes snow squeak beneath the feet at certain times. (While not strictly on topic for this week's post - its interesting to note that our research uncovered that the sounds may be related to the crushing of the larger crystals which form in colder temperatures.)

As the temperatures rose today, the Christmas snow began to melt. The ground became slushy and muddy, and then the snow disappeared all together. As the cool brown, blue, and grey colors once again colored the December landscape I heard a few folks remark on how messy things appeared.

The Technology

Recently a friend was having trouble with her iPhone. It had frozen and she decided to try and reset the phone to a previous backup stored on her computer. With the restoration complete, she was dismayed to see that every app she had ever purchased (many which she had deleted) had reappeared on her iPhone.   

She next attempted to go through the apps on her computer one by one, removing items no longer needed, so that they would no longer reinstall themselves on her phone. Unfortunately, the deleted apps again reappeared when she attempted to restore the phone from a previously backed up version.

After a visit to the phone store and then the Apple store, she wound up replacing the malfunctioning phone with a new one. Attempting to set up the new phone using the most recent backup, she again found many applications reinstalled which had been deleted. Her situation now appeared to call for a different approach.

Connections

The metaphor of the new snow, as opposed to the thawed landscape of this post's story, holds some potential wisdom for us all in working with new technologies. With any new tools we purchase, be it a replacement for a failed computer or the addition of new device, we may want to steer clear of reusing sloppy leftover messes. In the spirit of fresh snow, it may prove more beneficial to mindfully begin with a clean slate. 

My mentor once gave me some excellent advice about our technologies. She suggested that when a device dies we can choose see it as an opportunity to lighten the load - by letting go of people or things that are no longer in alignment with our current priorities. By starting over fresh, adding back only the needed apps, documents or contacts, we can more consciously create a simple, clean pathway forward in the future.

In the case of my friend's new iPhone, she attempted to restore the phone to a previous version - to a version that was comparable to the muddy melted slush. Prior to the crash, she had actually been talking about having too many apps and photos on the phone and the need to lighten up. Now with a brand new device, she actually has the opportunity to begin again with a blank slate - mindfully choosing to install just the items which currently match her current needs. 

As we finish out the old year and welcome the new, I wish my friend success in beginning with her new phone - in finding fresh way forward.  And success to us all as we strive to be more mindful with our technologies in the coming year and beyond!

Images courtesy of Pixabay:  www.pixabay.com 

Airplane & Crow: Many Ways of Viewing

The Story

Every so often the local airport changes its typical flight patterns, rerouting planes on their final landing pass over my neighborhood. Picture this: one afternoon I heard the rumble before I actually saw the low flying jet. Looking towards the sound, I was greeted by a plane in a landing pattern, combined with the additional image of a crow, that visually appeared only slightly smaller and to be following the plane.

Image courtesy of: http://catbirdcraft.blogspot.com

The two images - plane and crow - were not particularly unusual in and of themselves. What was remarkable however, was the combination of the two forms sharing the same space and moment in time and appearing related because of proximity and relative size. The plane, at its higher altitude appeared to be leading the pair as it turned from the east to the south on its approach to the airport. The crow, appearing to be nearly the same size as the plane because of its lower altitude, was also traveling in an easterly flight pattern.

Frozen in time for a brief moment, the two appeared to me to be flying in formation. Man-made, technological flight was metaphorically leading the very natural elements which previously inspired its creation. The deep connections available in exploring the combination of these two images have stirred my imagination. I have, and will continue to explore their interaction, allowing many personal metaphorical translations to unfold.

The Technology

On the heels of last week's post, I've continued thinking more about mindfully unplugging, the notion of taking digital sabbaths, and more deeply about bringing awareness to our relationship to technology. I discovered a new book by author Alex Soojung-Kim Pang entitled "The Distraction Addiction." While the title appears to disdain the use of technology, the book's message does not match its cover. Alex's academic efforts to promote the notion of "Contemplative Computing" are remarkably broad, and very compatible with my own interests in encouraging "Mindful Technology" use.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

I've noticed over the years, a propensity for writers and scholars to create models to explain the complex relationships formed between technology and its users.  One model used to describe the adoption of technology employs the broad categories of: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. An adapted model uses the same terms and adds in the additional notion of a chasm between the early adopters and early majority.  Commonly used by groups who strategize ways to launch new products or initiatives, these models are potentially a challenge because of the value judgements inherent to their chosen labels.

