2013 – Page 4 – Jim Tigwell

Practicing What You Preach

This isn’t about hypocrisy so much as teaching. Most Saturdays I tutor a student in English, and we go over rules, structures, and ideas that are essential to writing. Understanding something well enough to teach it is a lot different from understanding it well enough to use it, and poses a unique challenge. I keep asking myself if I’m abiding by the principles I’m teaching. Whether in writing, in ethics, in gaming, or in communication. And the answer is usually “Sometimes.”

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April 14, 2013

Communication / Social Media

The Alchemy of Connection

It’s time for some more obviousness, I hope. We all know that social media can help connect you with people all over the world. We’ve been railing about it for years, whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Youtube. But we also all know that describing the people we’re connected to on Facebook as “Friends” is possibly the grossest abuse of the word. the connections made over this systems aren’t the strong kind that are forged in the fire of battle, the bloody brother-and sisterhoods brought about by shared struggles and a love for Star Trek, but rather the bonds of those people that you met that one time who seemed cool but probably wouldn’t help you move. I have good news. It is within your power to transform the second into the first, like some kind of relationship alchemist. Instead of purging the lead from your connections every six months, transform a portion of it into gold. (more…)

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April 11, 2013

Weekly Update

TEDx, VEDA, and Other Acronyms

It’s been a little while since I wrote a Sunday post. I started these posts to keep myself sane in grad school, to make sure that I went out and did something interesting in my community every week rather than locking myself in my office with my thesis, but somehow lately I’ve been too busy getting out in my community to stay inside and write. There’s been work, and TEDx, and Headshots from the Heart, and lots of writing. Just not here, which is a shame. I really enjoy these lazy Sunday posts where I don’t make a case or an argument, just sort of relax in text.

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April 7, 2013

Social Media

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Get LinkedIn

If you’re a teacher, it can be hard to see the use of LinkedIn. It’s one more social network, which means one more set of emails connecting you with people that you barely talk with. Worse, it’s for professionals, so it won’t even have all the cute cats and strange pictures you get to see on Facebook. On the up side, you also won’t have to watch people break up. And besides, you already have a job. Even if you don’t, teaching jobs aren’t the kind of thing you’re going to find on LinkedIn this side of ever. Nonetheless, by the time you’ve finished reading, you’ll see the value of LinkedIn to teachers and academics.

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April 4, 2013

Headspace

The Magnificence of Honesty

Headspace

I’m live writing ths today, on account of not being able to write anything I’m really happy withh yet. I want to explore all these platforms and best practices, but some days you’re just not up to it, and it’s time to go back to first principles. It’s the philosopher in me. But I’m not sorry. (more…)

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March 28, 2013