HR Thoughts

I am back from an awesomely superb vacation.  While on vacation, ideas for posts crossed my mind and I jotted them down when I could.

I had one with a working title, "The Real Star." It was going to be about auditions for a cruise talent show that my daughter auditioned for. During auditions, there was a lady there (Brooke) who supported, cheered on and encouraged each of the participants during the rehearsals. Surely, she must be part of the organizers. I was impressed by her engagement, appreciative of her encouraging comments to my double jointed daughter as she displayed her freaky finger tricks, and very surprised when the last audition was called and Brooke walks up to the stage and sings her heart out. Awesome. 

We spent some time on a glacier with a dog sled team
and well, I lost the idea. My next idea came to me during a Ranger presentation as we cruised through Glacier Bay. The Ranger stated that he loves to engage in conversation about Glacier Bay. He hoped that those who listen to him are inspired to ask the questions that will solve an unsolved problem; if he were to leave us knowing just what he knew, we'd be in a world of hurt.

What a way to engage your audience, seek questions and set the stage for learning, sharing and growing. I am going to shamelessly steal his words and I planned to create a post around it and then, before I even had a working title, out the window it went too.

Look at it as trading one type of inspiration for another! 

There's a new blog in town. Lance, aka Your HR Guy, has started a multiple author blog for HR professionals - HRM Today.  I clicked through quickly today (I am on vacation!) and the presentation is awesome. Content is filtering in and the contributors are starting to sign up already. Check it out

Take a hike. Take a cruise. Take a vacation.

The family is heading northwest to Seattle and then on to Glacier Bay. The 10 day forecast is 56 degrees and chance of rain (hmm, sounds just like Minnesota) and there is a dog sled with our name on it. Have a great June and I look forward to catching up with everyone when I return. 

Emily doesn't send me birthday cards anymore.

I am not not sure exactly when the cards stopped coming but I am sure I know why. I did not reciprocate. We were friends in college and after graduation I was an officer in the Army, traveling, making my own money, giving orders and taking names (!); I had a bunch going on. It sort of was all about me.

I find that now too. With work, raising a kid and what not, I don't take (or make) the time to do much beyond what I do with or for my family. I do things for myself but they are pretty well limited to exercise, coloring my hair and blogging. I gain a lot from writing and while I do think about the audience and wonder if what I have to say will be interesting, that really is not the main driver of what goes onto each page. It sort of is all about me, again.

Or is it? Could it be that I am creating something for others?

My daughter's baby book ended at age 7 and I recently cracked the cover on a black moleskin bound journal. This journal will be where my husband and I can continue to write notes, thoughts, or advice to the young lady our daughter will grow up to be. The kid is aware of it and, as a matter of fact, a picture she drew of our most recent trip to the water park is the only thing in it yet.

Could this blog be a partner to my little black journal? The thoughts reflected here clearly are different than those that will be captured at home. Will they be of value or interest to her? To anyone other than me? Maybe, maybe not and the thing is, the thought had not even crossed my mind until I read posts on G-Town Talks and weblogg-ed.  Both speak to how their ideas will live on through the work they create on-line, through their writing.

Right now it is a blog. Whatever it is next, this medium continues to intrigue me with its potential for moving forward, capturing the past and making connections, all at the same time.

Hey, I wonder what Emily is up to these days?

The HR Capitalist has a new gig as the editor/point guard of a new blog that covers "all things talent." Check out Fistful of Talent and let Kris know what you think. From first look, he has hit this one right out of the park!

. . . . . and the bloggers continue to write.

I have to confess that I have not been keeping up with my Google Reader these past few days. How do I know? Well, I opened it last night to 79 new items. Holy buckets! I can't not read the Evil HR Lady's advice or the HR Capitalist's research, rants and raves and I have got to know what Deb at 8 hours & a lunch is up to so, what is a girl to do? In the midst of the unread items I discovered that my friend Kim at G-Town Talks returned to the blogosphere and I am so psyched!

I have to confess that I not been keeping up with my blogging. How do I know? Well, I am running thin on HR Carnival submissions and well, I am feeling just a bit tense. No, not too tense about the carnival, just generally tense. I have ideas bouncing and incomplete thoughts pinging around I have been unable to quiet down. They need to get out and on to paper or post. They need to be free. They need to be expressed. I have not had the time to process. I miss not having time to process. Process time = relaxation for me.

