I’ve had to be a technical author on several occasions. I don’t mind it. In fact I kind of like some aspects of it. Like reading all the technical data on the subject at hand, then distilling it down into an easy-to-follow step-by-step format. I sometimes play around with the text, if I have time. Tweak this bit or that. Make a sentence or paragraph read better, to be more clear, or to say the same thing with less words. Concise.
It’s usually under-appreciated though. Your target audience just wants the bare facts. The how to information as fast as possible. They don’t care about how you do it, only that you have, and that anyone can follow it.
Sigh.
The joy of writing manuals.
Drop a pin
Drop me a pin.
A what?
A young’un asked me to drop them a pin. To let them know where I am. I should know how to do that, but I don’t.
Maybe you have to go to maps and get your current location and then share it? Seems arduous. Must be a faster way. I could ask how but then I’d have to admit to the circle of life coming true. Like me showing my dad how to program the VCR. Geez, VCRs, how old am I?
Old enough to not know how to drop a pin apparently.
About you
Sell yourself.
Write about you.
Ever had writers block when having to create an About page for LinkedIn or a website, explaining who you are and what you do. Your credentials. Your bonafides.
Takes me back to English class. Write a short essay on yourself. Five thousand words. All about you.
It was compulsory in the early days of the web. Your website must have an about you page. As compulsory as a running dog chasing a ball or construction worker to signify that your site is coming soon or under construction. Just don’t use blinking text.
Tell me about you.
Free WiFi
I’m at the beach staring out to sea. The sun is high, the tide is out, and I’m relaxed.
I glance around and spot a sign on a nearby pole. Free WiFi.
The local council is providing free WiFi for anyone that wants it.
How safe is public WiFi? I’m guessing not very. I Don’t connect. I’m fine with my data plan. I don’t need to save the bytes.
If I did I’d probably use a VPN. And then I couldn’t do any financial transactions over it. Too paranoid.
How secure is free WiFi?
I don’t plan on finding out. Instead I look back out to sea watching the boats on the horizon. I wonder if they have WiFi?
Having enough not to care
There’s something about having enough not to care.
What do I mean by that?
I mean having enough money, enough funds, that when problems occur that don’t cost enough to break the bank, your bank, that you don’t have to stress.
You can think: it’s only money. And not stress too much.
I can stress a lot about costs. Hidden charges, contractors bills, medical bills, lettings agents, bank charges, and so on. You begin to get anxious when the post arrives, or an email from that company. It may be nothing, but sometimes..
Having enough money not to care must be nice. Having just enough not to care.
Zero results found
Back in the early days of the internet there was a game we played with Google, where we would try to search for something that would return no results. We would do this on purpose. As more and more data made its way onto the internet it became harder and harder to find something that returned zero results, or even just a single result.
These days it’s practically impossible. Google will always return something, even if it’s just a page of sponsored links. And now there’s AI adding content to the results of your search.
So much data. Zero results.
The benefits of being indispensable
I’ve been thinking about the benefits of being indispensable. Being truly indispensable.
When looking at companies, analysing where costs can be saved you quickly identify the linchpins and bottlenecks. Linchpins are those that the company needs to function, and were they to leave, the company may struggle or even fail. Bottlenecks are those that slow processes and functions down. They need improvement or more help in order to unblock the flow.
Being a linchpin has its pluses and minuses. You get to feel how every employee should feel: needed, appreciated, respected. Time off is permitted (as long as you come back) and your requests are quickly addressed. Mistakes are not overly chastised and even HR likes you. The company needs you and makes you feel needed.
The downside is that they call you when you are sick, when you are on holiday, when you are not on the clock. Usually because no one else can do what needs doing, or answer what needs answering.
If you were to think of leaving you have to give a long notice period and your contract contains clauses into the future preventing you from working where you want, with whomever you want. Among other restrictions.
The benefits of being indispensable.
Downdetector
I received a call from my sister. Her internet isn’t working. Do I know what the problem is?
My mother sends me a message. Her friend can’t make or receive calls or texts on her mobile. Any ideas?
A friend shoots me a quick text. He can’t watch his favourite show as the streaming service it airs on isn’t working. Can I look into it?
Downdetector.
That’s all I use on such occasions. I Don’t even have to fire up Google as it’s bookmarked. I used it so often.
Yep I reply. The service is down.
I come off sounding like an expert. Within seconds the world makes sense again. The problem isn’t resolved, but just having the validation that it isn’t something they’ve done is enough.
Thanks. I knew you’d know they reply.
Good old downdetector.
Card declined
Card declined.
I’m at the drive-thru window trying to tap my card but it’s declined. Not authorised. Payment method not accepted.
I try another. Declined.
I’m out of cards. I’m sorry but I only have the two. I’m not one of those people with a bulging wallet of plastic, unloyal to any one high street bank. I scrambled around my vehicle hunting for spare change. I have just enough for the over-priced beverage.
“Don’t worry” she says. “It’s been happening all morning”.
Interesting. So chances are it isn’t the fault of either of my banks, but a problem with the common payment system between them and the coffee franchise, or the franchise’s own IT system.
I find it amusing that places like this particular coffee franchise prefer cash, yet cash is still king. It doesn’t need patching or rebooting. It’s accepted almost everywhere. Especially when the IT system plays up.
Not putting the time in
There’s an old saying. Something about two voices in your head, each with different opinions on what you should be doing with your life. The one that is the loudest is the one you listen to the most. Or feed the most. I forget the exact expression.
My point is that it’s what you give your time to that grows the most. That includes your passions. Or perceived passions.
I talk a lot about what I enjoy, what I love to do. But when I think about how much time I’ve been putting in on these passions recently, I realise that it’s hardly any at all.
I have excuses, oh I can always come up with excuses. But the thing is, if I’m not putting the time in, they are not growing. And can they be true passions at all if I never do them?
It’s all about putting the time in.