Thoughts on technology, accessibility, pets - especially dogs, UI, UX, and anything else that I feel like sharing.
It's no different for your meetings. You can have all the best information, all the best charts, all the best documents, all the best flows, but if you walk into the meeting without the right tools, you've got the ingredients but no way to put them together.
Read MoreChecking in at a total of 512 pages (that's the total for all 3 put together!) these books are the ones I recommend to everyone who has to work for a living.
So, yeah, pretty much everyone.
First up is the longest one, but at 272 pages you'll get through it in no time.
Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams (3rd Edition)
by Tom DeMarco and Tim Lister
ISBN-13: 978-0321934116
ISBN-10: 0321934113
272 Pages
While most business books focus on theory, process, or selling, Peopleware shines the light on the real people doing with work, with all of their quirks, idiosyncrasies, and strengths. (I know, what a concept, right?)
Often referred to as a "project management" book, that label doesn't do it justice - the material is helpful to everyone looking to get the most out of, or just survive, the corporate environment. And for those of us who want more, you can use this information to improve your interactions with co-workers and clients.
This is one I re-read every year to keep the insights fresh in my mind. The humorous tone and real-life examples make this an enjoyable read.
How to Lie with Statistics
by Darrell Huff (Author) and Irving Geis (Illustrator)
ISBN-13: 978-0393310726
ISBN-10: 0393310728
144 Pages
People love to toss around statistics, don't they? It makes what they say seem so much more credible. And maybe it's all true. But...
It is amazingly simple for people, intentionally or by mistake, to skew and twist statistics. It happens all the time, and can be the cause of bad decisions.
Let this book be your guide on what to watch out for, and avoid, when using statistics as part of your decision-making process.
The PC is not a typewriter
by Robin Williams
ISBN-13: 978-0938151494
ISBN-10: 0938151495
96 Pages
The MAC is not a typewriter
by Robin Williams
ISBN-13: 978-0201782639
ISBN-10: 0201782634
96 Pages
Come on, admit it, you either still double-space after periods when you type, or you know someone who does...
The PC is Not a Typewriter (and its Mac companion*) is a fast, fun, easy read that will help you make your written communication more professional and sophisticated. Yes, it references older technology, but the technical info isn't the important part here - it's the simple, clear information and inspiration for crafting of better writing. It covers punctuation, leading, special characters, kerning, fonts, justification, and so much more.
Read this, keep it nearby, refer to it often - your writing, and your readers, will thank you for it.
Frankly, these 96 page-long gems are the books I would give to everyone I meet, if I could.
*Why is there a PC and a MAC version? My guess is 1) for the technical references which I'm sure were helpful when it was released 2) to get the full audience - some PC people won't pick up something targeted at the MAC audience, and vise versa.
Some people might skip over these books because they were published "years ago" - but that would be a mistake. OK, sure, some of the examples they include may be a bit dated; however, the concepts and ideas are timeless. Give them a try, and I'm sure you'll agree!
Note: The book images are links to the Amazon.com page for that book. If you purchase the book from there, I will get a few pennies from Amazon that I'll use to support my book habit. But no pressure, get them from your favorite place!
The lovely and talented Mary Jo Foley is keeping tabs on this - check her article for updates: http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-outlook-skype-onedrive-hit-by-another-authentication-issue
Been looking for a good solution that would let you style your dropdowns using only CSS? Me too!
Take a look at this, it's an awesome solution:
https://www.sitepoint.com/premium/screencasts/styling-a-custom-select-menu-with-css
I always cringe when someone says “I won’t let anything happen to you” - what an awful thing to say to someone. Can you image a life where nothing ever happened? Of course, that's not what they mean. What they are trying to say is that they won't let anything *bad* happen to you. Which may be unrealistic, but at least has good intentions.
But it's still not right; not when you speak or when when you write.
And then there's this one..."I could care less."
Yea, that one, sorry, the eye roll is not optional if you are going to insist on saying that one.