And then there the plethora of terms such as: luddite, geek, digital native, and digital immigrant, which seek to describe or categorize the identifying characteristics of technology users.  Blogger Liz Walter has penned an interesting post about "New Words in Technology" describing the way in which technology is constantly inspiring the creation of new language to attempt to describe it. In choosing singular words to describe concepts, we risk potentially judging or alienating whole groups of people. I wonder if we've somehow missed the point.

Connections

In the example of the plane and the crow I have found many ways to personally describe connections. I can imagine one as the leader the other a follower. I can also can compare the two by acknowledging their attributes - one being man-made, the other being alive. In the metaphorical image, because of its unusual juxtaposition, there are no singular labels to describe the two and relationships between. The connections are complex and had to be constructed from my prior knowledge. My interpretations of the metaphor are not the only possibilities. I wonder how you as the reader engage with the image - what connections are created in viewing the crow and plane as a metaphor for your relationship to and with technology?

Image courtesy of Pixabay: http://pixabay.com

The roots of the innovation adoption lifecycle model may have arisen from a similar need to my own. Perhaps from the author's desire to describe and share his perceptions of technological experiences - or perhaps to encapsulate those discovered by collecting data - with others. In thinking about the plane/crow metaphor, juxtaposed with the cycle of innovation model, I see an important caution for us all. All too often we get overly excited with our created models - promoting them as a singular truth versus encouraging dialogue. In looking at the plane/crow metaphor I found myself unable to settle on a single message as turned the image around in different ways. Each time I looked, I gained insight into additional truth to be uncovered. As I examined the relationships between the pair, in relative size, flight position, direction, composition, relationship, etc, I gained new insights on our relationship to and with technology.  I was unable to see the image as a singular descriptor of how things are.

Technology is here to stay and I believe that our relationships will continue to evolve in connection to our tools.  I also believe that images as metaphors can provide us with a more robust method for viewing ourselves and the worlds of others. They provide us with a chance to see the connections with new eyes, and to engage with others in a dialogue about the relationships. Models, on the other hand, seem to encourage us to agree in a singular way upon how things are. I advocate for the mindful use of image as metaphor - allowing us to individually and collective turn images over in our minds. Examining and sharing the co-created connections from various viewpoints, we'll grow far more than we ever could by just adopting a singular way of thinking.

Red Tailed Hawk: Choosing Your Perch

The Story

the "highest perch"

Down the street from my home is a small neighborhood tennis court. One morning I noticed a large red tailed hawk take off from the corner of the fence that surrounds the court. I enjoy watching birds of all types, especially hawks, so I stepped off of the main road and headed down a gravel access path to get a closer look at the bird.

He had flown to a nearby tree, to a limb approximately 40 feet from the ground. As I stood there the hawk flew up to a higher perch and then a few moments later to a limb a bit higher. Over the course of these three upward movements, he increased his vantage point by approximately 20-30 feet.  

The red tail sat on this top limb for a few moments before flying even further back into the wintry woods to the top of an oak that still held its leaves. As I stood and watched, the hawk settled into its highest perch. We stood in silence for many moments before I turned to complete my morning constitution, allowing him to return to his unobserved business of the day.

The Technology

social networking platforms

They are so common today, it may surprise you to know that the most commonly used social media platforms have been around for less than 10 years! Facebook was launched in 2004 (its predecessor MySpace launched in 2003), Twitter in 2006,  LinkedIn in 2002, and Instagram and Pinterest in 2010. In education, and in for-profit and non-profit sectors, many are exploring the potential that each tool has to create connection, promote ideas, and convey meaning to others on a global scale.

As hardware has evolved from larger desktop machines to laptops and hand-held devices, our interface platforms have adapted to fit as well. We have moved from the use of licensed software based applications, to web-based tools and now to mobile apps. Tools which once served a singular purpose are now multifaceted devices.

