http://ja-nae.net/blog Adventures In: Experimentation, Imagination & Sophistication Tue, 15 May 2012 17:22:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://ja-nae.net/blog/fathers-passing-sparked-creative-innovation http://ja-nae.net/blog/fathers-passing-sparked-creative-innovation#comments Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:52:53 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=5055 When you think of video game heroes, you usually think of big swords, big hair, huge attitudes, and rippling muscles. You don’t think of a middle-aged knight who has gone soft in the middle and thin on top after some 30 years of the post-quest castle good life. But for Adam Rippon, creator of the RPG fantasy game, Dragon Fantasy, his knight is not only larger than life, but drawn from deep in his heart. Our hero knight, Ogden Thomas is returning to questing after a long hiatus. Once the RPG-game equivalent of the high-school superstar, Ogden is now finding his armor fitting tighter and his shield a whole lot heavier than it was in his youth. Called out of retirement by the hijinks of the Dark Knight, he must rely on the greatness of his past and the abilities of his new band of travelers. Ogden’s adventures break from the traditional hero-arc and instead find someone later in life, way past the glory days. Settled and stagnant, he must reinvent himself by getting back out there and returning to his former gallantry, albeit with a lot less hair. Dragon Fantasy is the culmination of a lifelong dream and a [...]]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/fathers-passing-sparked-creative-innovation/feed 2 http://ja-nae.net/blog/game-changer-homeless-hotspots-street-treat http://ja-nae.net/blog/game-changer-homeless-hotspots-street-treat#comments Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:54:53 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=5059 Game Changer, homeless hotspots, caused controversy at SXSW this year. Check out my Pulse Network segment on the topic: Despite what you think about the project, it has opened up the question of, “now what?” Here are 3 projects and next steps to consider: Street Treat: Though overshadowed by the SXSW Homeless Hotspot story, Street Treat is plugging away as an alternative to giving a homeless person the opportunity to make money by selling iced cream. Mark Horvath just wrote a great article on the program. Check it out. Partner for Employment: Many individuals who are homeless want to work. Some have the skills you’re looking for and some may not. Either way, they are just lacking the opportunity. Have your company partner with your local homeless shelter to create that opportunity and a training program. Community Gardens: Community Gardens are a fantastic communal focal point and an effective crime prevention strategy. Why not employee the homeless to help tend the garden and run a farm stand? This is a great way to pay someone, feed them, and make your neighborhood safer. What ways do you think we could employee the homeless? Do you know anyone who is working on something [...]]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/game-changer-homeless-hotspots-street-treat/feed 0 http://ja-nae.net/blog/25-resources-for-creative-thinkers http://ja-nae.net/blog/25-resources-for-creative-thinkers#comments Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:38:47 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=4611 Have you ever had a project or deadline in which you had to think of a creative idea to build around? My sister, Samantha, had that same exact problem this weekend. She had been pondering for hours what to do her class project on. When I finally talked to her, she was close to tears. This was a huge project that she had yet to begin or know what it might entail. Here are some resources, I share with her to get her out of a rut. Hope you find them useful: Spark Creativity There are times when we get stuck and have trouble coming up with new ideas. For those occasions, there are a few techniques you can use to trigger that creative impulse and get the creative juices flowing. Here are a few: Carry a Journal. How often do you come up with a great idea only to forget it later?  Well, you can’t really know how often since you forget it.  So get a small notepad and pen and carry them with you wherever you go.  Whenever an interesting thought or idea hits you, write it down.  Take a look at your journal later and you might [...]]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/25-resources-for-creative-thinkers/feed 2 http://ja-nae.net/blog/setting-the-example http://ja-nae.net/blog/setting-the-example#comments Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:32:31 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=4567 Sometimes, it is not always easy to lead a team or turn the other cheek when someone does something to hurt or offend you. I don’t know about you, but my first instinct is to defend and protect myself. However, that does not always solve the issue. Instead, ask yourself the following questions: How can I best handle this situation? If I respond by doing X, what will the outcome be? How do I want this to be resolved? By taking the time and thinking it through, you may find a resolution that you were not expecting and one that opens up other opportunities. Related Posts How to Fail The Secret to Flexibility How Leaders Can Make the Best Decisions]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/setting-the-example/feed 2 http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-to-succeed http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-to-succeed#comments Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:42:18 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=4553 The English language has made us equate failing with being a failure, when in fact failing is necessary in order to succeed. If we never allow ourselves to fail, then, unless we are born perfect, we’ll never attempt to learn or do anything that risks failure.  When I started my first business, I made many mistakes and “failures” before I got it right.  I didn’t give up or get discouraged because I understood that failing was just a step towards success.  And I was right. In order to succeed, you must allow yourself to fail.  By embracing failure, you create an environment where mishaps invigorate rather than crush you.  In fact, I would suggest you go so far as to aim to fail.  If you haven’t failed, you haven’t been taking risks or learning anything.  To me, that would be the biggest failure. You’ve probably heard Edison’s quote about failing 1,000 times while inventing the light bulb, “I have not failed 1,000 times.  I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb.”  Great minds like Einstein and Lincoln had the same attitude. How have you failed? What’s the most you’ve ever learned from a failure?  How has [...]]