Central America is delayed. Berlin is on. Flying out from NYC posed the challenge of getting there with in budget. A problem quickly resolved via another serendipitous moment. Today I leave on an an incredible roadtrip of mammoth proportions with Jim of Dub-Corp and the beautiful Meadow Devor.
The Debacle Explained from James Whitaker on Vimeo.
See updates on our state of mind as we ass whip 50 hours straight across the USA.
Me and the Garica Garcia Brothers in Monterrey Mexico
The experience left me truly humbled. I was treated like a brother and will never forget the generosity of the family and community.
In this post, I will explain lessons of how I met the Garicias on the street, gained acceptance and safety when alone.
The Street Meet
The premise, is you hang out in a place with community feel and near a university and wait for someone to take you home. It worked for me but it was pretty freaky and I cannot give tips without sounding like a douche. For the majority I recommend couch surfing not street meets.
Inter-cultural social networking
Now you have a place to stay some ideas for becoming a champion.
My Spanish sucked but I quickly learned the basic greetings.
Knowing the greetings plus follow-ups in social situations (there will be many) puts others at ease and gives you more respect. Get up to speed before arriving my sitting a course or listening to the Michael Thomas Spanish course.
Even if it feels uncomfortable, repeat what your host\friends say even if you have no idea what it means. Show people that you are trying to learn they will like it.
Get drunk even more. This assists in being a parrot and builds trust with your fellow Amigos
Plans will be made on your behalf. You will be going somewhere in a speeding car wearing no seat belt. Embrace the fear, accept death and choose to die in an alternative way. Or prey to Jesus Christ that it won’t be your last ride.
When you come across children (and you will being in Latin America). Teach them a game. Speak English, their parents will think you are great despite being a gringo. Guide them through 1 to 10 even better teach them how to head butt.
Internet marketer, digital consultant or just hanging out doesn’t mean shit to the mothers of the community. They will want to know exactly why you are in their community. Be clear about your plan and how long you will be around. It will make for better Kalma and more opportunities.
Supertip: You will be asked whether you are Christian. There is only one right answer.
Jump at the opportunity to play a sport\game you excel. Nothing bridges cultural differences like friendly competition. But don’t lose and don’t suck especially if it is football. Luckily, my hosts were softball mad and a game I played for 20 years.
If you genuinely don’t want to do it then say “NO”. Use your body language. Make every thing about you represent “NO”. Walk away. Remember NO means NO unless you are asked by the BOSS MAN of the family.
Ok, you are hitting home runs, keeping the BBQs colorful, matching them in the drink offs, gaining celebrity status in the community. Don’t ruin it and sleep with any of their woman. Sisters, daughters and maids included.
And remember DO NOT sleep with anyone’s wife otherwise you are fucking dead.
Safety
Be as fit and strong as you can. (Self Explanatory)
I have been practicing this system for years after reading the “Art of Fighting without Fighting”. Basically, you internalize green, yellow and red to reflect the risk of the outside world and respond accordingly. If you practice it enough it becomes a sub-conscious thing. We have it naturally but can be nulled out after years of living with in safe zero threat environments.
The perception that you know your surroundings even when you don’t is a powerful deterrent against bad guys. Walk strong. This does not mean walk like big daddy or a body builder. Just walk with confidence and awareness.
Don’t wear bling, dress as the locals do, the more you blend in the more you represent a local interest and the less someone will fuck with you.
Most of these tips don’t apply to woman. Woman should walk with company in unfamiliar places.
If you must go alone I recommend a Tazer and don’t be afraid to use it.
And there you go. Monterrey is coming up and I am looking forward to playing nine innings practicing my new found Spanish and not getting in TOO much trouble.
Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/floridamemory/3328074451/
Ok. I have to make this blog entry fun because it is one of the writing tips that Tim Ferris kicked out at Word Camp San Francisco that I believe in.
How am I going to keep it fun? Well this time… and yes you can mix it up…. I am going to keep it “fun” by using my own “voice”. And keeping it quick because I am hungry and my back is hurting.
