2009: Re-Focus Everything

From time to time, I like to brand certain seasons with a particular theme that I feel sums them up appropriately. In the past there was the "Summer of No Regrets", a year of "Stop Thinking, Start Doing", and "2008: Year of Change".

With our economy in a meltdown, two questionable wars being fought, continuing unrest in the Middle East, job losses crossing into the millions, and countless cases of social injustice...it's time for action.

As I begin to think about what our collective future in 2009 will hold, it seems to me that it's time to re-focus...everything.

We can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines as the world spins madly on. It's time for us to step up to the plate, and begin making some tough decisions.

Maybe you're living in a house two sizes larger than what you wallet can bare. It's time to downsize. Maybe you're working in a dead end job. Yes the market is tight, but it's time to dust off the 'ol resume and get back out there. Perhaps you've been watching from afar as some struggle to find clean drinking water an ocean away. It's time to sign up to help.

In fact, I think the toughest (and most immediate need) we have hits a bit closer to home. I think we, which means me, need to spend the next year re-focusing our hearts, goals, and passions.

Like I said, it's time to get off the sidelines. It's time to act. It's time to change. It's time to re-focus.


Re-focus your reading in 2009, subscribe to john blog.

Social Media: Hip Hop Edition

It's 2009. Are you tired of explaining social media to your friends and co-workers?

Why not let Poetic Prophet handle it for you...



If you're reading this on Facebook, click here for the video.

iPhone App Wish List

Dear iPhone Cocoa Developers,

Here's a Top 10 list of iPhone Apps I'd like to see in 2009...

10. iLike
9. Super Mario Brothers 3
8. Grand Theft Auto
7. Qik*
6. Kayak (w/ online booking)
5. Slideshare
4. ESPN
3. eTrade
2. Contra

1. Hulu

What really awesome apps would you wish for in 2009?

If you're on Facebook, be sure to check out the group I recently created: Really Schweet iPhone Apps.

Here's to Bigger Failures

In lieu of resolving to exercise, learn a new skill, or travel somewhere exotic my New Year's Resolution is simple: I want to fail, more.

I know that on the surface that sounds ridiculous. But let's unpack it for a second. Some of the most successful people talked a lot about their willingness to fail. And fail often.

Edison said he wasn't failing with his first 10,000 attempts at creating a light bulb...he was just learning what didn't work. Brilliant.

Or consider these...

"Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

"You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.” - Walt E. Disney

"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan

"Every strike brings me closer to the next home run." - Babe Ruth

Why do so many famous people talk a great deal about failure? Simple, their willingness to fail is directly tied to their ability to succeed.

So the logic goes: the more risks you take, the more often you fail. And the more often you fail, the greater chance you have to succeed.

Over the next year I am hoping to increase my failures significantly. In doing so, I hope to achieve great things. Now, I just need to figure out what I want to fail at first.

Any ideas?


Learn about more of my failures and successes, subscribe to john blog today.

My Predictions for 2009

It's several days into the new year, and no doubt you have read a whole host of predictions for the year ahead. Some serious, some hilarious, and some downright useless.

I decided to combine all three in my predictions for 2009...

10. iTunes U puts community colleges out of business
9. Facebook grows to 500 million members worldwide
8. Mike Tyson vs. George Foreman
7. Chysler/GM merge to form even worse business model
6. Spirit Airlines will begin service to Cuba!
5. Larry King finally admits the truth: he's Elvis Presley
4. Reality TV will outnumber all other TV shows 2:1
3. First black President will take office (oh wait, check.)
2. Oprah bails out 100 million Americans

1. Your mom will began following you...on Twitter


What do you think will happen in 2009, any predictions?

Tune in to see how my predictions play out over the next 361 days, subscribe to john blog.