My New Favorite Knife

For years I've been a fan of all sorts of knives. One of my favorite is the lagioule picnic knife. I'm also a big fan of Case knives (who isn't?!) and of course I like having my assortments of K-Bars. But my new favorite is what I wanted to share today for any of you that might be in to bushcraft and hiking and camping.

Lately I've started seeing a lot about the Morakniv Companion fixed-blade. These knives are solid-blade, versatile bushcraft knives that are really a good bargain.


You can read all about them and see if they are for you. Maybe you're looking for something different for your needs but if you have an interest in a good bargain-priced knife take a chance on the Morakniv. This one with a sheath retails for less than $20!

When I started looking on Youtube for videos about the knife I ran across this one  where this guy shows you how take the knife and make two enhancements to it. Firstly, he shows you know to sand the spine so that it has a sharper edge for using with a firestarter tool. But the really neat thing that the majority of the video is about is how to use sandpaper to sharpen the knife. This guy starts with like 80-grit and goes all the way up to 400-grit to get the blade razor sharp. He finishes it up with a leather strap to really get it shiny. Anyway. that was a great video from Kyle Noseworthy.

There are also cool videos like this one one how to make a survival set-up using your Morakniv as a base. Pretty cool to be able to add firestarter, paracord, etc. to the sheath for outdoors situations.

So there appears to be a whole new sub-culture I'm getting in to with bushcraft knives and other assorted gear that I'm really excited about! Let me know what your favorite bushcraft knife is and I'll check it out!

How Do I Get the Most Out of My Software Firm?

When engaging a technology vendor there are absolutely some things you can do that will help ensure you get the most for your money while getting a quality product and even having some fun in the process. Let me share with you some advice, of sorts, on how to maximize your return when working with a vendor that is building software for you. These have worked for me when I've procured technology vendors for companies like Coca-Cola, CNN and Dollywood.

1. Hire a partner that is smarter than you. Then trust them by listening to them. These vendors have smart people working for them that have had tons of experience across different verticals. Capitalize on that! They have perspective that you don’t because they’ve been working with varied industries. Some of them win awards for your competition! Get them to bring the good stuff to your brand. Get a firm to bring you their best.

2. Tell them what you want, not how to do it. Your partner needs you to give requirements not technology directives. Good firms will approach this subject with you professionally when needed. Weak firms will do what you say even though you are wrong. Stay away from the "Yes Men" firms. Stick to explaining what you need the software to do and let the vendor decide the details of how to build it. Remember, you hired a smart partner….didn’t you?!

3. Pay your bills on-time. In a perfect world, this shouldn't matter but this world is far from perfect. If your Account Manager doesn't have to deal with past-due invoices they have more time to deliver quality and drive velocity on the Development Team. Enough said here.

4. Be nice. It's that simple. Actually, I should have made this number one in this list. Project Managers will fight for you if you’re nice. There are tech firms with tech people that will give you far more than you paid for if you are easy to work with. Trust me on this one! 

5.Connect with your vendor on a personal level. That Project Manager at your vendor has personal interests and they may even be the same as yours. Get to know the vendor's senior leadership as well. It starts to get real interesting for you when you find out the CEO of your software vendor has season tickets to your favorite team. The main thing here though is not what you can get out of them but rather you and the vendor will work better together if you make a connection on a topic other than software.

Let me share with you one last thing that I think is really kind of the "secret sauce" of getting the most bang for your buck with technology vendors. This is not an opinion everyone agrees with but it's just my advice: Don't be the smallest client your vendor services. 

If you are the smallest client then you'll tend to expect more than your budget will allow for. The vendor will try to give you the same service that they give Disney but let's be realistic. I've seen it happen. Even the best software firms struggle with this. Your Account Manager will have to fight to get resources for you and the contract will always be pulled out in meetings. Smaller shops have less depth to their talent but he bigger shops send their top talent to work on their biggest accounts. Wouldn't you rather be the marquee client for a smaller shop than the smallest client of a big shop?

You and your brand deserve the best experience possible from your technology partner. So make it a true partnership! Partner with the right shop, get in and get personal, give it your all and expect them to give their best as well. Be nice, pay your bills and have fun along the way. Go build something great together! 

This article also appeared on the SOLTECH blog in August 2017.

Quick Thoughts for New Runners

Okay, first let me say a couple of things that are obvious:

1. There are TONS of websites with advice for new runners. How to train, how to eat, what to wear, everything...... I'm not the first one to come up with the urge to jot some notes down for other runners.

2. I'm no expert. Oh I run. I run a lot. I also eat a lot of graham crackers with frosting on them and make a lot of excuses as to why I can't run today, blah, blah, blah.... So consider that I'm just a Dad living in a small town in Georgia that likes to run and that is putting his advice out for new runners to read.

Now, with all that having been said, I wanted to spit out my thoughts on a couple of things that I feel like new runners should keep in mind. If you just decided to run your first race this is for you. If you're moving from a 5k distance to a 10k or from the road to the trail I can share different insights with you. This post is really just for you guys and gals that want to feel the satisfaction of having trained for and run your first race!

Have a plan. Make sure your plan has you running realistic distances with realistic increments of time/distance to reach the day of your race. If you train too hard, too quickly you will hurt yourself. I'm sorry, it's just how it is. Number one rule that my buddy taught me is to show up to the starting line un-injured. If you injure yourself training you just defeated the purpose.

I would suggest running/walking 20 mins at a time a few times a week and increasing it over a few months to 30 and then 45 minutes. It's about getting the time on your feet at first. That's it. By the way, if you can make it 2 - 2.5 miles the week before your race you will be able to do 3.1 miles on race day. The adrenaline and excitement will carry you that last stretch.

Get good shoes. This is so important. You don't have to go to the Big Peach and buy shoes though I recommend it. Shoes there will run you about $100 - $130 but they will put you in the right shoes for your feet and your stride. Also, they will take the shoes back, period. They will take them and give you different ones if you have problems with them. No questions asked. I've worn shoes for a year and in TWO MUD RACES and they took them back.

But like I said you don't have to go to a running store. You can buy Asics or Nikes or something inexpensive and reputable for your first race. I did. I ran in Asics from a department store for a year. We'll talk after that if you need to upgrade. No problem.