The pace at which technology has changed is exponential. Keeping up with devices and applications can, even for the most techno-savvy at heart, feel daunting. Mindful investigation and selection of tools and social media platforms, paired with a strategic plan of use (or non-use), can help you to find your way.

Connections

"Mindful Technology" Pinterest board

Seeing the red tailed hawk reminded me of some of the personal processes I've used in exploring and choosing social media.  I have intentionally taken my time to explore each platform, its vantage points, locating appropriate uses before committing to use them. One mechanism I am currently using to help me to gather and evaluate new platforms and their purposes is a Mindful Technology board on Pinterest. It allows me to curate info-graphics, articles, and other resources related to new technologies, their potentials, and uses - sharing them in a web-based, visual manner. The resources there may help your process as well.

I have also identified three potential "vantage points" (from the red tailed hawk metaphor) which can support a balanced understanding of social media. The first is "on the move."  Related to the hawk's movement from the fence to the first tree, it represents our use of social media to communicate with others while we are in transit from one place to another.  All of the social media platforms mentioned above now have applications (apps) which can be used on a tablet or smartphone to share brief updates. Its up to us to decide if we will check our social media while out and about, or wait until we are at a stationary location. The second metaphorical comparison we can make is that of "levels."  Related to the hawk's movement up the same tree to a higher vantage point, we have the ability to choose to utilize social media at low, medium or high levels. I believe it is important to recognize a propensity to be "sucked in" by our technologies and to make a mindful choices about how much time and energy we will devote each day.  Finally, the metaphor of "deep cover" relates to the hawk's choice to retreat to the tree where leaves were still present, providing camouflage.  With the preponderance of technology available to us nearly every place we go, I believe it is critical for us to make choices related to intentional unplugging.

For those interested in the notion of unplugging, you may enjoy visiting the National Day of Unplugging website. Not all agree with the movement towards creating "digital sabbaths." My thoughts are always return to the idea of mindfulness - to the noticing of our use of technology, to deciding where we might like to change, and finally to making informed responses from that place of knowing. Good luck with your own mindful explorations of social media!

Social media image courtesy of Pixabay: http://pixabay.com

The Three Feeders: One Size Does Not Fit All

The Story

"who's who" of the bird community

My personal workspace faces the front of our home, overlooking the driveway and the woods beyond.  This morning I spent some time observing birds coming and going from the various bird feeders we have installed below.  The scene was "convention like" - a veritable "who's who" of the bird community in attendance.

At the long and narrow nyjer seed feeder we had visitors such as the house finch, gold finches, and a bold chickadee who was unafraid to hang upside down by his feet to feast on the tiny seeds.  The larger mixed-seed feeder hosted a tufted titmouse, some nuthatches, and a cardinal or two.  Finally, the suet cake boasted the arrival of two distinct species of woodpecker - the red-headed and hairy varieties.

Even the ground was a gathering spot for consuming scattered seeds.  Many of the aerial visitors, while waiting their turn at the feeders, dropped down below to forage for dropped morsels.  A few even dropped down to crack open the seeds they had collected above.  A chipmunk and a mourning dove, too large to sit on the perches of any of the feeders, took advantage of the busy activity above as well, munching on the leftovers.

The Technology

A common question appears to be coming up in my consulting work lately.  Many clients ask me to advise them about the potential benefits and drawbacks of purchasing and utlizing smartphones, tablets, and laptops.  It seems that many already possess these three categories of technology, without a grounded sense of when they are best utilized - for what purposes.

Dell's interactive infographic

One way I begin to advise clients is by describing the features or liabilities of the particular technology  that can facilitate thinking, allowing them to begin to recognize potential of teach tool. With clients, I also stress the importance of knowing your purpose in any particular endeavor.  That is, what do you hope to accomplish while using a device? By identifying goals, then reviewing each device's potential uses and recognizing its' limitations, you too can begin to identify for yourself the best tool for each situation. Dell has created an interesting interactive info-graphic which may help understanding of the potential of each device.

