Disqus - Latest Comments for kallan

Re: Does The Frame Make It Art?

kallan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:11:32 -0000

Kia ora e Ken!

You have broached a long and celebrated idea in Art, that of constraint.

I studied photography at a time when b & w was the rage. A fashionable practice was what was known as composing in camera or 'in frame'. Such practice yielded a number of advantages among which was better definition promised in the finished product, for the maximum area of photographic plane was used thereby reducing grain (if it was unwanted) and also ensuring a sharper focus effect. But photographers in general found that this also helped them get better, more artistically 'framed' shots.

But the virtue of constraint isn't restricted to 2 dimensional Art. John Keats, at the beginning of the 19th century, wrote a sonnet on the sonnet, extolling the virtue of constraint:

If by dull rhymes our English must be chained,
And, like Andromeda, the Sonnet sweet
Fettered, in spite of pained loveliness,
Let us find, if we must be constrained,
Sandals more interwoven and complete
To fit the naked foot of Poesy:
Let us inspect the Lyre, and weigh the stress
Of every chord, and see what may be gained
By ear industrious, and attention meet;
Misers of sound and syllable, no less
Than Midas of his coinage, let us be
Jealous of dead leaves in the bay wreath crown;
So, if we may not let the Muse be free,
She will be bound with garlands of her own.

Catchya later
from Middle-earth

Re: Pleasure and Pain Don’t Offer Perspective

kallan — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:52:38 -0000

Kia ora e Ken!

Pleasure can bring its own pain though. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. The pain of absence is as a direct result of the cessation of pleasure. Could not change be brought about by this pain, caused through pleasure being experienced in the first instance?

I can see several avenues to change by this agent, that may be as radical as change brought about through pain alone.

Catchya later

Re: Rants, Resources, Reflections, and Revelations

kallan — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:55:35 -0000

Kia ora e Ken!

Glad you took up the challenge. You have an interesting group of posts, with comments, that I've spent the last half hour reading and enjoying, all for the second time at least.

Isn't blogging enjoyable?

Catchya later

Re: The Cruelty of, “I Wish …”

kallan — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:39:37 -0000

Kia ora e Ken!

This is an interesting post that I passed without comment the first time I read it. The things you talk of here are to do with a combination of conscience and moral (or ethical) practice in the face of changing circumstances which may also involve a changing relationship. It can relate as much to a marriage as it does to a relationship one has with a pet. On a different plane it may even relate to how one feels about some precious possession. Though some things that influence undoubtedly come from without, my feeling is that the ultimate decisions, whether made consciously or not, have to come from within.

Catchya later

Re: Stressed Out? Unplug and Sweat It Out!

kallan — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:48:57 -0000

Kia ora Ken!

I've scattered this one before in the blogosphere. One sure way of avoiding stress is to learn how to say NO.

It's not just a case of saying it. It's important that it is also said carefully and correctly. Turning down an opportunity is one thing, but shutting the door on future chances of opportunity is another - it doesn't exactly reduce stress. Knowing that by saying NO appropriately you are not locking the gate on future options releases stress too.

Catchya later

Re: Your First Mistakes Could Lead To A Second Wind

kallan — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 21:01:08 -0000

Kia ora e Ken!

The difference between manager and leader:

One issue that precipitates opportunities to show the distinction is when a leader is given a position (in employment) by appointment. While the function of a manager appointed to such a position carries a certain likelihood of success based on prior experience in management and other faculties of human performance, a leader who is appointed on the same criteria is less likely to achieve to the same extent if true leadership is what's required.

As you allude to in this post, managing is not the same as leading.

Indeed, the appointment of a leader should throw a different complexion on what the position requires. The adage, "do as I say, don't do as I do", used by a manager may well have been appropriate, but it is certainly not much use to a leader.

Catchya later

Re: Doing More With Less Can Be Your Loss

kallan — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:45:11 -0000

Kia ora Ken

"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts".

I'm a firm believer in this adage when it comes to the power of people. Synergy is a relatively new word that applies here.

One of the properties of synergy is that it is mobile. It's like a toy puzzle that can be put together any number of ways - a transformer. Some combinations are greater than others.

Optimising synergy means that the biggest gains are achieved when the parts come together in certain optimal ways. Doing more with less so that it's your gain rather than your loss means getting the combination right.

When it's optimal you have synergy.