Run with a buddy. I've run for many years and I still like running with my friend Matt. When we run together I train harder and I'm more disciplined. Get a friend and walk/run with them. It's safer and more enjoyable. You'll stick with it longer and you'll be happier.

That's really it, new runners. OF COURSE you have to stay hydrated and you have to use some common sense regarding safety and you have to eat right but the biggest problems I see are outlined above. People tend to not have a plan, train too hard or not enough, run in bad shoes and get demotivated and quit. If you stick with some of these basic principles for having a plan, getting some good shoes and being accountable to somebody you will do good! Let me know (if you're in Georgia) and I'll run with you sometime! : )

Happy running - Scott sburkey1@gmail.com

It's okay if you don't like the band Red.

I did some research and looked into the lyrics of the songs from the band Red. You know, the one that people either love or hate. : )  So that it's been said, I love them. But here's what I've found. 

Red - Breathe Into Me

When I look at the lyrics of the songs across the past several years (Until We Have Faces, Release The Panic, of Beauty and Rage, Innocence and Instinct) I found a few common themes. 

1. The general theme of the band's music is dark. It's brooding and not very 'gleeful'. I think this is one reason why a certain demographic group doesn't care for this genre of music. Middle-aged, middle-class parents tend to not be a fan from my limited discussions with other people in my demographic. 

2. The lyrics are typically related to somebody in a low spot in their life that doesn't feel like they fit in or there is hope. The lyrics are also typically from the perspective of God that loves that lost person and wants to save them. 

Here's what I believe. I believe that this band is liked by young people today (much more than adults) because of the plight of a lot of teenagers now. Teenagers have always been confused, concerned and negative. Teenagers TODAY are even more-so dark and brooding and of the mindset that 'nobody understands me' or 'nobody cares for me'. THIS is what Red is trying to reach....or rather who they are trying to reach. The teens that are alone and reaching out to find hope. Red's songs give them an answer and hope. They really do. I've read the lyrics of dozens of songs and listened to 4 complete albums by Red. 

I've come to the conclusion the band isn't bad. It isn't even shallow or meaningless. It's just a band that is trying to reach a different age and personality type than....you and me. : ) I'm glad they're connecting with those kids that I (and maybe you) can't successfully connect with. I can think of a few kids right now that we all know that maybe should be exposed to this band and their message of hope and their lyrics. 

By the way, it's ok, those brooding teenagers probably feel the same way about some of the artists you like as you do about Red. To each his own. Thank God for them all being so varied because we sure are varied in our personalities as well aren't we?

I do course-correct every 20 years......whether I need it or not.

So I had a real epiphany this morning while talking to my sister, Jamie and then in a follow-up conversation with my wife. Shocking, I know that I shut up long enough to listen to two people. : )

One of the biggest things, if not the biggest thing, that I struggle with is my job. I have a great job......please hear that. I make good money, I sit at a desk and listen to Spotify and eat junk and use my brain instead of my back. Many people wish they had my job. I also have benefits and all the time off I want to take. (translation: We don't have a vacation policy. You take off what you want to take off.)

But, here is my struggle: I'm never happy. Let me tell you why.

So here is how I look at things. In a job, there are priorities:

1. Pay (because that's why we work, to get paid)
2. Benefits (because if there's going to be something 2nd on this list, for a family man, it needs to be benefits)
3. Vacation

And my job has all of these in quite sufficient supply. Again, I'm not complaining. In 4-10 below is where I struggle. (in no particular order)

4. Training
5. Culture
6. Happiness
7. Co-workers
8. Fringe benefits
9. Growth
10. Environment (desk, office, computer, etc.)

I have always had, since I've been in technology, the top three. I have been truly blessed with good pay, full benefits for my family and all the time off I want to take. But where I end up changing jobs every year or two is I let 4-10 get me all upset and push me out the door. Silly, I know. "Be happy about the first three Burkey!"

I'm always kind of chasing to get all of the first three PLUS all (or most) of the last 7. It won't happen in my opinion. There is no job that satisfies all 10. I need to get over it. This is good stuff if you're me. It's a real revelation!

Now, that is what I worked out with my sister on the phone. Here's where my wife took it three-dimensional. My wife said that in the list of my priorities (which you can see here) I'm really messed up. Here is what she meant.

I'm letting DETAILS...UNIMPORTANT, SECONDARY DETAILS from my #4 priority steal my joy and rob me of time and attention on my first three priorities.

Mind = Blown

I'm so caught up in not liking some co-worker or my monitors not being big enough that I chase around new jobs and in the process........I forget about God and our relationship. I upset my wife by changing jobs all of the time. I run my children through the ringer with my mood swings........ it's pitiful, I know.

Now. I don't know what to do about this but I have to believe that this 'awakening' moment today is a start. Not the end, but just a start and being able to do a personal inventory and adjusting your course and attitude is key. It's key my friends. I will be further contemplating this over tacos...rest assured. Let me know your thoughts on this if you're still awake at his point. : ) Scott

Engaging Students on Sunday Morning

Getting middle schoolers to open up and talk is difficult. (Boys especially....) One of the classes I took recently at a local training session was on engaging students in small groups. Too often we talk for 45 minutes to the kids and then expect them to retain everything we covered. (and have fun while they're learning!) Kids oftentimes have an attention span of less than 20 minutes when sitting and listening to a speaker. 20 minutes at the most! We also expect that we can put two chatty kids next to each other and they will not talk to each other. : ) 

One quick thing before we start the list. A key take-away from the instructor was that "anything between you and the students is a barrier." What he meant is podiums, tables, printed materials or a lot of distance is a physical and mental barrier. Get close and speak naturally. Be comfortable and confident. Know your material and make eye contact with the kids.

Here are a few ideas that came out of the training:

1. Learn to be conversational. Talk with your students, not 'at' them.

2. Observe other teachers. Much is to be learned by a wise teacher from observing other teachers' styles and applying some ideas into your own style.

3. Practice your teaching actions. There's nothing wrong with practicing engagement in smaller settings or in personal conversations.

4. Use inflection. When you speak, vary the pitch and emphasis (and volume) of your voice. I also use a lot of hand gestures and motions, but I'm normally pretty caffeinated.