If you could care less, that can only mean that you care. So, saying that when you don't care is wrong. Just flat-out, 100%, wrong. If you don't care, then "I couldn't care less" is the phrase you are looking for.
Sure, no one says anything about it to you. And maybe "you know what I meant" is true. But you should know that when you make these types of mistakes:
Yes, that's right, I'm saying that people silently judge you for this. Maybe you're OK with that. But maybe you shouldn't be.
Want to do better? Here's a great reference:
There are lots of ways to include your pet in your Halloween fun. But it’s important to keep safety in mind, and to consider your pet’s personality. If they prefer to sit this one out, give them someplace quiet to hang out until it’s all over.
Either way, here are some ideas and tips for a great Halloween:
Holidays are filled with excitement and interesting smells for our pets, but it is up to us to make sure the fun doesn’t turn into danger. For example, things that are yummy to us, like chocolate, grapes/raisins,and avocado, can make our pets sick or worse.
The ASPCA has put together a handy list of foods to avoid: ASPCA: People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets.
Oh. and keep a close eye on your guests - adults and kids may “feel bad” for your pet and slip them a little treat, not knowing the damage they could cause!
For a lot of people, Thanksgiving is THE holiday of the year, and there are lots of reasons why: good food, football, fun with friends and family, etc.
But it is also important to remember to keep our pets in mind on this big day. Keeping them safe lets everyone enjoy the holiday fun!
For a great set of tipe, please visit: AVMA: Thanksgiving Pet Safety
They're cute. They're curious. They're counting on us to keep them safe.
Read MoreEveryone says that they want to offer excellent customer service, and most-often think that they do. But when they find out that customers are unhappy there is a laundry list of reasons why “it’s not our fault.”
Seriously, I can give you one easy step to turn those customer grumbles into customer grins. Heck, those unhappy customers will start signing your praises. You just need to do One Little Thing.
And I’m such a sweetheart, I won’t even charge you for this secret. Yep, I’m that wonderful!
OK, got your pen and notebook ready? Do you maybe want to sit down for this?
Follow up
When you say you are going to do something, DO IT. For example, if you tell a customer that you will put a note on their prescription to hold it until the customer can get in to pick it up, DO IT.
When you tell a customer that you will look into a problem/request/etc. and let them know - DO IT. Check out what needs to be researched, and contact the customer with the information right away. If it turns out that it will take longer than you thought, contact the customer to let them know you are working on it; that you did not forgot them.
Go on, give this a try. I’ll bet you’ll be surprised at the results.
Let’s see if this widget works..
OK, so now that we know the real name for the browser formerly known as “Spartan” is Microsoft Edge*, the next question is…
What is this browser going to do to my website (or web application)?
There are 2 ways you can go about testing this today:
Since I don’t have a system I want to install Windows 10 on right now, I went for the online testing option. Here’s how you can do that:
That’s the good news. The bad news is, it doesn’t work for local testing. Even when I replace localhost with the IP address. Which makes sense, since it’s based on a remote system, but for those of use who need to test stuff that’s not out on the public web, well, hopefully a solution is on the way!
*And think of all the fun confusion we have to look forward to, since Edge is used for Micorsoft Edge Transport servers, the Verizon Edge program, the Samsung Edge phones, heck there was even a Microsoft Edge messenger bag!
That chill in the air means it’s time to bundle up. But don’t forget to help your pets deal with the cooler temps. Here are seven ways to help your pets in winter - share your other tips in the comments!
. 
, which protects pads)And here’s a bonus tip for my fellow humans: great doggie DIY idea for winter!
Did you know that every month you can download a free photo, illustration, audio file, and/or video file from www.istockphoto.com? All you need to do is:
Pretty sweet deal, if you ask me!
Full disclosure: This is not a paid posting (not that there’d be anything wrong with that!), other than I did use a referral link, but I’d only get credit if you use the link and then buy 30 files in 30 days, which would be a bonus but is totally not the point. The point is, this is such a great resource *and* they give away free stuff every month, and who doesn’t love FREE? I mean, seriously, it’s a good deal.
A real person in a sometimes unreal world.
