The OSI Interview: Andrea Scher

Andrea Scher is a photographer, jewelry designer, life coach, mama and overall amazing, inspiring woman. I've been following her work and reading her blog for several years now, and what continues to intrigue me is her bravery. She is incredibly honest, and by that I don't mean that she is big on airing her dirty laundry. Instead, she writes about life as many of us experience it: not just a series of highs and lows, but the tiny joys that add up to a spectacular tapestry, the banal sorrows that can sometimes dampen our spirits even when we know better. The things that make most of us smile to ourselves, cringe, say a silent prayer of thanks, squirm--she tackles them with an unusual grace, wisdom and very palpable sense of love.


1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?
In the context of my jewelry business, the bits of minutiae that matter to me most are the ways that I connect with my customers. I opted out of selling jewelry wholesale after a short time because of the disconnect between making art and actually connecting to the people who were enjoying it. Cranking out dozens of necklaces for stores made my work feel like product and took a lot of the pleasure out of it.

I love knowing a bit about each person that orders my jewelry. Sometimes that is a story about who it is going to, and sometimes it could just be their address. Either way it helps me connect and get satisfaction out of my work. On the other side, most of my customers read my blog, and I think they get pleasure out of knowing a bit about me, so the connecting goes both ways.


2. Which bits matter least?
The bits that matter least...I strive for excellence, so I am tempted to say that everything matters. The quality of my work matters, the relationship I have to my clients matters, the bottom line matters. I suppose what matters least to me is doing it the "right" way, or the way my inner critics (or outer critics!) think I ought to be doing it. I work very intuitively, very unconventionally at times, and I like to trust my gut when it comes to choices. It is possible that I could be making more money by doing things more in the box but I value my creativity and spirit, and this way works for me on that level. My business is a true expression of who I am... and I wouldn't want to compromise that by making choices that don't feel good in my soul.


3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?
In my life, the bits of minutiae that matter least at the moment are the virtual ones. I have pulled away from the obsessive checking of email (it's so tempting!), limited the blog reading I do, and just generally trying to focus on tending my life that is more local. It's tricky because there are so many incredible people out there, so many dear folks in these creative circles to engage with, but I have been noticing the degree to which I have not been tending and cultivating my friendships that are right here in my town, my neighborhood, and my home. This pulling in feels good and appropriate for now. I have been getting to know my neighbors more, meeting more real live moms these days and trying to keep in check how many "screens" I am looking at in a given day.


4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?
I have had to train myself to pay closer attention to the big and small details of my finances. I am one of those people that has survived so far without balancing a checkbook, but I often wonder if I would feel more secure and grounded in the reality of my financial life if I kept closer tabs on things. I have taken baby steps with this, hired a bookkeeper, learned to use Quickbooks, etc. but I still have so much resistance. I am looking for that sweet spot between paying close attention and just trusting that everything will work out fine. In the name of not worrying and just trusting the universe, I suspect that I am burying my head in the sand a little... so I am challenging myself to grow in this area.


5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?
Just like all of you, I adore the movie Amelie. One of my favorite bits is the one where she is dipping her hand in a barrel full of beans...

Bonus question: What are you up to right this second?
Right now I am working on an online class in collaboration with Jen Lemen. It will be a Mondo Beyondo class! where we support people in realizing their most outrageous (and ordinary) dreams. Stay tuned on my blog for that... http://www.SuperheroJournal.com

Andrea, thanks so much!