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-to-succeed/feed 0 http://ja-nae.net/blog/a-brief-guide-to-becoming-a-spy http://ja-nae.net/blog/a-brief-guide-to-becoming-a-spy#comments Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:18:58 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=4505 Don’t laugh, but I dream about being a spy. Maybe it’s because of my love for travel, or maybe it’s because of all the James Bond movies my dad used to watch with me, but no matter what I achieve, I keep coming back to this fantasy. I have always dreamed of living an exotic life of travel and intrigue, and being a world-class spy is the epitome of this lifestyle. But while fictional characters like James Bond and Jason Bourne glamorize and dramatize the life of a real-world spy, the reality is that there truly are spies among us, working to collect information and fighting for national security. I recently had dinner with an old friend who–”in a previous life”, as she puts it–worked in the field. While she’s sworn to secrecy about specifics, we did have an good chat on the more interesting aspects of the life. So whether you are seriously considering this life path or just indulging in daydreams, here are the skills I learned are necessary to become an effective spy. Learn Another Language – Although English is the universal language, being fluent in at least one other language is essential for any spy.  Not only [...]]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/a-brief-guide-to-becoming-a-spy/feed 0 http://ja-nae.net/blog/tools-to-help-you-learn-a-language http://ja-nae.net/blog/tools-to-help-you-learn-a-language#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:15:55 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=4466 It’s been way too long since I’ve been out of the country, but with the Artist Retreat around the corner, I’m really getting excited. A few of the attendees (Are you one of them? Would you like to be? Contact me for more information!) asked me how to learn a language and learn it quickly.  It’s a great question. That’s why I rounded up some great language apps that will help you kick your second or third language into high gear: Tweets: Twitter is  understated as an educational tool. Twitter allows you to learn new languages and practice them a little bit. Click here a compilation of some “linguistic twitterers”. LiveMocha.com – Livemocha divides a language into courses, units, and lessons.  Lessons are divided into four types of activities: learn, review, write, and speak. What’s nice is that you can also make flashcards from the content in the lessons, or you can make your own flashcards.  There is even a chat feature, so you can connect with people learning the same language you are. Babbel — If you’re looking for something that you can use on both your computer and smart phone, Babbel fits the bill. It provides exercises and courses [...]]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/tools-to-help-you-learn-a-language/feed 1 http://ja-nae.net/blog/the-traveler-how-to-haggle-like-a-pro http://ja-nae.net/blog/the-traveler-how-to-haggle-like-a-pro#comments Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:41:09 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=4280 In many countries, if you are looking to buy something then you are expected to haggle. It is a part of the culture. It is much easier than you may think to get a deal and According to America’s Research Group, consumers who haggle are successful 80 percent of the time, and not just while traveling. So, are you ready to start haggling? Here are 9 Ways to Haggle Like a Pro: 1. Do Research: If you are buying something off of a vendor cart, more often than not there will be one or more cart that has the same item. Shop around and see who has the best price before you start to negotiate. 2. Be Nice: Shop owners remember who’s friendly to the staff and are more willing to haggle with someone who has been pleasant than someone who has been rude. Remember, a smile goes a long way. 3. Know the Inventory: By observing the inventory in a market or store, as well as what people are drawn to, you can easily see what sells and what doesn’t sell as well.  The biggest deal will come from the items that don’t fly off the shelf or are not [...]]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/the-traveler-how-to-haggle-like-a-pro/feed 0 http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-to-create-your-own-luck http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-to-create-your-own-luck#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 13:48:42 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=4175 You know the saying, “Some people are just lucky,” right? We’ve all heard it. My friend Dan is definitely one of those people. No matter what he does, it always works out for him. Do you know anyone like that? “I find that the harder I work, the more luck I have. -Thomas Jefferson. The truth is “luck” is just a characteristic in success people and here is how you can create your own luck: I. Position Yourself: Lucky people will constantly put themselves in a position to be “lucky”. They show up to the table, they connect and they tell others what they need. They know nothing will happen if they just sit back and wait for it. II. Prepare: Lucky people usually prepare for the great things that happen to them. Whether it is doing creative investigation work to network with the right people or taking facts and skills learned at an earlier time and applied to a new situation, lucky people always prepare for situations. III. Solutions: Lucky people know that there is more than one way to make things happen, so they are constantly in search for ways for things to go there way. And if [...]]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-to-create-your-own-luck/feed 1 http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-to-be-curious http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-to-be-curious#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 15:07:03 +0000 Ja-Naé Duane http://ja-nae.net/blog/?p=4060 Do you shy away from the unknown or do you welcome the unexpected? Ever since I was a little girl I have thrived on curiosity and questioning things. However, many colleagues I know in business stick like glue to the familiar. They rely on the routine things that have served them in well in the past, and avoid anything new and different. This attitude can maintain stability, but if you’re not curious you are doomed to the same experiences without ever growing in business or in life. This article by Donald Latumahina at Lifehack tells of the virtues of curiosity.  Curiosity gives you a fresh perspective, allowing you to discover fresh ideas. Being curious makes you more observant and opens up new worlds and possibilities you wouldn’t otherwise consider while also adding the spice of variety to your life. Some of my best ideas for projects, as well as some of my best adventures, have come from stepping outside of my comfort zone and following my curious nature. For these reasons, curiosity should be a quality you cultivate. So here are some things you can do to be more curious in your life: Do Not Ignore the Mundane.  We all [...]]]> http://ja-nae.net/blog/how-to-be-curious/feed 2