Successful Blog

A Conversation about Life in Perpetual Beta

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Thank You, Melissa

I met Melissa Pierce at SOBcon. She’s an attractive and focused woman with a wonderful project called “Life in Perpetual Beta.” It’s going to be an interactive movie made from, around, and through interviews with people who live their lives by embracing positive change.

This conversation with Melissa was filmed out by Belmont Harbor in Chicago. We talked about life online, leadership, and how things come together.

I’m thrilled to be a part of this project. I’m also honored by what she wrote about the video on her blog.

Paradox Found – Liz Strauss Bridges the Gap



Paradox Found – Liz Strauss Bridges the Gap.

Head over to read the blog about it. Then watch a few more interviews. You’ll be glad you did. Daniel Pink, author of “A Whole New Mind” is supposed to go up today. I can’t wait for that one.

Thanks, Melissa! It’s going to be some movie, when to put all of this together!

No doubt.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Step by Step

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Beach Notes by Suzie Cheel and Des Walsh

 Today’s beach notes has a new twist:
Idea and image by Suzie and the verse by Des Walsh

beach notes-onefoot
(c) Suzie Cheel

Yesterday as we were walking on the beach, earlier than usual I saw this perfect line of single footsteps and thought that would be great for beach notes. I sometimes get impatient taking one step at a time. As Des says ” You are not a kangaroo”!

Des then penned these words:

We were made

To go one step at a time

We try too often

To rush the process

We stumble

When will we learn?

Step by step works.

I know when I take one step and follow through things flow. I am learning:)

—Suzie Cheel

Look to Have Fun with the World

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Look to Be Delighted

The Living Web

Some where around age 9 is when our the frontal lobe of brains develop the capacity to take on abstract thought. The new-found ability to shift in and out of literal thinking could make fun out of the most mundane thought.

Signs were particularly fun.

A sign like this meant where a fire would go out.

fire exit

And in 9-year-old humor, a sign like this meant it was time to visit the toilet. Spotting such signs gained “extra points.”

P sign

This pointed out an option among many we might choose.

one_way_sign

Growing up we spent lots of time in cars and signs like these kept us busy while we were awaiting the grownups in our lives. So naturally we got good at finding new meaning almost anywhere we looked.

With eye like that, imagine what I thought when this taxi came into view. Click to enlarge and read the sign on its roof. What route do you suppose that cab’s will take to get there?

Taxi_to_London_by_Liz_Strauss

This weekend I’ll be looking to have fun with the world like that.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Images top3: sxc.hu taxi: LizStrauss
Work with Liz!!

What I Like about Airplanes

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It’s the ultimate 30,000 view reality. I look out the window and notice that perception isn’t always reality.

I wonder whether the folks in the dark parts of town realize that the sun is shining a few neighborhoods over. Do you suppose the folks in the sunlit neighborhoods think about the parts of town that can’t see the sun?

Sunlight_on_Seattle_2_by_Liz_Strauss (2)

My guess is they don’t think about each other.

Sunshine, traffic jams, economic situations, social media conversations — we tend to think what we experience is what is happening everywhere.

That’s why I like airplanes. They remind me to look for the bigger picture.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Incredibly Human

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I've been thinking . . .

about our personal humanity.

Every day I get up and turn on the coffee. Turn I on the computer. Shortly thereafter, an IM pops up with someone who wants to turn on a conversation. Some days have begun before I have a chance to sit back and find out who it was is that left my bedroom.

Yesterday, Terry wrote his thoughts about how we interact with our digital world. He asked that we

Do a little math in [our] head every now and then. Do it all for the sake of humanity.

I was writing my comment on Terry’s post when a call interrupted my thoughts. Ironically it was Terry on the phone. He only had a few minutes so our talk wasn’t long. I didn’t tell him that I’d read what he wrote. After that my day overcame any thinking I might have spent on what he said.

This morning Jon made a beautiful observation about how

everything but the kitchen sink is running through [our heads.]

He explained that being overwhelmed might be something we can all find our way through because . . .

south america 2008 177 by etStrauss

we’re human.

In a world of time and space and technology, hold tight to your humanity. It may feel fragile and weak, but it’s there where we refuel. It’s there where we get our strength.

Technology and illusions may lead us to images of super human accomplishments, but every human can only do what is humanly possible.

Stand in a huge quiet space that no humans have touched and think about that again. Say it aloud.

Every human can only do what is humanly possible.

What’s humanly possible is already incredible.

Go be incredible. Incredibly human is enough.

Liz's Signature

The You-Sized Place in the Universe

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Empty_Harbor_by_Liz_Strauss

I look out on an empty harbor under a sky of forgotten blue. The day is barely started. The sun is making a slow climb up. My eyes are is taking a narrow, half-open view.

I hear the cars on the road below me, but they’re only so much noise — they remind me of a vacuum running in a hotel hallway some years ago. I try to recall yesterday’s walk in the sunshine, but I find an empty space inside that thought. Someone, lots of someones, are missing. I notice everyone who is not among them.

No runners are running. No walkers are walking. No people are standing waiting for their dogs. I don’t see people listening to ipods riding bicycles or skating by. Nowhere are talkers incessantly talking to listeners intently listening as they forget to be watching and unconsciously force others to move out of their way.

No one is sitting on benches thinking or sleeping. I can’t find the dreamers dreaming or the critics criticizing. No railers are railing or flailers flailing.

When you’re not here, your face, your mind, and your heart leave a hole in the picture.

Only you can fill the you-sized place in the universe.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!