Ideas Tim offered on not hating on blogging:
Having not tried this in the blogging foray this has been quite effective exercise dealing with ex-girlfriends
I think what Tim ment by this is keep to the point of what the title states. Own what you are proposing. A Dissertation as such.
Re-posting major events will only make you feel ugly
From what I re-call. This means posting about others posts. Leave it to a 1 in 10 ration. It is akin to chasing the news.
This is structure to stop you from doing your head.
Short form = short, simple and without much substance
An example would be Tim’s Blog or this blog
Long Form = substantive and rich in information
An example would be Tim’s website .
This is nerdy physical attuned words for work out when you write best.
Ask the question “When do I write best?”. If you don’t know you may to go all metric and start recording when you do. Not my style but Ferris does it.
and my tip after completing this entry.
Did I mention make sure it is fun? Make it fun. ok?
My friend Melina Chan is leaving for a second time to Battambang, Cambodia. On Mel’s last posting I was privileged to work with Mel, Steve Hopkins and Pat Allan in March 2009.
It all happened through a combination of planning and serendipity.
As a team we overlapped dates and contributed equally in different ways. I was the last to leave and captured a fair bit of footage as well did Steve. This video is a mini documentary is an ode to the idea of friends coming together in a foreign country to give in a different way than just spending on the tourism industry but primarily as a gift to Mel as she prepares for her second journey.
When Planning and Serendipidy Collide from Cameron McGrane on Vimeo.
While undertaking firefox intensive activities, my friend Mel was surprised how many shortcuts I was using and so was I.
Last year I was teaching excel and at that moment realised the shortcut virus had gone airborne and moved to firefox. Luckily, it was not the H1N1 strain and I am finding my new found ability variant handy.
In fact, so handy, I created a quick video on the shortcuts and how I use them to speed up following people for my twitter service FestivalAlert.
CTRL + t = New Tab
CTRL + click on link = New Tab
CTRL 1 + 9 = Select Corresponding Tab
CTRL + PGUP = Move to the Next Tab
CTRL + PGDN = Move to the Previous Tab
CTRL + W = Close Active Tab
CTRL + L = Go to Address Bar GOLD
CTRL + K = Go to Google Search GOLD
What do you think? What shortcut do you now “own” when using firefox?
UPDATE
Thanks @Nathan_scott for the OS X equivalent
Sunset Status Update on a Beach in Thailand from Cameron McGrane on Vimeo.
With the current economic downturn, Thailand’s political instability and shoulder season approaching the price is right to freelance for a couple of months in Thailand.
Here my tips time to freelancing and playing in Thailand
The shoulder season is May-June when cheap flights and accommodation are available but expect frequent storms. I found December to February perfect. The weather was mild, no rain and cost of living bearable.
Note: Though I encourage Thailand, use this travel danger resource page to make up your own mind
Thailand can get real hot. Do what the locals do and buy a cooling pad for your laptop. It will keep out critters, reduce memory crashes and protect your groin from 3rd degree burns.
Especially moto rental places. If they absolutely will not take a credit card, cash deposit or license instead of a passport go some where else.
I was in Phuket so Patong was the commercial epicenter . Sure, have a sniff now and then, meet friends, have a shop. But don’t make a habit of it. There is no faster way to burn through cash then bars and you will only feel dirty, ugly and likely smell of arse.
Couchsurfing is an excellent way of getting to know people in any country expect North Korea.
If staying longer than 30 days you will need to undertake a visa run.
Thai Visa is “the watering hole” for ex-pats with a rich source of information ranging from visa’s to local gossip
Staying longer than a week? Nip the daily pilgrimage to 7 eleven to buy water and get it bulk. It is 900% cheaper and saves time too.
Being fit and strong in a developing country\ new world dramatically reduces the risks of stress, sickness and accident. It provides balance to the mental exercise completed on a daily basis as a freelancer. With a diet low in gluten and dairy and high in protein, time in Thailand is conducive to getting bloody fit.
Muay Thai is the obvious choice but do something you really like or want to do and sign up for 5 days a week.