***
Tune in next Monday for another installment of the OSI Interview!

The OSI Interview: Fake Nick Cave

It is sorely tempting to say that Fake Nick Cave needs no introduction. But for the sake of what Nick Cave might refer to as "a pleasing geometry," let's go ahead with a bit of an intro, shall we? Fake Nick Cave is different from Nick Cave. For starters, his name begins with Fake, while Nick Cave's name begins with Nick. (This might sound a bit elementary. Trust me, it is lost on many people.) But Fake Nick Cave is also very similar to Nick Cave. He's an oft-surly, thin-hipped, moustachioed singer/songwriter from Australia with a history of anger, heroin and generally disruptive behavior, who now resides in England and has played with the likes of Mick Harvey, Warren Ellis, Tracy Pew, Polly Jean Harvey and many others. He, too, has a son with a woman by the name of Viviane and is also currently married to a woman named Susie. And, like Nick Cave, Fake Nick Cave is friends with Jarvis Cocker. The similarities are frankly amazing. Never one to shy away from controversy, Fake Nick Cave has created a bit of a commotion on Twitter, causing the TwitPowers-that-be to intervene on behalf of...well, it's not entirely clear which parties, exactly, felt so deceived upon "discovering" that Fake Nick Cave is different from Nick Cave that they had to go and file a grievance. One can only speculate that they are probably not regular readers of Fake Nick Cave's Twitter feed. Pity, that. In any case, I am thrilled to share Fake Nick Cave's take on the Old Soul Ink interview with you. And nearly as thrilled about his fantastic photograph.

1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?
My nurse with her hot cocoa, and spending time scanning the pages of my most precious posession: the botanical edition of the Poet's Rhyming Dictionary. In my writing, I focus on slowing down my whirling emotions into a single thread. I like to write about strong, angry people showing a vulnerability, an earnestness, maybe even a need for love and redemption. V is for VIRTUE, and all of that.


2. Which bits matter least?
Dreams. I dream often of Polly's lips, or of Viviane chasing after my moustache with giant clippers shaped like Polly's lips... The worst is when I wake up, sweating, after having dreamt that Anita poked me on Facebook. Over time, I have learned to place no importance on my dreams -- they are not reflections of inner desires but rather the result of too much Rocky Road of Gibraltar ice cream before bed.


3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?
Smack.


4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?
"Me" time. I need to be reminded that I am more than just an international superstar with a fabulous moustache, so I nurture myself with bubble baths, pedicures and massages. After the fight with Mick, I even began seeing an acupuncturist to refocus my energy.


5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?
When I am about to perform in Wim Wenders' film Wings of Desire. I am nervous and mumbling to myself -- "I'm not going to tell them about a girl, I'm not going to tell them about a girl..." -- and then I walk onto the stage and launch into From Her To Eternity. I weep just thinking about it. Truly inspired.

For the curious, a bit of minutiae I vehemently do not like is the now unsingable second-to-last verse of Babe, I'm On Fire.

***
Thank you, Fake Nick Cave, for this enlightening interview!

The OSI Interview: Lisa Brasier

For more than a decade, Lisa Brasier worked as a creative director for various ad agencies in Southern California. In 2006, she and her husband made an unconventional move to a 40-acre property in the wilds of upstate New York, where she dedicates herself to photography and other obscure art projects. She also continues to work as a creative consultant for ad agencies on both the East and West Coasts. punch concepts is the company she has set up for her creative services. I've known Lisa for eight years and am still tossing around the idea of starting a fan club for her. The woman is a rock star. She's hysterically funny, in an abstract, arch sort of way (which is often reflected in her ads and photos). She is charming and kind, but simultaneously a no-bullshit straight-shooter. She does an impeccable Kate Winslet impersonation. And she loves Edward Gorey and Clint Eastwood. I mean, come on. I'm thrilled to be able to include her in this here interview series.

1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?
That my feet aren’t cold and I have plenty of gin on hand.


2. Which bits matter least?
Uninformed opinions.


3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?
Fame and fortune. In the current economic blight, I’m relieved if I can pay the electric bill.


4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?
Waiting for others to complete a sentence before I begin speaking.
It’s practically impossible to do.


5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?
I like pondering my dreams. Especially the one I had last night
about the clove of garlic and the giraffe.


Currently, Lisa is paying homage to the stark winters of upstate New York (because, you know, when you are from SoCal, the land of perpetual summer, actual cold is downright exotic) with a series of large-format black and white photographs, "winter," which she plans to exhibit in the near future. Here are a few of the pieces.

The OSI Interview: Danielle LaPorte

Danielle LaPorte is the founder of www.whitehottruth.com and the lead author of the bestselling Style Statement: Live By Your Own Design. She has been featured in Elle, The Huffington Post, Vogue Australia, Domino, Better Homes & Gardens, and numerous talk shows. A former think tank executive, she now helps entrepreneurs rock their creative potential with her signature Fire Starter Sessions.