5. Exaggerate conversations. Use relative stories and examples that get the students' attention.

6. Focus on individuals. Call students by name and use relevant examples of things that are of interest to the students.

7. Ask questions. Using a few well-planned questions that start conversation can be great to get the students thinking and talking! When you ask questions....let them answer! Giving them the answer is paramount to letting them off the hook. It's okay for them to think. It's okay for them to look up and research answers. It's even okay for them to disagree. Talk about differing thoughts and opinions. Be sure you circle back around to land firmly on the truth before moving on to the next concept.

8. Provide visual aids. Lots of boys learn through seeing and visual aids like videos, graphs and white-board drawings are things they can relate to. Girls in middle school are competitive and a little more mature than boys their age, typically. Activities are always good like lists or games.

9. Arranging your chairs in the room is something to consider as well. Get at eye level with the learners. If you are sitting with them or at approximately the same eye level as them they will be more receptive. Put them when possible in a semi-circle and sit in front of them.

10. Teach less. You heard me right. If you cover a few key points, engage the students in lively conversation and keep driving the points home multiple times you'll leave a lasting impression on them. Repetition is key! We'd all rather that the students really learn one or two key points than be flooded with 15 points that overwhelm them and cause them to tune out.

One final thought is that we see a lot of kids on Sunday morning that are half asleep and their mind is on food. Sometimes the students come in with Dr. Pepper or candy that their parent has allowed them to have. (Before 9:30 a.m., yes, I don't get it either!) But I digress. I am encouraging each of you to contact your students' parents soon and ask them to help you teach by making sure their students come in on Sunday with a full night's sleep under their belt and a good breakfast in their routine on Sunday morning. Parents want to help and this is a very important way for them to do just that!

I'm leaving out some of the suggestions and I hope you will take a minute to share your suggestions in the comments below. Let's work to really speak love and truth into the hearts and minds of these young people. Thank you for teaching this year!

Scott Burkey

The Four C's

One of the things I've always said is, "You may not agree with me but you'll always know where I stand on things." This blog post is no different. I make no apologies for my priorities in life though I know everyone doesn't share my philosophy. That's okay. You should come up with your own 'guiding principles' that you live your life by though. Try it!

So I'm a big believer in any team or company or organization (or family!) needs to have a plan or a target to hit. Every time somebody in that company or in that organization comes up with an idea for what to do it should be held up against the goal and questioned, "Does this idea or action take us towards our goal or distract from achieving our goal?" Let me share my priorities with you.

Relationship Priorities:

1. Creator

2. Companion

3. Children

4. Career

In short, I work to make sure my spiritual life is in order above all else and then I make sure that my partner Tessa and I have a strong relationship. I value my children who depend on me for so very much and then finally, lastly, I put time and energy into my career. In this order. 

Here's what I mean by the first one. The most important relationship I have in my life is with God. If I'm not right with Him I'm not right with anyone. Here's another thing I've found. (Again, it's MY experience.) Anything I put ahead of God in my life He removes it. 

That is a bold statement, I know. Stick with me. I believe that God wants a relationship with me and if I put, let's say, fishing or running or material things over Him in my list that He will remove that distraction. 

Now, what's become recently important to me is this; If I say my relationship with my wife is the most important human relationship I have but I don't treat it as such then I'm just paying it lip service. I have to, again, hold up my behavior and decisions on a daily-basis against this list and ask myself if I'm really treating my relationship with my best friend with the proper respect and importance it deserves. This is one of those introspective moments that comes up frequently where the men are separated from the boys. I either want to honor my relationship with my wife or I'm full of crap and I want to just say it but not do it. It's tough. Family leaders know this. 

My children come next. Though I want to add in here that this is not linear by any means. I don't say, "Well, kids, I'll play with you after I read the Bible for an hour and take your Mom out to eat." Sometimes I spend time with my kids when my wife and I had other plans. Sometimes I have to work late and I miss dinner. You know what I mean, it's not literal on a daily basis. 

My career. Oh.........what a love/hate relationship I have with my career. Guys, it's SOOOOO easy to work to avoid other things. It is so easy to work because the family finances are tilting the wrong way. It's so easy to stay just that much longer at work because the guy down the hall needs something and you want to deliver. Granted, sometimes you have to focus extra on work. I get that. God says that a man that doesn't work doesn't eat. (2 Thes 3:10) I'm with  you. My Dad always said that charity begins at home and that there is no shame in paying the bills. I agree. But I know when I'm putting my career ahead of my children and my wife. I know when it's in the way of my relationship with my Creator. They all know too. : ) It's obvious to everyone IF I'm honest with myself which leads me to my final point here. 

Regular self-evaluation and reflection is of vital importance.  I would imagine that John Wayne-types think it is silly to take regular time to sit and reflect and pray and meditate (listen). But then again I'd imagine John Wayne had a lot of time in the saddle on long cattle drives to reflect on life. : )  My point here is that I have to honestly ask myself if my priorities are in the right order or not. To do that and really evaluate it I have to be quiet physically and mentally. That take discipline and practice. Shutting my brain up is a difficult thing to do when my heart needs to speak. 

So there it is. That's what I think about, seriously, on a daily basis. Am I putting God first? Am I overworking? Am I building a relationship with my wife? Are my kids getting what they need from me? It's not simple work to ask (and answer) these questions but it's important for me to do so honestly.

Life is difficult.

A friend, who I didn't realize at the time was a friend, gave me a copy of "The Road Less Traveled" in 2007. I say I didn't know he was a friend because, at the time, I was too full of myself to think that anyone could do something really nice for me without a hidden agenda. He gave me the book because he obviously could tell I was full of myself. He highlighted the first sentence of the book.

You see I had (and still have) the best life anyone could ask for. But there was always a reason I was unhappy. Somebody else's fault, I thought. So I threw the book on a shelf and assumed that this was just another dude trying to make my life harder. I really read the book in 2013. I mean REALLY read it. I really enjoyed it and I recommend you read it too. But....if you just want my quick-take on it, here are the main points from the first couple of chapters.