In general, I believe that relative size does have a lot to do with the tool's capacity and use.  For instance I have found that:

Laptops are: the most full featured, the most powerful, while also being the heaviest of our portable tools.
Tablets are: not as full featured as a laptop, slightly less powerful, while being better when it comes to speed of use, weight, and portablility.
Smartphones are: a bit less robust than the tablet, substantially less powerful the others, but much smaller and the most portable of all devices.

Connections

Just as various birds prefer different kinds of seeds, and the feeders that distribute the seeds come in sizes appropriate to the particular bird's size and habits of feeding - our technologies have parallel sizes and benefits.  Knowing which kind of "bird" you are and which "bird feeder" your situation dictates, will help you to select the appropriate tool to meet your goals.

Big Birds = Suet Feeder = Use a Laptop: 
"Big Bird" uses are the times when you need to create content.  Be it drafting a document, editing a webpage, or responding to a lengthy email, your laptop is the suet feeder in your tool set.  Like suet, it will provide you with a wide range of "mixed seeds" and "fat" to bind your work together.  It will offer you the fullest range of features to support your needs.  The "Big Bird" option will let you do just about everything all of the other tools will - with the exception of making a traditional phone call.

Medium Birds = Medium Feeder = Use a Tablet:  
"Medium Bird" uses are the times when you need speed, lightness, and touchscreen ability.  Like the medium bird feeder, it provides many of the same options that your laptop will, however its not quite as useful in creating content.  Your tablet won't have traditional "Office" tools for creating documents, spreadsheets, or PowerPointss - but it can allow you to create those items up in the cloud.  Your "Medium Feature" option will allow you to quickly display web-based content with others, play games, and access email and calendars in a nearly immediate and portable manner.

Small Birds = Small Feeder = Use a Smartphone: 
"Small Bird" uses are the times when you need to locate quick answers and make responses in an immediate, mobile manner.  Like the small feeder, your Smartphone is very specific in its tasks - and it does tend to attract a particular kind of "bird." Its small screen size requires excellent vision (or the patience to pinch the screen to enlarge text).  Your "Small Bird" option is truly best for those tasks which are brief, on the fly, and don't require in-depth review or response of text based materials.

my laptop, tablet, and smartphone in action

Ground Scavengers = All Feeders May be Needed = Bring All Your Tools:  
There are some days when you just won't know which technology is best.  On those days, you may want to behave like the larger ground-scavenging creatures, bringing along all of your devices.  In these cases, much like the ground scavengers, you'll have the ability to meet any situation with the appropriate response and support.  Your "All Feeders" option will work best when you don't mind carrying all of your tools in order to be able to choose from your arsenal.  "All Feeders" options also allow you to use multiple tools in interesting, overlapping ways - or to share a device with someone who hasn't brought one along.

As you continue to explore the potential and use of your particular devices, I recommend you ask yourself some of the following questions:

• What do I hope to achieve today with my work?
• What types of access to the internet, documents, or programs am I likely to have or need?
• What tool feels like the best solution for my perceived needs?
• Will I be most successful as a "Big Bird," "Medium Bird," "Small Bird," or "Ground Scavenger"?

I'd love to hear about your experiences with these bird metaphors.  I'd also love hear your thoughts about which tools you prefer to take with you in your particular situations.  Please share your ideas and questions in the comments section below.

Thanks to Sean Seningen of 6 Hours Inc. for the photo of my 3 devices!

Red Dog White Dog: A Story of Perspective

The Story
As I was taking a morning walk in my neighborhood few weeks ago, I came upon a woman walking her two dogs. One was a long-haired red Dachshund, the other a white Westie.  As true dog lover, I approached the owner to ask if I might pet her dogs.

the "white dog"

She replied to me, "The white one is a lover, the red one - she has a serious complex!"  I chuckled and bent down to pet the little white dog who had already appeared by my side as if to say, "I'm happy, good morning!"  The red dog, true to her master's judgement, began to bark, as if to say "Look at me, look at me! I'm here too!  Hey, what about me?"  I responded to the red dog's lament with a thought - (not voiced) "Yes I see you little red dog!  You are so cute, why don't you come over here and get a pet with your friend as well?"

