About this blog
My career spans retail (bookstores), wholesale distribution (books, music and video) and publishing (books, video and CD-ROM). My formal training is in Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology and have worked in the Internet space since 1995. I’m responsible for the design, development, customer experience and social media for discover.com, the main web site serving millions of consumers for Discover Financial Services in Chicago.
My serious interests in art, society, media and technology led me naturally to the web. All of my passions, aside from my family, seem to be converging at an astounding rate online and it’s very difficult to keep pace and keep track. I started this blog to help me organize and record my thoughts. Here I will write observations about this rapid convergence and invite comments. Occasionally I will go deep on a specific topic in an attempt to try and reveal the essential elements. I almost always have a digital camera with me so I will be sprinkling image into language.
This weblog is called Expedient Means because I find the concept fascinating as well as being in direct alignment with how I aspire to approach life. It is a useful framework for explaining complex designs and interactions, as well as helping one understand (term used loosely) human behavior.
Defining Expedient Means
Expedient Means (Skillful means, Skill-in-means, Upaya). Refers to strategies, methods, devices, targeted to the capacities, circumstances, likes and dislikes of each sentient being, so as to rescue him and lead him to Enlightenment. The Expedient Means and Life Span chapters are the most important of the twenty-eight chapters that make up the Lotus Sutra. A more “expedient” definition was offered by a prolific Japanese philosopher, Nichiren Daishonin (1222-1282).
The abandonment of the comprehensive and abbreviated, and selection of the essential.
Being in this space on a regular basis requires one to write with respect and thoughtfulness. I will do my best to follow this approach and be authentic. I will strive to hold myself to the following tenets:
- Be honest
- Be transparent
- Be a teacher
- Be a learner
- Be entertaining
- Always be improving
Moderation Policy: I review every comment. All comments will be approved and posted with the following exceptions; inappropriate content, spam, profanity, or hate language. Your diverse viewpoints and perspectives are warmly welcome.
Views expressed on this blog are solely my own and do not represent those of my employer.
Hi Steve–
Just found your blog and am lovin’ it!
Keep bloggin’
Thanks Ann, keep reading.
I do not have your credentials and though a neophyte online, my formal training is in Literature, interests range from clinical psychology to biblical theology ( though am not a Christian by a long shot )…like ur idea of everything converging online…cool…I live in remote india…distances notwithstanding, I have book marked your blog. I find it that good!
Greetings to you in India. Appreciate you reading and bookmarking my blog. I will do my best not to disappoint.
Happened to look in the tag surfer and saw your Hopper post. Usually I don’t find anything that calls my attention on that service, but glad I checked this time.
hey this blog is cool……….I found your posts about Asperger Syndrome.
have you heard anything about the autism rights movement?
its a part of the autistic community (we don’t really distinguish autism from aspergers) that seeks a greater understanding of differences, rather than seeking or promoting a cure. People in this community range from those like your son, college educated and pretty independent, to those who are unable to speak and require daily assistance to live in their own spaces.
http://www.autistics.org is one site where there are many articles written by autistics…..some of them might be angry-sounding……..probably because the authors were fed up with society’s constant stereotyping of what autistics are like/should be like, etcetera.
I (The Integral) am one of three autistic personalities sharing a body. we also have adhd. The three personalities allowed us to take in information in different ways and process different parts of it…….sort of like multitasking…..
stop by our blog if you like
The Integral of athenivanidx
and again condolences on your friend Comet’s demise……what a handsome kitty
Hi Steve,
I found your blog through Josh Cass. Hope everything is going well. Keep in touch.
Sam
Hey Steve – Just found your blog. Not sure how you find the time to do all of this, but I’m impressed. I’m looking forward to adding your blog to my fav’s. Hope all is well!
-Jason
Hi there. It seems that New Yorker cover from November 17 2008 (Obama/Lincoln Memorial) is sold out/unavailable from New Yorker.
Is there a way to make a copy from your photograph?
My brother worked tirelessly on the Obama campaign, and I would like to frame the cover shot for him and for his daughter.
Your thought?
Also, I have never “blogged” before, so I don’t have a clue as to how I might make contact with you other than here. Will you email me at jennifer.pietro@yahoo.com?
Thanks so much,
Jennie