Catchya later
from Middle-earth

Re: Don’t Break It Trying To Fix It.

kallan — Sat, 16 May 2009 05:56:13 -0000

Tēnā koe e Ken!

Too much store is put by 'if it's new it's gotta be good'. The same can be said for, 'change and move forward'. Sometimes the 'new' is created out of a drive to change, without enough or any thought given to the 'how'. New is not necessarily better.

I have often found that the basis for change that's put forward is simply, 'there's a need for change'. But like you've said, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Catchya later
from Middle-earth

Re: Four Reasons Why Poor Service Wins

kallan — Fri, 15 May 2009 06:16:17 -0000

Kia ora Ken!

If the service says it provides beauty, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then the consumer decides if the service is met.

Catchya later
from Middle-earth

Re: Community Building

kallan — Thu, 07 May 2009 04:40:50 -0000

Kia ora Darren.

I applaud the direction here. It's the means to get there that's hard to master.Communities are more akin to forests than cities.

Think growth rather than build. It's easier and probably more productive.

Catchya later

Re: The End of Silence: ChangeForge Launches OdioGo Integration

kallan — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 05:02:38 -0000

Kia ora Ken!

I installed Odiogo for a period last year, but uninstalled it some months later for a number of different reasons. But I found it was very good for some purposes though pronunciation of some words seemed odd - Odiogo may have improved since then though.

Good luck with the sound!

Catchya later

Re: In Praise of Praise

kallan — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:42:00 -0000

Kia ora Chris!

Good you are enjoying Middle-earth.

Nice post title :-)

Catchya

Re: Just as Difficult as it Seems

kallan — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:54:36 -0000

Kia ora Chris

And welcome to Middle-earth. I recognise the venue used by the juggler as Manners Mall, Wellington. I take it from your Flickr updates that you are here for Easter.

Enjoy! Wellington is a wonderful city.

Catchya later

Re: How Not to Learn

kallan — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 02:46:18 -0000

Kia ora Chris

Thanks for this. I guess it goes with putting aside other feelings and emotions so that we each can also assist others to learn. Ridicule displayed by the knowledgeable for the ignorant can be a huge impediment to learning what went wrong. The ridiculed may well be aware that something went wrong, but having the empathy and courage (lets not deny it) to help someone in such a situation is a remarkable and salutary quality.

Catchya later
from Middle-earth

Re: Computers Suck At Giving Hugs

kallan — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:22:49 -0000

Kia ora Darren!

I have a theory (shades of 'I have a dream' - no disrespect intended).

Western civilisation has lived through a great time of change and plenty. Plenty of new things to find and wonder at. Plenty of new prosperity for prospectors to go look for. Lots of change. And that prosperity brought the opportunity to buy, change and discard.

We now have a pollution problem, and most of that is because we continue to buy, change and discard. Shirts, pens, paper, microwave ovens, TVs, mobile phones, computers, cars are all use once throw away items. The deluge of things discarded fills our land but we still do the buy, change and discard.

The past prosperity is a juggernaut that's hard to stop even when it's bound for the warm global wall. It's because of the habit that it's bound to crash. But few will think about it till it happens.

They will think about turning to other things to buy, change discard. The 'book' is such an item. The 'teacher/tutor/instructor' is another. It's funny that the two should be so closely connected, given that one definition of education is 'the ability to learn from a book'.

The progression along that line is even scientific. It follows the pattern that everything else has. We chuck our shirts, pens, paper, microwave ovens, TVs, mobile phones, computers, cars.

Even the educated are touting that we should get rid of the 'book'. So why not the teacher/tutor/instructor too?

Yeah! Okay! Now let's group hug on it! Second Life style!

Doh!

You're right!

Catchya later
from Middle-earth

Re: Sometimes I ONE-der

kallan — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:49:40 -0000

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Re: Sometimes I ONE-der

kallan — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 02:52:56 -0000

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Re: Stats Don’t Lie, but Friends Tell the Truth.

kallan — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:48:01 -0000

Kia ora Ken

Heck yes! 'Friends and community tell the truth' whatever that is. They certainly tell us something that's important!

Catchya later

Re: Gitterdun…

kallan — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 15:07:13 -0000

Kia ora Larry

The principle can be applied to tackling any A1 task as you say. Of course, you have to start it first. You had already taken that all-important step to tackling an A1 task. The rest is taken bit by bit.

The almost classical rhetorical to tackling an A1 task is, "How do you eat an elephant?"