A few months back I ordered Style Statement: Live By Your Own Design after reading about it in Domino. The premise (brazenly swiped from Amazon): Part workbook, part inspirational narrative, STYLE STATEMENT presents a series of inquiries that lead readers to the personal words that guide the spirit, look and feel of their life. The first word represents your foundation, your 80%. The second word, your 20%, is what motivates and distinguishes you.

Naturally, I was intrigued. And when the book arrived I couldn't put it down. Yes, it's fascinating; yes, it's interesting; but above all it's extremely useful. I highly recommend it.

And so, when seemingly by chance I happened upon Danielle's website, White Hot Truth--I ain't ashamed--I went a little fangirl. Nothing incites me to action quite like kick-ass, real-life, cut-through-the-bullshit straight talk from a creative, intelligent, intuitive person. Danielle is just that, and her site reflects it. It's a little like a fantastic dinner party, filled with only the most interesting and compassionate people you know, the best music and delicious food and drink. Yeah. Like that.


1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?

I actually just looked up the definition of minutiae to feel, like, tuned in. It gets a bad rap, doesn't it. It reminds me of Nietzsche: "everything is important, nothing matters."

Meaningful minutiae for me: every.single.word.matters. Nothing is published without thought and word economization.


2. Which bits matter least?
The peer pressure to Twitter and optimize search words.
The dust bunnies beneath my desk.


3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?
How people perceive me used to seem colossally important, now it seems like a detail. Which is not to say it's an unimportant detail - I'm very interested in being understood, but external perception doesn't govern my choices like it used to. I know who I am.


4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?

Typs.
I mean, typos.
I write volumes weekly and it's hard to be flawless, especially when you're a night owl with an early-rising kid.

I've also trained myself to be more sensitve to the people's feelings - which can be very subtle but incredibly meaningful.



5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?

My 5 Favourite anythings:

I adore my Fire Starter clients. My clients are bright, big-hearted women and I feel blessed to play with them.

I just discovered www.picnik.com for (free) photo editing and I love its simplicty and smarts.

My currently predominant thought: freedom is not something that you need to "earn."
Jason Mraz's CD: We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things.
This quote from poet John O'Donohue: "When we experience the Beautiful, there is a wonderful sense of homecoming; we feel fully alive. Our lives become illuminated and we come to glimpse behind the shudder of appearances, the sure form of things. Beauty is the true priestess of individuation."

***

Thank you, Danielle! Can't wait to see what you do next...

***

And that was the first installment of The Old Soul Ink Interview! The aim is to have a conversation on minutiae with a different fantastic person every Monday. If you'd like to be featured, or would like to recommend someone, drop me a line!

The Final OSI Interview: Peter Green

Peter Green's Wikipedia page says, in part: Peter Green is a PR person for several Australasian acts, most notably Skyhooks, Bic Runga, Split Enz and their alumni, including Crowded House, The Finn Brothers, Neil Finn, Tim Finn, etc. His office maintains the "Frenz of The Enz", encompassing all the Enz alumni, which has also been known as the Crowded House club, but which reverted to its original name following the break-up of the latter. He is held in very high regard by the fans, who greatly appreciate the personal touch he brings his work, and his remarkable commitment, not only to the musicians, but also to the Frenz, maintaining a consistent relationship with them, whether there is artist activity or not. The Frenz of the Enz are known for their long-standing loyalty and commitment to the bands and artists under the Frenz umbrella, and it could be argued that it is largely as a result of Peter Green's work, ensuring that the fans always feel connected to what is going on.

All of which fits nicely with my theory that Mr. Green may just be among the top 5 nicest men in the world (that is a guess; I don't know all the men in the world, so the top five seemed fairly reasonable). Over the last few years I've emailed him a few times with questions--Do I need to be in the fan club to enter the drawing for the signed CD? That sort of thing. And each time, he has responded to my banal correspondence a) quickly, and b) with a level of enthusiastic kindness that is not only rare in general, but altogether unheard of in PR. [Please don't send me hate mail, PR people. I worked in PR. I know what I'm talking about.] In addition to overseeing PR for all of the abovenamed acts and running the Frenz of the Enz site, Peter has a blog and publishes the occasional road diary. He's also quite witty. In a recent round of emails, he mentioned he was going to be boarding a plane in short order. And then he sent an immediate follow-up email with the subject line "what we are wearing on board to avoid swine flu XXXPG". There was no body text, just an attached image of someone in a yellow Hazmat suit.