1. We do ourselves no favors when we avoid walking through the painful times in life.

2. There is value in suffering. There is value in facing problems and there is value in feeling pain.

3. Delaying gratification can be almost spiritual. It builds so much inside of us that is of value we cannot understand.

4. (Now this.....this is my favorite one.) If we don't challenge and truly re-evaluate in an honest way what we believe periodically we are....just.....just.......cheating ourselves.

I'd love to talk to you about any or all of these points sometime. This book changed my perspective and thusly changed my life.

First Friday

Many of you know that I feel a real calling to be of encouragement to those that are going through difficult times in their lives. The impact that others have had on me by encouraging me when I was in a rough patch is a deep impact. I appreciate the people that have been there for me. I tell them I appreciate it. I seek opportunities to repay their kindness to me by doing the same for others that I know are in a tough spot.

I encourage others by mentoring younger business professionals. Oftentimes I will also encourage young fathers and the newly married men I know. I believe that "everything we go through makes us more valuable to others" and I certainly have been through my share of stuff that has taught me not only a lesson but what it's like to be in need.

In 2008 I started the East Metro Career Transition Group with some guys in Conyers, Georgia. After a year or two the economy picked up (or maybe everyone just got used to it) and we had a real deficit of people attending so we closed it up. I continued to help people in my network both professionally and personally. Now I'm happy to be starting the group back up in the form of "First Friday". First Friday is a monthly gathering of people that are encouraging, people that are in career transition and people that are hiring. We have coffee and talk. That's it. Sometimes.....we help somebody find a new employee or find a new job. But most importantly we tell people that we care for them during their tough times.

Visit us on Facebook at: http://facebook.com/firstfridayconyers

Come see us at the awesome AWAKE Coffee Community in Conyers!

Saying Goodbye Is Important

Maybe because it's a rainy, cold day and I'm feeling really sentimental because my oldest daughter is visiting. More likely....it's because of what happened to me today that I'm writing this post. Here is my thought.....

I have always felt that it is very important to say good-bye to somebody when you should say it. The first reason why is kind of obvious. The second reason is why I felt compelled to write this blog post today.

Primarily, it's important to say good-bye to somebody when they are moving or you are moving or they are getting old.....or you are getting old. You may never see them again. This is an easy one, relatively speaking though some people still don't like doing it. Here's why; People sometimes feel like if they say good-bye then it might "come true" and they might never see you again. It's sad. It's true though. People like to say all kinds of little tricky things like "I don't say good-bye. I just say see you later!" Or they like to say things like, "This isn't good-bye it's just 'until we meet again'." What they actually do is let the relationship kind of slide out into the vapor to wander around without closure or validation.

I like to say "Good-bye." The reason is because of the second reason you should say it. Because saying good-bye validates that you have a relationship. It means that you have had fun visiting. You've had a nice time with them. You're glad you got to know them. You are glad you got to spend time together and you won't quickly forget what you have shared. It validates your relationship. Saying good-bye doesn't end your relationship it strengthens it by actually admitting that it means enough to you to say good-bye and admit you recognize it's about to change. You are saying that the change in your relationship means enough to you to actually put a milestone in place.

At this point  you either think I'm nuts or you "get" what I'm saying. Here is my example from today though.

Some nice people across the street (Marius, Rosalie and their baby Amy) moved in a few months ago. We really didn't get to spend a lot of time together but we shared some good times and did neighborly things. Again, nice people. Well, they moved today. They are on their way to the airport right now as I write this. They are moving back to Germany. They have TONS of things on their mind. They have loads of excitement, stress and anxiety they are dealing with as they take their new baby back home to Germany after a brief (too brief in both of our books) stint in the United States. But....before they left for the airport, on a rainy and cold day, they take their baby and come across the street to knock on my door to say good-bye. That is awesome. Because.....it validates that they value what time we've had. It says they want to stay in touch. It also (and listen closely here young adults) says that grown people say good-bye and walk through the awkwardness and sadness and do the right thing when they could have EASILY just driven to the airport and never seen me again. What a classy thing to do. They actually came and said good-bye. They said, "We will probably never see you again but we are glad we got to know you." And I said the same and I smiled and wished them God's blessings in their life. If they had just "left" I would have thought they never really cared. They might have thought that I was just some dude across the street that didn't really care about them. But...neither is true.

Now......why all the fuss from me about this? Because if you read this you might take the time to say good-bye someday to somebody NOT because you don't know if you'll see them again but because you want to say that what you had was enjoyable and rewarding and important to you. That is a real gift that you give somebody. So call it what it is. It's good-bye and it's okay. If you see them again you'll still be friends. If you don't see them again there will be no denying that you both actually had a relationship you appreciated and that's.....kind of what you were shooting for in the first place right?

My friend Josh.

Friendship is something that I take very seriously. Probably, as my wife and I have discussed recently, too seriously. Sometimes I get my feelings hurt when I want to be friends with somebody more than they want to be friends with me or when I choose to invest in a friendship and there isn't much reciprocation. I guess we've all been there. I certainly have.

It's hard, particularly, for guys. Men don't tend to make new friends. Rather we have friends from early in our life and as we grow apart we end up being alone. Many of us are fortunate enough to have great wives like I am. But it's not the same. As a man you need a guy or two that you can really count on. I can really count on my friend Josh. Here's why.

Josh has been there with me since "the beginning". He was there for me when I didn't really know how to be a good friend. He let me make mistakes and we looked to each other for guidance and friendship when we were both young men trying to find the right path to go down towards manhood.

Josh tells me what I need to hear not what I want to hear. This is what makes Josh "valuable" to me. Listen to me carefully here. When I need to be told to sit down and shut up he tells me. When I need to be told to quit doing something he tells me. When I need to be told my thinking is wrong he tells me. When I need reassurance I'm on the right track in times of doubt he tells me that too. He doesn't apologize for disagreeing with me and he doesn't sugar coat anything to save my feelings. We don't have time for that. Neither one of us do. We are accountable to each other and while it's not all about being valuable to people I don't think you can discount how important it is that you shoot straight with your friends.

