Still Clickin

My kayak was initially launched in the northeast. It became very familiar with the inlets and open waters of Narragansett Bay and has even tasted the swells of the Atlantic. It was there I discovered the joys of kayaking - wading with, and surprising, observant egrets, capturing glimpses of beautiful waterfront vistas, and delighting in the sounds and life of tidal estuaries.

It was also a great way to get a good swim. Tying a light cord between the kayak and my ankle, I could slip overboard and take a nice long swim in the open water with no threat of chlorine to spoil the day.

In a kayak, you barely ripple the surface of the earth. But you can glide rather quickly along while you listen to the whispers of nature. It is funny, but a kayak gives you that same surprised reaction from nature that a Prius gives you from pedestrians that have no idea that a car is close by. It is that same ‘sound of silence’ that evokes both surprises.

When we decided to change oceans and move to Seattle, I questioned whether I should try to bring my kayak along. I guess that I was so sad to leave the sailboat behind that I forced the kayak to make the trip. I am so happy that I did.

When my kayak first kissed the waters of Puget Sound, the air was still and warm. We eased into the waters so effortlessly that a few miles glided by before we even noticed. The coast is far more regular here. Rather than explore inlet after inlet, you tend to go from point to point. But there are some interesting surprises. The egrets are still there, not to mention some bald eagles. The biggest surprise, however, was an actual shipwreck, probably beached fifty years ago. The sea always brings surprises.

On both coasts, this wonder of nature can often be blasted away by someone on a jet ski that is addicted to speed in any form. The roar of those engines ignore the precious beauty through which they travel. But they are soon gone, and the gift returns. My transcontinental kayak can handle those small wakes, and the peace you experience while paddling can help quell many other disturbances that life throws at your psyche.

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We just changed our small TV in the kitchen and learned a few things in the process. The comments made in the Still Clickin article of Nov 28, 2007 need some further refinement.

1. In this world of new, digital HDTV’s, there are two different worlds that can best be separated by size, i.e. less than a 32″ screen and 32″ screens or larger. For example,

• This big discussion between plasma and LCD TV’s only applies to those that are 32″ or larger. The manufacturers don’t make plasma TV’s smaller than 32″.
• The ability of LCD TV’s to deliver with powerful contrast, i.e. blacker blacks, has improved considerably. The contrast ratio of the model we just purchased was 3000:1. Look for that type of ratio. Just a few months ago, a contrast of 500:1 was considered to be quite good.
• The display density format of 1080p really doesn’t impact the smaller sets and is often not available for them. The issue is really one of physical size. On the smaller sets, it is very difficult to notice any difference between the 1080p format and the 720p/1080i format.

2. Once you have purchased a new TV, you are left with a new problem - Getting rid of the old one. Once you could simply donate a TV or leave it out for the trash. No longer! Apparently, there is a fair amount of lead and other toxins in a TV (as well as computers and other electronics) that will leach into our water supply. So now, what do we do?

• For the full scoop, read the Consumer Reports article.
• For specific locations in your area, go to Earth911.org and enter your zip code. A list of locations in your area will be displayed, but all will likely charge a fee. Another information source is the EPA’s information site
• The best choice I found was the box program at Office Depot. Buy a recycling box (small $5, medium $10, or large $15) and fill it with whatever electronics they permit. They send the items to a plant where they are crushed and the materials recycled. The simplicity of this program is compelling.

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There is no question that age discrimination is very real. It’s not due to workers costing more or driving up health care costs. It’s due to fear.

Step back and take a look at your standard corporation, Stagnant, Inc., today. The principal job most employees are working at is survival, i.e. to look good and avoid blame. One of their biggest exposures in that job is the hiring process. A brilliant hire reflects well on them; a poor one is an exposure.

Enter the headhunters, the experts in ‘safe’ hiring. They are in the business of providing clones of whatever that manager considers to be a brilliant hire. Age is definitely one of the criteria, and it is going to be less than the age of the hiring manager. Certainly, the hiring manager does not want to feel threatened by someone with more market savvy and business acumen.

Unfortunately, this leaves Stagnant, Inc. with the ‘same old, same old’ orientation and vision. Their hiring practices not only insulate them from experience in their own field, but in other fields as well. Today, it is impossible for someone from the petrochemical industry to switch to manufacturing. But if they did, think what a different orientation they would bring to the job. Cross pollination would be at work, and innovation would be the result.

Innovation used to be the business skill that set our country apart. Is our current economic struggle due to a loss of innovation? Certainly, you see very little innovation sparked by major US corporations today.

In the face of this, what actions should a senior take?

1. Forget the large companies. Follow the innovators, i.e. young companies doing less than $25 million in annual sales. The owner doesn’t have the time or the temperament for fear. That owner simply has a thirst for market survival and success.
2. Research the small companies in your area and identify ten that are in a growth mode. Study those firms and their competition. Identify ways that facets of your experience can help them develop their competitive edge. Once you determine that angle at a particular company, you are no longer old, you are golden.
3. Once you have an angle, get aggressive. Visit their lobby. Pick up their literature. Walk out the door and explore the lunch spots in their neighborhood. Pick one and talk to your server about the company. They may know someone or something that can help.
4. Take a deep breath and check your confidence level. Attitude is everything. Everyone is impressed by competence and confidence.
5. Once you feel confident enough to that you have something to say, it might be smart to make a ‘cold call’, i.e. walk through their door and ask to see the CEO or their HR honcho. A good outfit will route you to an assistant.
6. Use your time with the assistant to convey and validate your understanding of the company’s issues. Because they are at the assistant level, they will typically try to convey their best knowledge. They will also take your paperwork and contact information.
7. If you are uncomfortable with the cold call, write directly to the CEO. Stress your competence in the area you believe is under performing. It is always your responsibility to make the follow-up. Never leave it to them.
8. In negotiations, be flexible. If you start out as a contractor or temp, you will limit their legal and compliance exposure while getting a chance to demonstrate your skill set. If the chemistry is right, they would be foolish to miss the opportunity.
9. Smile and get to work. You have a challenge awaiting you, and the CEO is watching.

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Connotations can certainly change. Once upon a time, the ‘Old Boy’s Club’ was used to refer to an exclusive insiders’ business/social network. Maybe it still does for younger members of society. But for more senior members, it has taken on an entirely new connotation.

From my observation, members of the fairer gender have dialog skill sets that far exceed their male counterparts. When we first moved across the country to unfamiliar terrain, I told my wife that I would be happy to accompany her on all sorts of outings. But I warned her that I would not be able to ‘chat’. I wasn’t refusing; I just wasn’t able. I realized the limitations of my skill set.

But now, I just read about some New Yorkers who have started their own ‘Old Boys Club. They meet for lunch on a regular basis, discuss nearly everything, and doggedly agree to disagree whenever necessary. As profiled in the NY Times article, this group of elderly gents are determined to stay active, socially engaged, aware of the latest, and entrenched in their own opinions. In other words, to continue to have fun.

This is a high social, low physical, impact activity that could benefit many retirees. But many guys would miss such an opportunity unless they were encouraged (or coerced?) to join. It takes one spark plug to make it happen. Maybe you, or I, should provide that spark for our own neighborhoods.

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