1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?

On the road (touring) when you do those little things (buying a toaster for the tour bus) or just making someone's day more bearable when they are thousands of miles away from home. PR duties, when you are at your favourite coffee haunt (free plug to the Verandah View at Kalorama) and the person at the table picks up the newspaper and your band is on the front cover and you know it was something you did right the day before. Books--When you start working on the next book and suddenly the words flow, and they feel spot on and you get so vibed you just churn them out and you find it hard to stop. Concerts--recently being part of the Sound Relief show in Melbourne--where two of our acts played to 83,000 people and raised $5 million dollars for the bushfire relief benefit--that feels extra special--being a small cog in a large wheel that seemed to roll so well that day, and punters left feeling they witnessed a very special gig.


2. Which bits matter least?

When I get snappy, it's rare but the odd deadline seems to rush closer and suddenly someone will call wanting to have a chat. Probably because I prefer the chat to the deadline and know I can't do both. Rushing the 'Famous for 16 Minutes' Diary (that extra minute Warhol gave me years ago never seems enough) and sending it off to Deb in America to add to my net ramblings and feeling like I should have made more effort. When Neil Finn asks me someone's name who is heading towards us at an after show or media event and I know the face too but for the life of me can't remember their name. So I try discreetly to find out before their smiling face arrives. It's all small stuff so it doesn't really matter.


3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?

When friends let us down, even now I pretend it doesn't matter as much as it really does. When I mess up around one of our bands in some small way, and they just shrug it off but it seems to make it even worse. I hate making mistakes around work, but I deal with it now instead of just guilting. Deadlines, mostly around our Rocket Pocket Books--it always seems to take a lot longer to get them finished and printed and delivered. I am calmer at this. After months of work waiting on the new book TRIP to be delivered, I got myself way too excited on the arrival date--a truck arrives with numerous boxes of stock and...we open them--and it's NOT my book. I was cool--started laughing hysterically, a few years back I don't know if hysterical laughter would have been what I would have done.


4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?

Like Kayte Terry I was thinking public image, but after volunteering to be the front half of a horse suit on the Finn Brothers tour I'd say my public image is well and truly shot to pieces. Listening more, talking less is probably the one.


5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?

Australia with all its golden beaches...so the first smell of the surf after months away from the beach. Certain lines from movie or tv shows like 007 (though Austin Powers has destroyed many of the Bond movies forever...very hard to take them seriously)...any of Joss's great one-liners from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and when I come home from a month away on the road and I get cuddled by my boyfriend for the first time, that nice hair smell is good (yikes)!

***
Thanks so much, Peter!

And with that, the Old Soul Ink interview series comes to an end, as does the blog. Once I'm situated at the other site (details TBA), I'll post about it here, and then that will be it for new content. (Archives will remain.) Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who read, commented, participated in the interviews, linked. I've met some incredible people, have gotten to know others still better, and I look forward to continuing that in the near future.

The OSI Interview: Dylan Chorneau

Dylan Chorneau is a painter and photographer based in Charlotte, North Carolina. His work in both mediums grabs me primarily because of two things: a) the very textural quality they each possess, transcending their inherent lack of a third dimension; and b) the very real affection and respect for his subjects that comes through in each of the pieces. I'm a far cry from an art critic, obviously--but I know genuine when I see it. Dylan is the real deal.

1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?
Photo: The moment that the shutter fires is the the single most important detail. Anyone can take a great photo if they press the button at the right time.
Paint: Having facility with the viscosity of the paint is really important. If I'm going to make that stuff do what I want it to do, I have to know how it moves; or know how to make it move the way that I like.

2. Which bits matter least?
Photo: Material choices, what film, what camera to use, etc. don't really matter if the content is there (and sufficient light).
Paint: I hate writing my signature on the front of a painting.