Josh is there for the important times and I'm there for him too. Whether it's a funeral or a wedding, a birthday or a bbq. Josh and I are there for each other. We've fished some great afternoons and we've sat by a campfire and laughed our heads off. We've smoked a cigar (or two) during times like when my son was born and toasted to his beautiful wife at his wedding. We've been to (not enough) Braves games and he's been there when my kids were born to hold them and to hug me too. I only hope he appreciates having me there as much as I enjoy and appreciate his presence in the special moments in my life. I'm sure he does.

It's Josh's birthday today. I wanted to just take a minute to let you all know how I feel about Josh. Many of you feel the same way about him as I do. Let's celebrate Josh and the friendship that he has shown all of us.



Scott

Exercising- Lessons Learned

One of the things I'm very in-tune with is how I learn. I can read something and it doesn't stick. I can hear it. I can say it. But when I WRITE IT....then it tends to stick in my brain. So I'm going to keep a running list (pun intended) here on this blog post of the lessons I've learned from my running, biking and general "working out".

I've been TECHNICALLY running since I was in the Marine Corps back in the 80's though I've only become relatively serious about running, mountain biking and working out on a regular basis in the past couple of years. Like most middle-aged men I have come to the realization that I'm not this guy and that if I don't start working out soon (and stick with it) I'll end up being this dude. So I started back with a few activities that I enjoy and try to do them on a regular basis. Here are some things I've learned:

1. Donuts and coffee are not fuel for running. Yesterday (July 30, 2013) I ate a donut and had an iced coffee at 4:00 and then went running at approximately 6:00. About 4 miles into my run my body quit. I mean quit. I was mentally ROLLIN' BABY!!! But physically my body said, "Nah,  you're done. Walk home." So I had to walk 2 miles back to the showers. I tried running several times on that two-mile walk back and it was always the same thing. I had no fuel. Lesson learned.

2. Mountain biking - Look ahead on the trail. If you look a foot in front of your bike you will crash. Seriously.

3. The weakest link in my regimen is not my equipment, it's me. Let me tell you what I mean. The reason I shoot golf poorly is not my clubs, it's me. I could buy expensive clubs and still suck. I could buy a $8,000 mountain bike (Here is one I like) and I'd still ride like a dude that's 45 and only been riding for 6 months. I have basic running shoes but buying really expensive ones aren't going to get me off the couch.

4. Running: You have to stretch properly and you have to have good shoes. I wore some shoes too long and didn't properly stretch for about two months. During that time I developed plantar fasciitis. Now I get to deal with that for a couple of months.

5. Long bike ride coming up? Put in the miles beforehand or your butt will be sore. Trust me!

Barksdale Elementary School

Just a quick post that is likely too long to put into social media outposts. I'll drive traffic here from status updates and Tweets.

I'm going onto the Barksdale Elementary School PTO Board as President this year. (2013 - 2014) I'm also on the committee to implement a STEM program at BES for our school choice initiative. Real quick, what that means, is that we'll be a school where students can apply to attend with advanced cirriculum in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The entire county is migrating to school choice options.

I'm looking for a few things and wanted to start the dialogue with you, my personal and professional network:

1. We want to provide some technology training for the teachers at BES.
2. We'll need to make some device and software purchases.
3. We need partners in the community for fund-raising and in-kind donations.

I need ideas, volunteers and friends that can help me find free/reduced-price technology. Regarding the PTO I will also need partners that want to help our school through things like gift cards, donations, raffle prizes and such in exchange for some marketing exposure through the school to our parents.

Please email me (sburkey1@gmail.com) if we can talk about our school and how we can work together this year!

Scott Burkey

The Price of Shovels

Many years ago a good friend of mine used to tell me the story of the price of shovels. He said you could tell some people there is a huge pile of gold out in the parking lot and it's free for the taking. All you have to do is buy a shovel and take all of the gold you want. Some people will then promptly complain about, "Don't you know the price of shovels!"

I hear a lot from people things to the effect of, "Hey Burkey, I'm looking at getting into I.T. what do I need to do to get some of that sweet money you make and work 4 hours a day?!" In most cases I tell them how to do what I did. Then they tell me that either they are GOING TO DO IT!!! or that they'll "need to think on it."  I never hear from them again in either instance.

Here is what I tell them: (and if you are not in I.T. and want to get into I.T. here is what I would tell you too)

1. I didn't just fall a$$-backwards into a job making six figures that affords me the opportunity to write snarky blog posts all day. : ) I had to follow some steps. (2-7 below)

2. Pick what you want to do in I.T. (graphic design, computer networking, programming, security, etc..) It helps if you make a wise choice here. Use a mentor that is already in I.T.

3. Work at it in your free time for a long time. "I don't have any free time Scott!" Yes you do. You're going to have to be honest with yourself or you're wasting your time already.

4. Get a certification if you can. MCP, CSM, MCSD, CCNE something........

5. Get a part-time job doing what your certification is in.

6. Get a better, full-time job.

7. Keep doing #6 until you are satisfied. Note: Happiness is an inside job. Your profession won't take care of that.

If you want to discuss this and talk about how you can do this and what decisions to make in steps 2-5 I can help. sburkey1@gmail.com  I'm serious. I will absolutely help anyone that wants to get into I.T. Somebody did it for me and I'll do it for you. 

If you want to try to find the trick to getting to step 6 without doing the four steps before it.....don't waste either one of our time. Time is the one thing I am in shortest supply of and I don't waste it hardly at all these days.

Now I go on this rant as a "qualified rant" meaning I have actually lived this.....several times. I was having lunch with a friend of mine today and we were talking about how he used to wash windows by day and build software at night until he could build software in the day and watch tv while eating ice cream bars at night. I worked on a loading dock all day and learned how to build websites at night until I could build websites all day and watch tv while eating Moon Pies at night.

There is a pile of gold in the parking lot. It's in parking lots all over Atlanta and San Francisco and New York and DC. It's in Raleigh and Charlotte and Austin and Chicago. But......you gotta get a shovel and roll your sleeves up and harvest it. It's not easy. But the payoff is there. Trust me or not. Your call. But you can't borrow my shovel.

Open Letter To My Kids - Part One

This isn't meant to be the single "In Case Of My Demise" posting where you all read this at my funeral and it tells you everything I ever wanted to say to the five of you. But, it is me taking a minute to say a couple of things that I'd like you all to know. By the way, older kids (Ash...Maddie...) be sure to tell the little kids my thoughts on this after they are old enough to know what I'm talking about.

