The Results

Hi everyone out in blogoland. The results are in from the brainstorming event. All in all, a bunch of fun was had. That is the best thing! Fun fun fun! And a lot of great ideas. Here is a somewhat culled list...

Teach at a charter school
Radiation tech or similar
Run Brainstorming events
Study Marketing and Making Beer
Motivational Speaker!
radio talk show host
interpreters for traveling executives
volunteering
Law enforcement
professional gambler!
international flight attendant
beer tour guide
beer rep positions
Write for beer advocate
historian/guide on a cruise ship
Politician
Painter
Resort Activity Director
Assisted Living Activity Director
Cruise Ship Cruise director
Photographer
Photo Journalist
Career Counselor
Event Planner
english teacher overseas
direct a movie
Medical Marijuana Grower
Radio Disc Jockey
Puzzle write for papers/magazines
Teach Chinese to like US Microbrews
Animation
Translator
Inspirational speaker
talent acquisition for the arts
documentarian
teach Chinese how to make a beer Americans like
Augustus Adventures on Travel Channel
Entertainer
Event marketer
teacher
Author
Corporate Trainer
professional game show winner
llama trainer
photo journalism
comedian
interpreter for political/hospitals
wedding planner
Traveling salesman - maybe software sales in China Germany or France
Translator or teaching border guards to speak Mexican or English
(Part-time) - Directing/producing tv shows with local tv stations
Teach Chinese how to make a beer Americans will like - teach Chinese how to like American “microbrews”
Facebook event planner
computer/is
pc/sn/db training, design, development
helping Chinese see us perspective
Gaming in Vegas or Atlantic City
Acupuncture
companion
set up flower arrangements in hotels
security guard
set up a community to survive this economy
house sit
teach skills at Senior places or night classes or community centers - ie juggling, cards, taking chances
Party planner
Drive people ie to airport, shopping, etc.
Get a job and run a WA WA
Cut grass
Manage apartments
work for the state
work for the post office

I will have to read through this list a few more times to see what I can see. And as always, if anyone has anything to add, please let me know!

Brainstorming Session - Third Post

We have had the event. Overall, I am very pleased. My two main goals were a) to have fun and b) to be inspired. Both occurred. Yippee! A group of about twenty people came. As prognosticated, only about half of the people who RSVP'd "yes" actually attended. One or two maybes and a few that were otherwise unaccounted for appeared. The space was just large enough and it all worked out. At about 7 I made a little speech and did some brainstorming on my giant yellow ruled post-it flip chart pad. And I chatted with a lot of the great people who came out! The youngest participant was Leland at 13 (I hope that is the right age) and the oldest was Nancy (not Eric's Nancy) at some age greater than 60.

Now, the next task is to transcribe all of the thoughts and see if anything inspires me further. Deus ex machina, where are you when I need you? :)

Thank you one and all thus far!

Feeling Virtuous

I am feeling virtuous for having sorted not one, but two pen drawers just now. In preparation for the grand event on Wednesday, August 11, I decided to take some pens along. My original thought was to buy a ten pack of pens - but I realized that since I already had at least 50 pens, I might as well sort through those and see which ones might be up for the adventure. I ended up through 10 or so away. This is huge for me. I also found a few pencils and a few other odds and ends. And a pair of laser tag pens that seem to mostly function sort of. I also accomplished my trip to Staples, achieving Sticky flipchart paper that looks like yellow ruled tablet paper! Woohoo! I for one am getting excited!

Bought Markers

I am so excited. I bought two packs of markers for the brainstorming event. Next on my to do list is go through all of my myriad pens in my pen drawer and figure out which ones work and which ones ought to see the inside of the circular file! I have decided to also take notecards so that people who are reluctant to write large on the walls can write small on a card. I need to find the cards I have somewhere as well. I love using up things that I have been keeping around for 40 years. Ok, 25 years. Tomorrow I need to get my resume copied while I am shopping at Staples. This is another thing about which I am excited. I love office supplies. Which might mean that I ought to be an office manager so that I could play with office supplies all the time! Hmm.

As for the attendance. So far 14 people have said they are attending. 48 are maybes. 101 have responded no. And still waiting for 129 people. I am going to seriously consider defriending anyone who hasn't bothered to respond. Is that harsh? I don't think so. I am sure there is some dead-ish weight on my friends list. Tomorrow, the unresponsive will get another email. I think total will be around 20 people. 10 of the 14 yeses will show. 7 of the maybes will show and three people who are not on Facebook or otherwise accounted for will appear. 20 isn't bad. I hope that it is enough for critical mass. We shall, of course, see.

Brainstorming Session - Second Post

So I sent invitations to all of my Facebook friends and to about 20 other people through email. I never did get around to creating an Evite. Most of the people I know are on Facebook. Except Daniel. Anyway, I so far have 11 yeses, 37 maybes, 72 not attending and 169 awaiting reply. I think I am going to harass the awaiting reply people once a day and see what happens. I like that Facebook allows one to target the four different replies. Yippee! (I got ice cream in my hair.) I am still debating what to do about the people who eventually end up not replying at all. Hmm. Thoughts?

Brainstorming Session

Hi there, long time, no blog. Life is that way sometimes. Anywho, I met a great woman named Valerie who did a cool thing. And I am emulating her. She asked her friends and family to get together to come up with ideas on what she ought to do with her life. Career-wise, ostensibly, but life-wise in reality. So that is what I am doing. August 11 from 6 to 8 in the back room of the Raleigh Flying Saucer, I am having a brainstorming session to see what thoughts people have for and about me. It will, if nothing else, be fun. A very diverse group have already RSVP'd that they are coming - though if typical party statistics prevail only half of them really will. A bunch of maybes - two or three of whom will make an appearance, and maybe one or two random people not otherwise accounted for will grace us! We shall see. In any case, I will post the results here at some point! Yippee!