If you want company then use the assets that got you abroad freelancing in the first place and meet an ex-pat or a local\holidaying thai person. Dating Thai’s is a high stakes game financially and emotionally. Here are a few rules to chew on.
Remember: If she is the sexiest woman you have ever been near and she is interested then she is likely a lady boy.
Above are a few of the ideas that came to mind writing this post. If you have others that are important please let me know here or on twitter @cama
innovation on the cheap!
With all the focus on internet innovators people forget about the oldest of innovators; the craftsman, tradie, mason, DIY Handyman type individuals who come up with innovations on a daily basis.
This video is dedicated to the work of my friend Nathan from Panache Installations who made a custom stand up work station out of scrap for me in an afternoon including multiple prototyping of the the stand up mechanism.
Knowing innovators outside of the tech space has its advantages when customizable tables can easily sit above the $700+ market.
So an ode to tradies across the world who though they could not hack css (and as if they would want to) are creative in so many different levels.
Courtesy of SlopJop
Everyone is going on about this thing call Poverty.
To be honest, I don’t even know what poverty REALLY is?
In fact, I am desensitized to most messages thrown at me about poverty.
I partially blame World Vision (and main stream media) for throwing the shock card at me.
You know?
The starving bloated fly ridden African child and a fat white bearded Santa Claus looking guy telling me I should give money so I don’t have to feel bad.
Well. It worked the first time. Then what happened? I got use to it and then instead of feeling guilty, I would go to the kitchen and make a cheese and tomato sandwich.
Luckily, World Vision has fresh blood in the form of the new media cow boys\girls at “Learn About Poverty”. Who if it was not for them I would not be typing away right now!
At his moment in time. I don’t know how to relate to poverty!!
Why?
I am a Caucasian western white bread gen x with nice parents who took care of my basic necessities and then some. I had an ordinary life in an ordinary Australian town.
I never experience poverty.
Maybe if I did the “religion” thing? I would have gone on a mission to a “New World” and built a church or school and smelt, felt and tasted “Poverty” first hand.
Then I would KNOW what POVERTY really IS.
My Dad could have been in the Army and we would travel to places of “Poverty”. I would make a friend on the other side of the fence and he would take me to the slums and I would get to see and hear “Poverty” through my eyes and ears first hand.
Then I would KNOW what POVERTY really IS.
Am I the only one desensitized to poverty?
Sure, I can get worked up on the 15th October, write a blog entry, loan more money on KIVA.
But the following day, I will be doing my own thing and it won’t be related to reducing poverty.
What if I was not atheist? I could break out of this ensuing numbness by having GOD tell me it was my mission to complete these steps after the 15th October.
It seems to work because World Vision is faith based and am fairly confident blog action day is faith driven based on the last video in the link above. And look at the awareness they are creating!
But unfortunately, I am atheist with a bit of Hari Krishna and Buddhist and some home cooked spirituality. All of which do nothing to embed a sub conscious agenda to convert less fortunate people to my belief system. In other words I don’t have a compelling reason to go out and help.
If I did maybe I would KNOW what POVERTY is?
I know! Could poverty be like ACNE?
Once you get it, it is nearly impossible to shake for years.
You can pretend not to have it but when you look in the mirror it is hard to ignore.
You can conceal it using make up but that makes it even worse.
You can try and fix it by using pimple cream which works in the short term but comes back with vengeance when you stop.
Ultimately, when you have acne you have NO CHOICE. You either have it or you don’t.
So I guess it is the same for POVERTY. When you are experiencing it.
You have NO CHOICE, NO CHOICE on anything to do with your future. You probably have less choice then options to reduce your ACNE.
O.K I now have an idea of what is poverty.
Next question. If I am desensitized towards pro-active advertisements and churchies, I mean anti-poverty advertisements. What am actually sensitive towards?
I guess, I am sensitive to the flesh, the personality, the life energy of people, the understanding, the interaction, the play.
Thinks like the smile you give another when something unspoken happens that you simultaneously find amusing.