Things should lighten up soon and I will then be able to free my thoughts, process, post and relax. In the meantime, we are water park bound for the weekend. Ahh, thanks for listening, I feel better already. Have a great Friday and wonderful weekend all.

HR World has published its first list of the Top 25 HR Blogs. You will find HR Thoughts listed as #10; surrounded by 24 other awesome blogs. 

There are many blogs listed that I read regularly and others that are now being added to my Google Reader as we speak; another wonderful compilation and professional development resource.

While you are there, check out their list of the 25 Top HR Influencers of 2007. You will see some familiar faces, guaranteed!

. . . . .won't you give her yours too? Evil HR Lady is a finalist for the 2007 Best Business Blog. Click right here, to vote for her. 

First passport, first stamp, international travel and German beer. First skis, first bunny hill, getting off the chair lift and face plant in the snow. First interview, first job, own money and credit card bills addressed to you. First boyfriend (next!), true love, getting married and creating a family. First tooth, first grade, training wheels off and sleeping through the night. Taking chances, getting in the game, trying something new, enjoying.

This is my first year of blogging.

Thanks to those of you who have chosen to be part of the conversation.

You know you've made it when you open your e-mail after a few days and see 45, yes 45, comments to your blog. Your joy quickly turns to frustration when you notice they are all spam. Ok, what happened on October 1, 2007?! Less than 3 spam from 10.27.06 to 9.30.07 and then 45 in 3 days? Unfortunately now all comments and references will require my moderation before posting. Geez!

99 HR Blogs on the web, 99 HR Blogs . . .

Bootstrapper has published their choices for the Top 100 HR Bloggers. Take some time and scan the list. Actually, do more than scan, follow some links. There are some great HR resources available and I am pleased to be among them. I see some familiar "faces" as well as some new ones. 

Thanks to Bootstrapper for the wonderful compilation!

Squarespace Insider posted this to offer bloggers tips on things to avoid. I am hosted by Sqaurespace (yeah!). I read it and now I am sharing it with you.

Let's see, I don't animate or have sound effects, I have an about page, don't use the default template, organize posts by topic and not just by month. Looking good so far. What else should I avoid?

Squarespace Insider says I should avoid posting sporadically. "Having a schedule means that readers know when to find new information. It doesn’t have to be very often but it should be consistent. Leaving a blog unattended can lose precious momentum and readership." What didn't they say? They didn't say that posting sporadically can also cause you (me) to crash and burn on the HR Power Rankings. I dropped from 4 to 15 (ouch!) in just a few short weeks.

My declining rank aside, it was tip #8 that caught my attention,  Including links that open in a new browser. Squarespace Insider says "Bloggers don’t want readers to leave, hence opening new windows for links. But blog readers can be annoyed at new windows they didn’t ask for. This could go either way, but the readers will usually know how to get back if they want, so new windows aren’t necessary."

Really? I have consistently purposely checked the box "open in a new browser" when I created my links. Why? Because I thought it would be helpful to readers if I presented the information right to them (you) instead of you having to link through. Hmmm, I may need to reconsider. Honestly, I sometimes do not ever get back to where I started from.

Notice, I did not have my links open in a new browser this time. So, do you have a prefer links that open in a new browser?

I created a new category in my blog specifically for HR Carnival posts, moved old HR Carnival posts into it and now the ones I moved are showing up in my Google Reader as new posts (they are not). If they are in my Google Reader, they will be in yours - my apologies for the influx. I moved other posts into already established categories so hope they don't show up too. I was just "cleaning house." Well, at least I am not airing my dirty laundry!

How does it feel to be Number 1?! I wouldn't know because I am Number 4 (and darn proud of it). Ratings, rankings and numbers aside, I am honored to have even been considered in the HR Capitalist's first installation of the HR Blog Power Rankings. I am in such great company! Check out the list. You will not be disappointed.

Brad Paisely's video is hilarious. Are you so much cooler online?

I have received a few requests lately from organizations interested in advertising on this site either via ads or mini links at the bottom of each post. To be polite, I'd like to say that I thoroughly considered each request. Honestly, I did not. This space is mine to share ideas, learn from others and to continue to make the connections that I am continuing to value so much. Advertising is not what this is about for me. Thank you for the consideration but I am not interested.