To potential employers

Dear potential employers,

Yes, I am currently looking for work. Yes, I have an opinion on life, love, and the pursuit of work.

IF you read my blog and don't hire me, good! I would not want to work for anyone that does not want diversity in the work place. You see, if you read my blog, and don't like something you read and base your decision on that, obviously you don't embrace diversity and talent. What a shame.

Also, if you base your hiring strictly on what you read on anyone's blog (with the exception of obvious bigots: nazis, neo-nazis, racial bigots, gender bigots, etc.) and don't hire them, you prove what is greatly wrong with American business today: small-mindedness.

For example, American businesses are not hiring senior technical writers today. Why? They think they can get the same product and quality from a cheaper, far less experienced writer. What they are getting is bad quality product that ultimately drives up costs! That's right. Being cheap is costing you business "leaders" in a real, bottom-line, measurable way.

You see, when you hire an experienced technical writer who focuses on quality, you SAVE money. How? You gain a quality product that users and support staff can understand and follow. The better users and support staff understand and follow documentation, the less calls to support, the short call times for support staff, thus, a huge reduction in costs. Huge.

Also, personal information on this blog is just that: personal. I've been through a lot. What amazes me is how managers respond to it! Too bad they aren't leaders! For, if these managers were leaders then they would see that folks that can conquer hardships in life, breeze through work issues. Don't believe me? Well, folks like John Maxwell (a leading expert, speaker, and New York Times bestselling author and authority on leadership) strongly disagree with you. Leaders see "issues" as opportunities and lead others to do like-wise. The result is a win-win for everyone, and a plus to the bottom-line.

American businesses need leadership, quality personnel to be competitive in the World Market. If you read my blog and don't want to hire based upon what you read, your loss, and ultimately your loss in the market place. Egotistical statement? Nope. Just an honest, humble assessment. Really.

Chet Dickenson
Sr. Technical Writer

Time??? What time???

I have been trying to get to the point of updating my blog for ages now. Then I realized, "Who has the time?" Gas prices are zooming up, but not as fast as everything seems to rob me of time!!!

I was reading my good friend', Taylor Mason's blog, and I found that he has the same issue! (I have many issues. I think Sept. 2005 is my favorite though the pictures in May 2001 are very nice and the articles in April 2003 are excellent!) His job is to study the human condition. Wow! I want that job! He is one of the best at it. Just read his blog. I'm amazed in the time that he spends on the road and studying the human condition that he had the time to update his blog!

So, who keeps raising the price of the barrel of time? Who ever it is needs to be raked over the coals by Congress (who themselves need to be raked over the coals, as they debate each other in prison!), but we all know that won't happen. They are all paid off by the time lobbyest. Good grief. Is nothing sacred?

What amazes me is how politicians, even athiest, suspend their views on time, and things sacred, when life really hits the fan. Take Atlanta. They are in the midst of a terrible drought. They are rapidly running out of water, and no one there seems to have the brains to know what to do. (They are close to the Atlantic. What about desalinization? Oops! I had an idea, and that isn't allowed right now by politicians in Atlanta!) So, the politicians have suspended the "rules" on time and religion, and are having a good-old fashioned Christian prayer meeting on the steps of the capital, taking the time to ask God for rain. Funny... they kicked God out of their lives, since they didn't have the time or the heart for Him, yet now, they are taking precious time to beg Him to intervene.

I'm willing to bet, that if God blesses them with rain, they will all of a sudden take the time to forget Him and His blessing as fast as OPEC can raise the price on a barrel of oil, and will return to forbidding others to call on Him. I hate to tell them, God aint no giant vending machine! You don't put prayers in, press the button, and get a blessing in the slot below, then turn and walk away forgetting Him until life gets way to hard again. Hey Atlanta... shoot, hey America! You kicked God out. What makes you think He wants to come back? Yes, He wants to bless you. Yes, he loves you! But, He doesn't want a "call my people" relationship. He wants YOU, in a long-term, loving, growing, blessed relationship. Then, He continues sweet, blessed rain throughout your life!

Ok. I'm off my soapbox. Wow! I cannot believe I took the time to write that! ;>)

Chet