The moments of shared understanding between you and a stranger that instantly makes you realize we are human and one of the the same.
The times sitting around listening to the stories of people with diverse backgrounds to you and being able to relate it your own life experience.
These types of experiences motivate me to make life better for others. And if I can help directly, in person, with two hands even better.
Wow! Now I have an idea of what is poverty and what I am actually sensitive too.
I can build into my life situations that give me a fighting chance to contribute to equality and giving people the choice they deserve and we take for granted.
What will this involve? It will definitely involve travel and when in Australia, going out into the community with people outside of my comfort zone. Where I will do things that sensitize me like meeting people experiencing difficulty in person, story telling, enjoying a game and having a laugh with my best attempt to be void of judgement and righteousness..
Facebook Connect is the next evolution of Facebook Platform – enabling you to integrate the power of Facebook Platform into your own site.
Facebook Connect is a cool opportunity mainly because I have social networking enabling modules that Dotnetnuke (Open source .net framework) site owners can install, Facebook Connect is an excellent opportunity to re-shape the existing versions.
I am sold, but before we start coding the new version I had to get my head around the new platform extension. What I found I have been trawling through the Facebook Developer Wiki and Forum to understand “Facebook Connect” to design requirements to integrate facebook with my existing application.
The documentation is good but as I am more of a visual thinker, I felt converting the documentation into flow\decision charts would add extra depth and flesh out any assumptions
Above is my first effort for friend linking using Smartdraw a kick ass product that leaves Visio weeping in a heap.
I plan to enhance the above, and create a few more including:
Disclaimer: Links could lead to x rated content.
I believe the porn industry was the first to really understand and implement the ideas of the 1997 Fast Company article by Tom Peters on personal branding.
Below are porn industry contributions to the evolution of BRAND YOU
1. Identify what you are great at and stick to it!
Do a couple of things great than many things mediocre. e.g. Porn stars who love certain acts, stick with these acts because otherwise they risk losing their core audience loyalty.
Where are your strengths? What is your favorite position?
2. Build a small team, learn, do, learn some more
Porn stars are cutting out the middle men and doing there own thang with their boyfriend as the agent\director and the nerd down the street as the web master.
What can you learn today then do yourself? What does your partner bring to the table?
3. Produce content that sucks.
Sucks them in off course and has them coming back for more with new “variety” on point No 1..
4. Treat your audience as if they are the only person in the room.
Branding was a corporate creation to mass communicate differing value. Some where along the line it stopped being personable. As a personal brand you have a competitive advantage over any corporation. To be personable. How do porn stars scale up to the corporate level while maintaining personal-ability?
Do the camera not the person you are actually doing.
4. If it feels uncomfortable do it.
Every porn star had to overcome inhibitions to perform, social taboos and in-denial parents. If it is a bit riske, out there, or damn right impossible (See DVDA) and you love it. Then maybe it is worth doing?
And most importantly…..
1. THE NAME.
All successful porn stars have memorable, easy to spell, low syllable, short, first and last name.
No one wants to twitter a @difficultname to spell and using nick names is a faux par.
Some people are lucky others not.
If you are one of the lata?
Do what I am about to do.
Use the “What is your Porn Star Name” facebook app and go straight to your local births and marriages office and change your name to it by de-poll.
We can keep looking to the porn industry for insights but I would prefer for you to learn from rock stars not porn stars so take the next step in personal branding and check out
Chris Brogan’s free personal branding book that even the porn industry can learn a thing or two from.
Taken with instagram
Episode 109/365: The neck of a desk warrior poet (by sanfranciscocrossfit)
My Lean Startup Conversion Page
Cool split testing. Here is the page that snared my $$.
and kiss me!
(courtesy of W Magazine)
This thing is only in testing phase. (via Android Malware Targets China Mobile Users | Malware Blog | Trend Micro)
How to Set a Budget Tailored Just For You | MintLife Blog | Personal Finance News & Advice
There’s something that is still magical about watching the sky on the ground, exactly how I remember it, when I was little, watching it with my sister.
Shorter Film (by ooJLEoo
)