Interestingly, with just the turn of my body in her direction and the welcoming thought - the little red dog turned her shoulder to me and stopped barking.  I bid the owner and her dogs a good morning and headed on my way - one dog shy of a full morning greeting!

The Technology
As I walked back to my house from the red dog/white dog encounter I found myself thinking about how technology impacts our behavior, causing us to demand attention in ways similar to the two dogs. I wondered about whether or not we might see ourselves mirrored in the behavior of the red dog, white dog, or both.

the "red dog"

The red dog, for me, represents an oh-my-god-i-must-check-my-text-mail-voicemail-right-now technology mentality.  In my estimation, "red dogs" seek to grab our attention, to get us to notice, and then they ignore us in favor of their technology of choice.  Can you think of a time where you've been guilty of "red dog" behavior?  Do you sometimes pull out your cell phone, forgetting that the person you are with is even there at the dinner table?  Have you ever been asked to put your device away?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, perhaps you were indulging a bit of "red dog" behavior.

I believe the white dog is representative of a i-am-glad-to-be-here-with-you-in-this-present-moment technology mentality.   "White dogs" not only notice we are with them, they are happy we are there, giving us their full attention.  Taking on a "white dog" mentality can also mean rising to a higher vision of what technology's purpose and promise are.  Have you ever been the "white dog," literally forgetting about your phone-computer-iPad because you were so lost in conversation with someone?  Have you ever been so caught up by the beauty of nature or a musical performance that you later were sorry you didn't capture the moment digitally?  If you answered yes to any of these questions take heart, then perhaps you also have a bit of "white dog" in you as well.

Connections
I am currently interested in exploring when-where-how particular devices are most useful.  Sometimes when I'm heading out to meet a prospective client I take just my iPhone and an iPad.  Sometimes I haul my laptop along too.  I am enjoying the inquiry into which tool can best support the kinds of activities that I will be engaged in.

 a "mix of the two dogs"

Taking it a step further though, I have begun to work on being more present in the moment, beyond the technology that fits the situation.  I've intentionally gone to places with no technology at all, I've turned off my technology in favor of eye contact, and I've even been on retreat where I had no technology (or conversation for that matter) for several days.  The results have been interesting and quite enlightening!

I can identify times when I have been the red dog, the white dog, and a more mixed-breed of the two. I don't think there is one way to look at the red-dog/white-dog story.  There is no moral - no satisfying this-is-how-it-should-be-done type of ending.  There is just the noticing of two types of personalities presented by the dogs, their particular characteristics, and the impact they have on the others who share the morning air with them.  I believe the two dogs provide us with the opportunity to see them as ourselves in each moment, and to make a choice from that place of knowing, about how to use our technologies in each moment.  Mindfully.

Red Dog, White Dog images courtesy of Pixabay: http://pixabay.com
Sheltie image courtesy of "Doolan" himself!

"The Call to Adventure"

"We must let go of the life we have planned,

so as to accept the one that is waiting for us."

- Joseph Campbell

Today is the first day of a new adventure for me. As a career educator and life-long computer user, I have been engaged in the use of technology for teaching and learning for quite some time. I've waited until now, however, to create a blog. Why have I held off for so long? Until now, I didn't feel that I had a reason to write, a story to share, or a useful purpose to support all of the effort that would be involved in offering my thoughts with the world in this type of ongoing, linear, and personal format.

Now at turning point in my career, taking a giant leap into the world of adult learning as an independent consultant, writer, and artist, I feel I have uncovered a personal purpose worthy of blogging - sharing a chronicle of some of the lessons I have learned along the way. I believe I have also found my authentic voice - offering my personal wisdom about technology use, in a creative way. My purpose for writing here will be to explore the intersection between technology and mindfulness through employing the mediums of image, story, and metaphor.  I hope that these offerings will engage us all in thinking deeply about, more intentionally utilizing, and revising our sometimes solid conceptions, as we begin view technology in a different light.  It is my hope that we each, as Joseph Campbell has written, may then return to our lives changed, sharing "the lessons we have learned of life renewed."

As we start out on this journey together, you may also be interested in the new line of professional work I am launching. Please visit the online home of Mindful Technology Consultants by clicking on the linked name.   Thank you for joining me on the adventure!