3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?
Photo: I used to constantly check the light of a scene with my light meter. People move and things change quickly so I'm better off guessing and shooting than checking for nothing.
Paint: There are a lot of little intellectual things that arise while painting that need to be dismissed. If I get bogged down with "problem solving" minutiae, I know I'm working too hard in my head and not enough with my heart.

4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?
Photo: I've been trying to memorize an expanded version of the "sunny 16" rule. This is a system for judging light values.
Paint: Oil paints are not just colors, they're organic and inorganic compounds. So you have to remember the things you like and dislike about the way the pigments interact with each other and how to come up with new and interesting combinations.

5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?
I like looking at old pieces of metal (hammers, coins, buckles, etc.) and inspecting it's tiny nicks and scrapes. Each mar is a moment in time for that object. In my mind, when you give an object history, you give it a life. This is the basis for my art. See anthropomorphism.

Thank you, Mr. Chorneau! Really looking forward to stalking you further on Flickr. I mean--ahem, moving on...

***
Is there someone whose musings on minutiae you are simply DYING to know? Tell me about it and I'll see what I can do for you!

Achtung, baby

This week begins something new: every day, for seven days, I'll be posting a different OSI interview. It's a fascinating mix of people, in my somewhat less-than-humble opinion. But why the seven in a row? Well, here's the deal. After the seven interviews, this blog is more or less finished. I'm beginning something new (which I'll tell you about here when it is ready!), and there will be a blog involved there. Very exciting stuff, if you ask me, and I can't wait for it to begin.

So! See you tomorrow?

The OSI Interview: Sarah McColl

Sarah McColl is the lady behind Pink of Perfection, a blog near and dear to my heart because of the way Sarah combines a sassy, DIY sensibility with a love of all things home-related. Visiting her blog is like hanging out with a fun, smart, sweet, creative girlfriend who always has something interesting going on and can't wait to tell you about it. She was until recently a senior editor at Conde Nast, and now is one of many in the fast-growing pajama brigade. She grew up in Dallas, Texas, where she learned to ride horses and developed a penchant for gracious living and Frito pie. She was selected as one of Jane Magazine's "30 Under 30" and her blog has been featured in the New York Times, Bon Appetit, and on The Martha Stewart Show. Someday she would like to learn to make cheese, be slightly less confounded by her sewing machine, and start a Brooklyn-based supper club. [Why is there such a massive assortment of amazing people in Brooklyn? I am insanely jealous.]

1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?
Deadlines, relationships, manners, discipline.

2. Which bits matter least?
I think email can seem really urgent to people, but the world doesn't stop if it takes a couple days here and there for a response.

3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?
I think I used to care a lot more about seeming "cool" and all the minutiae that goes along with that (all the name-droppy "in" stuff). Now I want people to think I'm a good, kind person, but I'm working on caring less about what people think in general. You can't please everyone, and you'd be crazy to try, right?

4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?
The very definition of minutiae: details. I am not what you might call a "detail-oriented person;" I'm a big picture person. So it's taken a few years for me to see the beauty in a spreadsheet.

5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?
Such a great question! I love so many little details of life: the sound the stovetop coffee maker makes when the coffee is ready (kind of a whistling, gently boiling hiss sound), the final duh-duh when Law & Order is about to start, the pop of a champagne cork, a new magazine in the mailbox, the smell of yeast, stacks of handkerchiefs in a junk shop, chopping onions (if they don't make me cry), a simple turn of phrase so lovely it makes you catch your breath, waking up on Saturday morning, the way my mom smells.

***

Thank you, Sarah!

The OSI Interview: Sara Pemberton

Sara Pemberton is the owner of On Simplicity, a blog focused on having less and enjoying more. Her pieces have been featured on Get Rich Slowly, Dumb Little Man, and Simple Mom. In her non-blogging life, Sara is a library programming director, heading up services for adults and children (and on occasion, pets). In between writing and finding new ways for kids to make fantastic messes, Sara enjoys fluffy slippers and a good gin and tonic [and thus is obviously awesome.--ED.].

1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?
With the micro-audiences that blogging caters to, it all feels a bit like minutiae at times, doesn't it? Of course, that's also the beauty of it. Even the tiniest idea or event can become an essay that reaches thousands of readers. Small comments also matter deeply to me. Having someone contribute an idea, an opinion, or a word of thanks changes the dynamic of a blog dramatically.