Catchya later

Re: (Video) Meaning or Masses: Do You Seek to Extend Conversations or Amass Followers?

kallan — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:51:11 -0000

Kia ora Ken

It is a property of people, this "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours". But people also have this strange duality between being themselves, as individuals, and being group members.

Michele Martin spoke of homophily last year, and how this could affect the way we interact, learn, and socialise.

I have never been one for clicks or exclusive groups. In fact, I used to campaign against that sort of thing in the folk-club when I was a member way back. But my understanding of how communities seem to operate online has sharply brought my senses to the significant importance of having a large pool of people in a commentsphere round a blog. I am aware that, as a person I have no real need to gather lots and lots of people about me (I do like to socialise) but as a blogger there's a functional need to have a community in order to blog. Otherwise I'd be as well to write my posts in Word and save them to the hard drive - it just doesn't work the same :-)

Catchya later

Re: Getting to the Bottom Line

kallan — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 04:24:55 -0000

Kia ora Ken

The truth, if there is one to be found, is that everyone wears a mask for whatever situation they may find themselves, whether it be charades at a dinner party, a night at an expensive restaurant, on a blind date for a laugh or a serious game of stud poker.

Those who know the business world know that the mask is common costume. While its many facets may be familiar to some, it must necessarily take on a virtual facade in the digital world of social media. These digital stuccos may appear more materialistic in 'Second Life', but they are still masks.

The mask is almost always seen to be more interesting, however, for that hidden, unknown being behind it stimulates the imagination and holds a mystique that's often found so attractive. Hence the allure of the masquerade.

It is not so surprising that many teenagers get 'trapped' by the mystique of digital social media. For some it can be healthy fun: for others it's a morbid fascination.

The way you describe the taste of the wine suggests that you probably prefer the sensuous reality of face-to-face social discourse than the detached mystery and almost clinical nature of digital interaction, whether in business or other pursuit.

The reality is that people are all different, and you may well feel your preferences compromised by social media when others, who have a greater fascination for it, insist on using it as their preferred means of discourse.

I'm guessing here Ken. Your post and link to Michael Leis' post got my thinking going on this touchy topic.

Catchya later

Re: The Owner and the Manager: A Lesson in Perspective.

kallan — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 05:31:49 -0000

Kia ora Ken

LV Martin & Son, a huge Wellington based whiteware appliance dealer, had as their motto, "It's the putting right that counts."

Alan Martin (the son, I believe) passed away not many years ago, but he used this same line in all his adverts where he appeared on TV. The firm was well known for service to customers and especially for after sales service.

Whatever happened to the line, "The customer is always right"?

Catchya later
from Middle-earth

Re: Living Transparently: It Just Is What It Is.

kallan — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 05:23:00 -0000

Kia ora Ken

Is perception reality?

Karl Popper had a few theories on that. They are philosophical, but then so is what you speak of here.

Catchya later

Re: Live Life Deliberately (Video)

kallan — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:48:06 -0000

Kia ora Ken

I could not help thinking of the Buddhist, when listening to what you had to say. I don't practice Buddhism (if that's what one does with it) but I have studied it a bit, and I'm familiar with the philosophy.

One of the beliefs is that the true self is modified by experiences in life. What's taken out of these experiences, and the way they affect the self becomes an add-on to the self. In this way, the person develops, and the resultant growth, deformity or otherwise enhancement is always an encumbrance or an asset to the self.

If we read the Buddhist proverbs, they all refer and reflect on the inner self and how it can become shadowed or enhanced by experience.

I may be off the mark, but what I take from what you are saying is that the way we choose to live our life may well affect our true (inner) self in a way not unlike the way the Buddhist philosophy sees it developing.

Catchya later
from Middle-earth

Re: When Does Process Kill Service?

kallan — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:21:46 -0000

Tēnā koe Ken

Bureaucracy is process. It's all process - cyclical process. I've seen it all before. AaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaH!

I've just been looking at Voicethread. A blogging colleague suggested I should check it out. After fiddling with the information pages trying to work out what it can offer me and getting nowhere, I took a break (as I do) only to be confronted with your story of corporate bureaucracy. I though, "this is like déjà vu! AaaaaaaaaaaaaaH!"

It is déjà vu!

Is it me? Our is it bureaucracy in a web2.0 app? Check it out.
http://voicethread.com/

Catchya later