Anyway, my purpose of this blog post it to tell you guys what I think you should know about life. There will likely be multiple posts so I'm calling this one Part One. We'll see how many I do......

First of all - Tell everyone you know (and like or love) how you feel about them before you don't have the opportunity. I know that my Grandma, today, as she sits in her chair watching tv knows how I feel about her. I know because I tell her every time I talk to her. My Grandpa knew too. I told him how I felt about him and when I went to his funeral I had no regrets. None. I'm going to tell my parents again in three days how I feel about them. I tell each of you all the time how I feel about you. You should do the same. Regret is a hell of a pain if it hits you.

On a practical note, work less. Exactly. Work less. Not "once you have kids work less" though that is a good idea, too. I'm saying work less starting today. If you're single go do something meaningful and enjoyable with your time. It is....after all....YOUR time.

With that having been said, the best thing I can tell you is this; If you work hard and live within your means you will be okay. Of course there are crazy, unexpected things that happen but as a general rule if you work hard and live within your means you will be able to pay your bills and still enjoy yourself. When you don't put in a full day's work (and I'll go into what that is in a minute) and don't buy junk you don't need then you will be okay.

On the living within your means part I'd say that you need to live a lifestyle that your income can support. Cars are a big thing that you gotta watch out for. You may need a car but you don't need a lot of the cars out there. You've never seen me drive a fancy car and you never will. It's not necessary. Houses are the same thing. There is a gap between what you need to be comfortable in and what the mortgage broker will loan you. Be careful there.

Work. It's called work because it hurts. If it were fun you wouldn't get paid for it. If it were too much fun they wouldn't pay you for it. Your Grandpa used to tell me, "There aint no shame in paying the rent." He's right. I've worked jobs that I hated and I've worked two jobs when one wouldn't pay the bills. But I worked and you need to work too. There aren't any reliable shortcuts to hard work in life. I'm not just saying this to my son, I'm saying it to my daughters too. Chances of you marrying into money are slim. Plan on being in a career and make the most of it. Don't job-hop either. I did too much job-hopping probably. Don't do that. Get in a job and stick with it. Work stuff out. Like in your marriage. Work stuff out and have some staying power.

So that was today's post.

Tell people how you feel about them.
Work hard but not too hard. (Yeah, I know that one was conflicting)
Live within your means.

I'm going home to take you little kids on a bike ride. Ash, oh how I look forward to going on a bike ride with you some day soon my sweetie.

Dad

Quick Rant: IT Recruiters

Typically, I try to be positive.......focus on the opportunity......look to the silver lining. So when I wanted to sit and do a rant on this topic I told myself, "Now Scott, you should do something positive! Talk about the Top 10 Ideas for Great Recruiting Practices!"

Whatever. 

Here is my rant: I've known technology recruiters as long as there have been technology recruiters. I've hired from them. I've asked them to find me a job. I've helped them get into my employer to place consultants. I've networked with them, done them favors, asked them for favors and even become friends with many of them over the past 17 years. I actually placed consultants on-site with clients for a brief period. Here are my thoughts, if you are an IT Recruiter, on how to not be a creep.

(By the way, I'll use the term "Recruiter" for both IT Staffing Company Sales People as well as Recruiters that source talent.)

1. Bring value before you ask for something. You don't know me. You've never done anything for me. You should read Ricky Steele's book.

2. If I help you get into my company....don 't embarrass me or drop off the face of the earth.

3. Quit telling all of us how GREAT your company is only to call us a month later to tell us that you are with a new great company. Whatever. I don't actually care about your company. People do business with individuals. People buy from YOU, not from your company. At least they do if you're doing it right. Then they will buy from you wherever you go. So I don't care about whatever company you happen to be working at right now. That's just my opinion. 

4. Don't build a relationship with me and then introduce me to some new kid that is going to "take good care of me" while you are now focusing on large accounts or whatever. I'm not interested in working with Skip or Josh or whatever his name is. This is still a relationship business. What business is a relationship business you ask? Any business is a relationship business. 

5. If you're going to turn your nose up at the rates we pay for resources, that's fine. But quit humping my leg like a horny chihuahua asking me to help you out with just the good reqs. You can't always cherry-pick the good positions if you want to get in with a huge, global company. They aren't going to just give you the top searches to work on. Get over yourself. 

Then, there's the other side of things when you are trying to get me to go to work for you or your clients. 

6. YOU cold-called ME. Good for you. It takes a lot of guts to call me at my desk, or on my cell, and say, "Hey, you interested in talking to me about a position I need to fill with my client?" You get big points with me for reaching out to me as a passive candidate. But.....then, when you start in on the grilling me like I was 22 years old and I was trying to pull a fast one on you you lose me quick. Here's an actual conversation I had yesterday:

Recruiter: "Hi Scott, I'm with Whatever Staffing and I'm looking for a CTO for one of my clients in Atlanta. Would you be willing to talk about this position?"

Me: "Sure, what you got?"

Recruiter: "Well, first let me ask you a few questions. What is your total experience with web technology." (Seriously, "web technology", that's not even proper grammar.)

Me: "You want me to explain to you everything I have done related to web technologies?" 

Recruiter: "Yes, please. Have you worked with web technology?" (Obviously, he's reading off a 3x5 card)

Me: "Let me talk to your supervisor."

I've been a web developer, database administrator, project manager, technology director and business analyst for 17 years. You want to know my total experience with web technolog(ies) on this phone call? Beat it. 

7. When I help you. When you ask me what you can do for me. When I tell you, 'I like Bass Pro Shops gift cards." I'm serious. If I help your company get placements with my employer I may actually want more than just a Christmas card. Ha  Heck, even if you don't place anyone for some assorted reason it's still courteous to remember those that made the effort. (so that they make the effort again the next year)

8. When you place me somewhere, and that place screws me over, it's okay. I don't expect that you knew they would do that I you shouldn't expect that I'm going to be real happy about talking to you. Ever. It's cool. This is why I don't do business with friends anymore. Friendships are harder to come by than jobs and should be protected. 

