tkt8763-01: Guidebook> More Notes

["Larry S. Anderson -- NCTP" <lsa1@ra.msstate.edu>]

I would like to follow up on what Doug Estes mentioned to you in his email
regarding the Guidebook work.

I did, indeed, have the honor of meeting with Doug yesterday for an hour
or so to discuss important strategies we can employ to move right on
through the process of finalizing the updates to the Guidebook...and to
get it published in a timeframe that is in line with the ending of the
semester.

I feel it is important to re-emphasize the point that Doug is merely
providing the leadership for this project; he is not doing all the work
himself.  Quite to the contrary, I expect *each* member (at least, those
who intend to earn a passing grade) to contribute *significantly* to this
important work!!  This is not a casual expectation on my part, either.

So, bring your Guidebook to class with you Thursday night, as Doug says.
Now, won't it be embarrassing if somebody comes to class without their
guidebook??  Won't that tell the rest of us something about the way that
person participates in class by reading email and making notes?  Now, I'm
not trying to scold anybody or shame anyone into participating; to the
contrary, I want to encourage you to continue behaving like the eagles you
are.  Remember, the air where eagles fly is not crowded -- there isn't
room for all the birds that *wish* they were eagles, for those simply
can't hold out.  There's nothing wrong with being an eagle, but the hawks,
doves, chickens, ducks, and even the lovely mockingbirds simply aren't
eagles and never can be, no matter how much they sit on their perch and
watch the eagles soar!

It's belt-tightening time, my friends.  The wheat and the chaff are coming
apart.  

I am expecting Doug to do certain things Thursday night (and I have put
quite a bit of pressure on him to make this happen, too--maybe he's sorry
now that he said he would do this, but the commitment has been made!).  He
will bring with him a "grid"-type document on which he can record the
portions of the Guidebook which you intend to take responsibility for.
This is not a tough assignment for any single one of us, but it is a
nearly-insurmountable task for one person to perform in the time frame we
are facing.

So, we all can do this.

Here's what I expect to happen Thursday night:

6:00 PM) Intro to class, getting organized, and preparing for the phone
calls.

6:15) Phone call with Peter Reynolds, from Fablevision Studios.  Peter is
author of "The North Star," "The Blue Shoe," and "The North Star Guide to
Technology Planning."  Check out his web site (www.fablevision.com)
beforehand and be ready to ask Peter at least one question.  Write your
question(s) on paper and bring them to class with you.

7:15) End call with Peter -- if not beforehand.  At this point, we will
"debrief" on what we heard, what the significant points were, and what
continuing questions we have.

Perhaps a very, very short break....then....

7:30) Phone call with Chip Daley, Clark County (NV) School District, Las
Vegas.  Prepare questions for Chip, as well.  We talked some about this in
class last week, so I expect you will have a plethora of questions to ask
him..

8:15) End call with Chip Daley (if not before).  Debriefing.

Short break -- Tentatively

8:30) Guidebook work.  At this point, we will all gather around the
conference room table and assure our personal responsibility for sections
of the guidebook.

I have asked (directed) Doug to give everybody one full week to prepare
your comments for the section of the Guidebook for which you take
responsibility.  We all will need to submit to Doug our work prior to next
week's class meeting so he can bring with him the current version of the
draft update.  Yes, I know this is a fast track, but we can do it! (Even
in the midst of doing income tax and the other nagging things that some of
us still have to complete...)

Doug, I suggest you meet with Jennifer so you can discuss with her a clear
direction we can take regarding the graphic look of the guidebook.  Then,
when you come to class Thursday night, you can give us all a report of
what Jennifer will be doing.  You will need to make sure you have some
good help lined up to help with PageMaker layout, insertion, and
proofreading.  This will be *your* responsibility.

Note to all:  Are you still writing in your journals?  I am.  I find that
if and when I become "lax" about writing in my journal, I find myself
slipping in other areas of my life.  Writing helps keep me focused upon
the truly important aspects.  Now, if I could just exercise the discipline
to do what I *know* I should do!!

See y'all Thursday night.  That time will be here before we know it.

--Dr. A

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