Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone!

It has been an interesting year. When this year started, I had no idea I would not be at EarthLink anymore. I did not know how difficult it was to run an STC Chapter. I did not know how difficult it was to get someone to run the chapter newsletter. I didn't know how difficult it was dealing with difficult people as a chapter president.

Now on to the new year. Do you make New Year's resolutions? I do sometimes and sometimes I don't. I believe, if I am not going to keep them, then why make them? Comment on this blog and let me know.

Here are some of my resolutions for this year:

• Play more golf!
• Help make this year's Currents conference the best conference ever!
• Find someone to run CommLink! Someone who will consistently put out monthly issues.
• Show appreciation to the wonderful people that help run our chapter!
• Thank my wife for allowing me the time to attend STC events and for supporting me in my position as chapter president.
• Figure out the best way to provide assistance to Howard (and the other officers) as he takes over as chapter president in June.

I'm sure I will have more over the next few days as the New Year approaches. Until I see you next year, I hope you and yours will have a wonderful New Year and that all of your resolutions will be easy to keep!

Until next time ...

Holiday Party was Great!

I hope you didn't miss the Holiday Party this past Tuesday night. If you did, you missed a great time and great food.

I want to thank Robert for putting this together, for finding the place, and the great door prizes. I want to thank Holly for the interesting and fun games we partook in. I want to thank Smoke Jack BBQ restaurant for the wonderful service and great food! And I want to thank everyone that came and brought a new toy! I don't have the exact number at this point, but I believe the Children's Restoration Network will be very happy!

I always enjoy seeing people again that I haven't seen in a while. And meeting spouses and children of those people I know through STC. I met Kathleen's husband for the first time (we talked golf - he's a high school golf coach!) and Debbie's daughter (what a sweety! Debbie, I know you must be proud!). Dirk and Michelle shared a table with me and my wife (Paulette). We also were a team for Jeopardy! We did fairly well, but need to brush up on Atlanta history.

My only regrets were that I didn't have more time to spend with each of you who attended. Thanks goes out to TechLinks for attending. I wish everyone could have attended. If you didn't, make plans to do so next year. It is one of those events that really make your holidays happier!

Until next time ...

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to all of you and to your families,

I just wanted to take a moment of your time to wish you all Happy Holidays.

This time of the year makes me think of family and friends and fun! And, right now, I am thinking about our STC Atlanta family. I would like to personally invite all of you to the STC Atlanta Holiday Party. The party takes place next Tuesday, December 18, at Smoke Jack BBQ in Alpharetta which is located at 29 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30004. Their phone number is 770-410-7611. And here is their web address: http://www.smokejackbbq.com/.

This is an entirely social/networking event (there will be no speaker), so come prepared to mix, mingle, and have a good time. All you have to do is provide a new unwrapped toy, and we'll provide a full sit-down dinner! How can you beat that?

If you can't get a toy in time, just bring $10. This social event is for members and friends of members who want to tag along and learn more about STC Atlanta and its members.

As our Community Services Manager, Julie Brock says:
“Bring a Gift and Make a Difference

Children's Restoration Network (CRN) is holding its 13th annual 12 Days of Caring campaign this December to collect new toys, gifts, and clothing for over 1,900 children living in shelters and group homes in 18 counties around metro Atlanta. You can read more about CRN and its mission at www.childrn.org. Last year, STC Atlanta chapter members donated over thirty gifts to contribute to CRN’s campaign. This year we’re hoping for a repeat performance. Bring a gift to the December 18 holiday party at Smoke Jack BBQ in Alpharetta and we’ll waive the $10 entry fee.

Please bring gifts unwrapped so that CRN can make sure each gift goes to the child or teenager who will appreciate it the most.
Items needed
New toys, gifts, games, books, new clothing, shoes, winter clothing, cosmetics, ethnic dolls, CDs, alarm clocks, watches, sports equipment and clothing, jewelry, scrapbooks, baby items.

CRN typically receives more than they need for younger kids and less than they need for older kids. They especially need clothes in sizes XL to XXXL and shoes in sizes 9 to 12.”

So, please, come and enjoy a fun evening of food, fun, and networking! And you will be able to help a needy child at the same time.

Please RSVP to me by Monday morning, December 17, so we can be prepared with enough food and fun for everyone.
Again, I hope all of you have the happiest of Holiday Seasons, and I hope to see you there.

Once more with feeling!

I can't believe it has been this long since my last post. Whew! too much going on! I have had seven interviews in the last three days. Almost too much to take in. Still unemployed, though I have some interesting prospects.

Much is happening in the world of STC Atlanta.

First, I would like to congratulate Dr. Michael Hughes for his nomination as 2nd VP for the Society! I hope all of you will join me in congratulating Mike and in supporting his candidacy! His expertise, foresight, and sense of humor will be an asset to the Board of Directors for the Society. He has been an academic and a working stiff, and will bring a unique perspective to the office. (And having a representative from the Atlanta chapter on the board will be cool!)

