Permanent Temporary

Hurricane Irene 2005

The other day, a friend of mine told me that his wife was given a pretty significant dollar amount to take a year off of work.  Not the salary she anticipated, but darn good to take the year off.  Today in the NYTimes (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/nyregion/13bigcity.html?em), I find that this is not so rare.  This has “Permanent Temporary” written all over it.

Severance packages are one thing, but this is entirely different.  Knowing that you have an job waiting for you at the end of the process changes the mood entirely.   Plus, it allows these workers to focus on selfless tasks, like charity work and whatnot (some companies requiring that some sort of charity work will be done during this time).  Very cool.  Very PT.  Let’s just hope they spend more time on charity and less time surfing.

I’m a digital media guy.  There are many different kind of social media people.  I’m one of those who find social media marketers to be vultures all too often, typically making themselves look stupid, and usually ruining a good thing just as enough people start using it to make it fun/interesting/useful/cool.

Quoting MetaFilter Founder Matt Haughey’s blog (this is great):

MetaFilter Founder Matt Haughey

…So maybe instead of getting your company on twitter, paying marketers to mention you are on twitter, and paying people to blog about your company, forget all that and just make awesome stuff that gets people excited about your products, hire people that represent the company well, and when your stuff is so awesome that friends share it with other friends, you may not even need “social media marketing” after all.

http://a.wholelottanothing.org/2009/03/this-is-how-social-media-really-works.html

Unemployment Olympics 2009, Tompkins Square, East Village, NYC

It was a sunny day in NYC for the 2009 Unemployment Olympics. I thinks that’s about all I can say without sounding foolish or offending someone.  www.unemploymentolympics.com is the official site.  For video from Time, visit time.com/unemploymentolympics

Fired, Downsized, or Laid-Off byAlan Sklover

Learn how to get the most out of your termination.  Such sweet words.  Hah.  I’m no advocate of abusing the system.  But there is no reason not to get your fair share, because the term “fair share” is extremely subjective.  You’ll never get get what you don’t ask for.   I’ve not read the book myself, but just little tip if it helps.

My favorite tip: asking for extended healthcare while you look for a job.  It’s a small incrememnt for the company, and a large help for you.  In the current healthcare system, this seems only fair.

Also, ask for a letter of recommendation before you leave so you can hunt for new jobs with a glowing reference.  Huge.

Permanent Temporary is often about doing two things at the same time.  Freestyle Walking was a brainchild of my friend Matt (although I’m sure there are others who preceeded us) who felt there was more opportunities for fun on the walk home from the pub.  Matt, we’ve now been “one-upped”.

Info C/O our good friends at the Thrillist, The Levi’s Powersliding Championship  takes place today 4/15/09 at the Santa Monica Pier.  Pictures of the event to be published soon.   Until then, check out this YouTube Vid to see what it’s all about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSKMXBJ4OlA

I never actually worked at McDonald’s.  I figured there was enough documentation in that arena.  HOWEVER, I do know people who have pulled themselves out of the treches after a McManagement position.  Just for the record.

My largest quam is the homogonization of the planet, and also the expectation that American taxpayers will pick up the tab on the healthcare costs for all the uninsured patrons filling their veins with hydrogenated cardboard filler.  Happy Meal?