9. Final one, I promise. You are so hot and heavy to get me to come work for you it's pitiful. Your client (or employer) interviews me 4 times and then either drops off the face of the earth never to be heard of again or (maybe) gives me some lame excuse like, "We decided to hire an internal candidate." or "You're more qualified to be the Online Marketing Director than the VP of Operations. We'll let you know when we need an Online Marketing Director." Then....I see you post a position for an Online Marketing Director two months later and you don't call me I know you were full of it. It's all just ridiculous. You know why.....? Because you're going to call me in 3 months wanting me to help you out. Let's go back to #1 above. Ugh.......

Now, I know a lot of good recruiters. Some of them are reading this now. I also know some recruiters that are new in their career and that are learning bad habits already from bad supervisors and mentors. I also know some crappy recruiters that I secretly hope will find this post and call me out so we can just get mad at  each other and get it over with on the phone or in person. Any way you slice it, there are good and bad people in any profession. Heck, I'm sure somebody out there is doing a post like this and ranting about bad Project Managers, listing out annoying stuff I've done in my role. You know what....? I should get better or not be offended when I'm called out. 

Goodbye. : ) 

Open Letter To Non-Profit Organizations About Technology

Something that has been bugging me a LOT lately is how I see some of the wonderful non-profit organizations I'm involved with making big mistakes when it comes to technology. Here's my rant.....feel free to tell me I'm nuts if you have a different perspective. I'm not feeling particularly chatty today so I'm just going to put these tips out there in plain English.

1. You don't have to trade your cow for magic beans - Sending your Office Manager or Receptionist to make complex buying decisions spells disaster. Becky can't negotiate rich media annual contracts with large publishers. Skip, your Intern, doesn't know how to pick the right web hosting for your site much less manage moving it from one host to the next. Your Receptionist or Office Manager shouldn't be deciding which payment gateway to use if for no other reason than the fact that they will make the decision with a narrow vision and without all of the data points required to put a complex technology solution in place.

You have people in your organization (members) that do tech for a living. They will help you. If you ask them they will provide valuable insight (for free!) that their business customers pay them big money for.

2. Technology isn't your enemy - Just because you don't do tech for a living doesn't mean that it's the Boogie Man. Now......some of the people that SELL technology services, hardware and software to organizations like yours ARE less-than-honest. But technology, in and of itself, isn't the enemy. See #1 above with regards to how to start putting technology to work for your group without getting taken to the cleaners.

3. Donors cannot equal vendors - Let me tell you what I think is the largest mistake organizations make when it comes to technology buying decisions. That donor in your member base that runs a software company will not donate more money to you if you buy your software from him. He will also not cancel his membership to your club and go to another one if you don't buy from him. But...he WILL likely be upset if you buy software from him, it's not the right solution, you then complain constantly and cancel your subscription to his services before the contract runs out. I see this a lot. Church Pastors think that if they buy a software system from a guy in their church that they will get a good deal and free lifetime support and free upgrades.....not hardly. This is a whole other issue that I could (and will) write a separate posting on in the future. Many times in my professional career I've been brought in to tell an organization that the software they're using isn't right for them and to help them "justify" getting rid of the vendor when that vendor company is owned by one of their largest donors. Awkward.

So in conclusion: Use the people in your organization to help you in unfamiliar territory. Get some new technology in use where it makes sense. Don't buy from friends of your group unless you want to lose that friend and potentially spend money on fees to cancel your contract later. Finally........this goes for other things besides technology. Vendor selection and management is something that non-profits "get wrong" all the time from my experience and it's a shame.

p.s. I'll tell you what I think before you make a bad decision if you email me. : )   Scott

12 Tips To Prevent Volunteer Churn

If you run a non-profit organization you rely heavily on un-paid volunteers to do much of the work that keeps the lights on in your group. You are no doubt accomplishing great things using volunteers and it's no doubt a full-time job keeping them happy and productive.

Consider the volunteers you have in your non-profit that have direct contact with your donors and the public!  (Oooh, that should get your attention!) They aren't ALWAYS representing your group the way you would want them to and it's sometimes due to them not being empowered, enabled, encouraged and appreciated.

Think about ways to motivate, empower and appreciate those volunteers. They want to be there and you want them there. After all, keeping them productive is part of your day-job. "Churn" is turnover and when you lose people you lose all of the knowledge they have about how to get things done.

Think about these points:

1.      Always be recruiting new volunteers. The ones you have that keep performing day in and day out are getting tired and frustrated. Some at a quicker pace than others. Get the reinforcements ready. (Better yet, keep the ones you have happy!) It's always easier to keep volunteers, or employees, than it is to find and train new ones.

2.      When a volunteer signs up to help, they are expecting to spend a certain amount of time in service. Know what that expectation is on their part regarding the length of their assignment. Be mindful of it. Either set more realistic expectations with them or adjust your own expectations of their time. This has to be a win-win for both sides.

3.      Try to be mindful that those volunteering get frustrated when they either take on, or are sent to do, a project and the effort isn’t supported by the organization. Wild goose chases that end in an aborted project prior to completion are frustrating and disappointing to the volunteer. Volunteers want to accomplish goals. They really do!

4.      Empowerment is very…..well, empowering. Volunteers love to have the support and resources they need to be successful in their work.

5.      When you get asked a question, give a prompt and complete answer. Avoiding answering the question or passing-the-buck as this is frustrating and discouraging to the volunteers.

6.      Your support staff that works for you in a full-time, paid capacity need to be in agreement with you on the importance of volunteers. Volunteers are not distractions, annoyances or threats to the administrative staff in your organization. Few things are more demotivating to a volunteer than to be given the runaround by an office worker or talked to in a demeaning tone by that same staff member when you aren’t around to see what’s happening. Train your full-time staff to assist you in supporting the volunteers and keeping the group productive and happy.

7.      Oftentimes organizations make all of the “good decisions” or make the fun calls and leave just the grunt work to the volunteers. I’ll challenge you that those same volunteers you have helping you make high-level, strategic, impactful decisions in their day jobs and they can give you some great insights if you listen to them. Heck, if you just ASK them their thoughts in the first place before you dictate the direction you want to go you’d be tapping into some potentially great insights and experience. For example, often it's the case that a non-profit will take on legal work or other skilled trade work when they have attorneys, plumbers, IT professionals, etc. all within their reach as potential help. They are sitting right under your nose most of the time and they know how to do what you need done. They do it everyday in their role at work.