Our last chapter meeting was a joint meeting with the Atlanta interactive Marketing Association (AiMA). If you missed it, you missed an excellent panel. I know there were at least nine members of the chapter there. Several of them remarked as to how this was a great idea and opened up a side of technical communications that has long been ignored. If you are a consultant or independent contractor, you missed an opportunity to learn much about generating leads and the entire nurturing of leads process. Thanks to Robert for arranging this meeting.

Our next chapter meeting will be on Tuesday, November 20, and will be back at our usual location in the Mirant building in the Perimeter area. Please see our website for more information: www.stcatlanta.org. In this chapter meeting, Dr. Mike Hughes will present on "The Anatomy of a Help File: An Iterative Approach." Mike always provides very interesting presentations. So don't miss it!

Our Holiday party is coming up on December 18th. The details are being worked out by Robert as we speak. I will post the details as soon as they are available. But it will be a very festive affair and I look forward to seeing all of you there. It will be in Alpharetta and we will be supporting the same charity as last year. Julie Brock is handling this part of the party, but if you bring a new, unwrapped gift, the $10 cost of attending the event will be waived! What a great deal!

In January, Mark Wallis will present on "How to Run a Successful Pilot Project for DITA (or Any User Assistance Project)." Long title, but very useful and timely information. I know a lot of us are getting into DITA. Come and learn!

We have a tentative schedule for the rest of the chapter year that includes Scott Abel, the Content Wrangler; Paul McKeon; the Awards banquet in April; and much more. Stay tuned!

And don't forget the Currents conference! It is scheduled for March 14 and 15 at SPSU in Marietta. Check out the information at: http://www.stcatlanta.org/currents.htm. The Call for Presenters is currently available at: http://www.stcatlanta.org/currents08/callforpresenters.htm.

Do you have something you would like to present? Get out there and present! Send us a proposal!

Are you preparing a presentation for the STC Summit in June? What better way to rehearse your presentation than in front of a friendly Atlanta area audience?

If you have questions that aren't answered in the above links, contact our Currents conference manager, Dirk Bender.

Well, I hope to post on a more consistent time frame for the rest of the year. I hope to see some of you at Consensus Judging Day this Saturday. BTW, I would like to thank Roger Siegel and Macy's for allowing us the use of their facilities for this event.

Until next time!

Where have I been?

Hello readers of this blog. I have been meaning to post to this blog and just haven't gotten around to doing it. I have been busy acclimating myself to the role of unemployed technical communicator. But I haven't been sitting around at home with nothing to do.

I have been performing my duties as STC Atlanta Chapter president. I have been to a board meeting for TCAB (Technical Communication Advisory Board for SPSU - I serve on the Communications committee). I have been to a meeting of the TCAB Communication Committee. I have been to the Parisian Soiree'. I have been to Florida 3 times in 6 weeks (Once for a wedding, once to plan a 40th birthday surprise party for our great-nephew, and finally to attend the surprise party.) I have had about 6 interviews (not all with the same company, although one of the companies had me interview with about nine different people - it was fun, though). I just hope I get one of these jobs soon! It is rough sitting around sending resumes, writing cover letters, waiting for calls for interviews, and going to interviews!

It doesn't seem it has been more than a month since my last post. I really apologize. It is taking more than I thought to acclimate to unemployment. And, my family seems to like my unemployed status! They give me things to do with my "long empty days." I mean, I don't have anything to do, so I can just do this or that for them! And, it is really not a big deal because I really do like to stay busy. (I'm not complaining Paulette!)

This is a short post. I will post more later today about STC Atlanta. There is much going on from the competitions, to the successful speaker recruitment for our Currents conference this nest March to a joint meeting tonight, and on and on! Stay tuned!

Reality Strikes

Reality is finally setting in. When I started this job at EarthLink, I was thinking that I would be here until I retired. It's not that many years! And now, with the layoff of 900+ employees, I am beginning to realize that I will be working somewhere else by retirement.

They say that every cloud has a silver lining, and as hard as this one has been to take, the silver lining is there. I realize how very lucky I am. I have a profession that I really enjoy and I don't think I will have any problem finding work. I have many, many friends who have called or emailed to offer their support and assistance in finding a new place to land. I have a very generous severance package that will give me the luxury of taking my time finding that perfect job! (Although it would be neat if I could get another job very quickly. Then I could invest the severance money so I would have something to fall back on or us for that vacation I would like to take!)

When I was initially told by my boss that I would be part of the layoff, I had assumed that the layoff was limited to the Municipal Networks business unit of EarthLink. Boy, was I wrong. 900+ people, which includes every technical writer in the company, both here in Atlanta, and in California and Tennessee. Some of them, like me, have a last day of September 14. Some, like STC Atlanta's newsletter editor, Paul, have until late November. And, still others, like Drew, have until the 21st of December.

Anyway, it is what it is and we just deal with it!

Today's the day! Finally!

Today, EarthLink holds meetings with all employees to announce the "restructuring" schedule. I am very glad it is happening so that all of us "EarthLinkers" will finally know if we still have a job or if we are to prepare to move on. I am assuming, since my boss told me a few weeks ago, that I am going to be leaving.

If you are using my hoodal@corp.earthlink.net email address, please change to alhood06@comcast.net. This is my home address and I will be using it until further notice. I was just thinking about the number of places where I need to update/change my email address. This is going to be fun!

More to come!