8.      One thing that some volunteers really hate to see is when their work goes to waste. (See #3 above) When a volunteer proudly completes a project and the output is set on a shelf (figuratively or literally) it sends a message that you don’t care about the time that was donated to complete the deliverable. Bad, bad stuff. Be a good steward of your volunteer's time and only ask them to take on tasks that are needed.

9.      Something that has been happening a lot lately is that organizations make it very difficult and frustrating for volunteers to get reimbursed for legitimate expenses that they volunteer incurred while on assignment. If you make it hard for them to get paid back, they’ll quit going the extra mile by using their own money up front to get things done. If you frustrate the volunteer with lengthy red-tape to fill out expense reports it will permeate throughout the ranks and you’ll be known as an organization that leaves volunteers hanging when it comes to their personal money. There’s frugality and then there’s just being difficult.

10.   On the other side of things I do see organizations that get volunteers involved in meetings and decisions at the organization level where it’s probably best that only paid staff and members of the Board are shown what is happening behind the curtains. Watch this one….

11.   Use the talents of the volunteers. As I stated in #7 above, many of these people you have sweeping floors are attorneys 50 hours a week. That guy that is doing some entry-level task for you may be a senior executive at his private sector job. All-things-considered you could have your next Board Member or full-time staff resource right there within your volunteer ranks.

12.   In general, just be respectful of the volunteer’s time. Last-minute meetings being called during the volunteers family time puts the volunteer (and their spouse that will need to watch their 3 children) in a tough spot. Think about how you value your free time and know that they are already spending some of their valuable free time helping you and your organization’s efforts because they love what you do and they are passionate about what you are accomplishing together.

I could go into several examples of each of these. I could tout reasons and excuses for why these things happen in non-profits. I could also make the case that many volunteers are rude, self-righteous and demanding. Nobody will deny that.  (I know I’m not always the best helper with the right attitude.) However, if your organization relies heavily on non-paid team members then you are beholden to that same volunteer workforce to help you accomplish your mission. Managing those efforts are something you have to be good at or you will become known as a group that isn’t desirable to volunteer for.

Best of luck to you in your non-profit’s journey. I hope you find, and retain, a loyal group of helpers that are as committed to your vision as you are!

My Daily Routine

So my friend Josh sent a link to this website to me today. http://dailyroutines.typepad.com/

Typically he sends very few links and the stuff he sends is pretty good so you might accurately say he has "an account in good standing" with me as it were. So I naturally opened the email and clicked on the link.

Now before you click on the link let me say that Josh knows I am looking to formulate my daily routine. I struggle with when to get up and when to go to bed. I struggle with when to pray, when to exercise and how much discipline to put into my routine. Josh, on the other hand, appears to have it all licked. He rides a bike to his work as a doctor and surgeon. He has the discipline to wear dress clothes including a tie when far less formal attire would seem commonplace on the job. He is disciplined....and I am not so disciplined it would appear at this time in my life. However, I am fully aware of the trappings of comparing my insides to other peoples' outsides.

Anyway, back to my point. My point is that (go ahead, click on the link if you want, but come back to the story here) if you look at the Daily Routines website you can see the recaps of the daily routines of famous writers and other people. Nuts like Churchill or Darwin and heroes like Fred Rogers and George Bush. So with a lot of prodding from friends to write something and this constant presence of a need to take inventory of my daily routine here is my blog post that you read now. I will now post my Daily Routine. Then...I will let that sink in and see if I feel like changing it. (not my post, but rather my actual routine)

Oh, one more thought before I thrill you with my Brilliant Tales of Scrawny Middle-Aged Web Dude and Father let me give you a little background on me. We know who Barack Obama and Stephen King are before reading their posts on the website so here is a little about me before you read mine. I'm a scrawny, middle-aged father of 4 young children (and one grown daughter) that works in technology and loves Little Debbies. There.

 My Daily Routine entry as if it were written on www.dailyroutines.typepad.com -

Given the fact that Scott's wife basically runs the family single-handedly it's amazing that he doesn't have the sense to wake up earlier and actually get something done in the morning. But no, he wakes up at the last minute (just a few moments before his wife yells at him from the kitchen in the middle of making breakfast for the children), stumbles into the shower and emerges just as the kids have all been sent off to school. Well played Lazy Bones...well played.

His day is a series of repetitious trips to the coffee machine, bathroom, printer and friends desks for light banter. Only sporadically does he actually sit and do anything at his laptop. Extended lunch normally consisting of the actual task of eating coupled with some window shopping at Atlantic Station or the sporting goods store. Then a good, solid 2 hours of un-focused work in the afternoon with yet another coffee break or three ending in a yawn and departure at the late, late hour of 4:00 p.m. to head home. Home - where the real work begins.

Evenings are nuts. We shall warn you now. Crazy kids running everywhere, homework, yelling, activities, exercise, projects, drama, crying and then....the Three B's. Baths, books and bed. Then, his wife wants to bring up all of the stuff she needs him to do. Trips to Kroger or the drug store. Perhaps a run to Wal-Mart. Has the trash been taken out? Does the dog need a bath? Then the second most restful time of the day, next to being at work, comes next when he spends the late evening hours between 9 and midnight surfing the web on his iPad, watching television or playing some video games on the PS3 in his basement covered with cheddar cheese popcorn fallout. 

Good solid 6 hours of sleep and then it's back up in the morning to start pumping himself full of coffee and donuts and the guilt of having done so.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution 2012

I almost made it.......

Here it is July 12, 2012. I'm in a great job. Lots of friends. My summer is going great! My family is just awesome and I'm enjoying them so very much. What a great feeling! It's been almost a year since I've had to get on a plane (I'm sure you remember the old Townhall Days when I flew every week. Ugh.) and this afternoon I'm getting on a plane for the first time since July 19, 2011. I almost made it a full year! Anyway, just checking in to say that life is good and I'm so blessed to be able to take the time off of work to take a trip up to DC this weekend. Let me know how you're doing as well! sburkey1@gmail.com