Of course, when I'm working with kids, that dynamic is completely flipped. In writing, the end result is what matters, regardless of how much I enjoyed creating it. With kids, the end result is how much you enjoy creating a project. That's the whole point: having fun in the process. It helps me keep things in perspective beautifully.


2. Which bits matter least?
Without a doubt, the unwritten "rules" of any job or task. In the end, there are no rules. Trying to follow someone else's guidelines or standards can be maddening. As long as you're doing your best to provide what people need, the details can usually slide.


3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?
Collecting things, having them for posterity, used to seem extremely important. From music to books to vintage Barbies, I wanted it all. Now, I try to get rid of as much as possible while still keeping what I really appreciate. The ethic of "the perfect is the enemy of the good" has really changed my outlook. Sure, I could have every single song I've ever heard, stored in alphabetical order on an external drive, or I could focus on the twenty percent of songs I love and not have to sort through a bunch of crap to get to them. The culture of access has helped, too. I don't have to own every rare bootleg cut as long I know where to access them.


4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?
People, if people can be called minutiae. I used to expect everyone to wear their hearts on their sleeves. (I know, it seems pretty silly now.) Now I try to make an effort to see what's beneath the surface instead of expecting people to tell me what they need.


5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?
I'm totally obsessed with the back stories of songs and artists. Like in "Let's Get It On," there's a line at the end about being sanctified. That one throwaway line encompasses all of Marvin Gaye's duality, his lifelong struggle with sex and spirituality. I thrive on minutiae like that, the easter eggs of life that add depth and meaning to everyday experiences.

***
Thank you, Sara!

The OSI Interview: Daniel Pink

Daniel Pink probably doesn't need much of an intro, but here it is anyway, straight from his site: Daniel H. Pink is the author of a trio of provocative, best-selling books on the changing world of work.

His newest work is The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need, the first American business book in the Japanese comic format known as manga. (In 2007, he won a Japan Society Media Fellowship that took him to Tokyo to study the manga industry.) Before that, he wrote A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, a long-running New York Times and BusinessWeek bestseller that has been translated into 18 languages. His first book was Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working For Yourself, which Publishers Weekly says “has become a cornerstone of employee-management relations.”

Dan's articles on business and technology appear in many publications, including the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Wired, where he is a contributing editor. He has provided analysis of business trends on CNN, CNBC, ABC, NPR, and other networks in the U.S. and abroad. He also lectures to corporations, associations, and universities around the world on economic transformation and the new workplace.

(So, the man is a genius, and yes, it is taking a lot for me not to type OMG he's on my blog!)

1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?
I think it's the small details in products or services or a piece of writing. It could be a sentence in a book that isn't fancy, but is perfect. It could be the way my iPhone fits so well into my hand. Stopping to notice the details can be a joy.


2. Which bits matter least?
A few come to mind. First, email. Lots of unnecessary minutiae there! Second, some day-to-day hassles that seem urgent in the moment, but ultimately don't matter. Being a few minutes late to a meeting. Someone not returning a phone call. Those sorts of things.


3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?
The moment I ceased caring what other people thought was one of the most liberating moments in my life. I don't mean that in a rude way. It's just that if you get bogged down trying to please everyone or worrying about how you look to others, you'll never do anything worthwhile.


4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?
Seeing the negative space.


5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, a movie, etc.)?
I don't know if these qualify, but I'd include: My son's laugh; the smell of the newspaper in the morning; the solidity of my desk. Not sure anyone else notices these things, but I sure enjoy them.

Dan, thank you!

***
Know someone crazy-amazing? Want to see them interviewed? Leave me a comment and I'll see what I can do for you!

The OSI Interview: Kayte Terry

Kayte Terry writes the blog This Is Love Forever. She is a stylist, author and all-around crafty lady. She lives in Brooklyn, NY [again, Brooklyn with the cool kids! We are so getting a complex in LA.] with her husband and their rabbit/muse Potato. Kayte is the author of Complete Embellishing, my very favorite crafty book (check it out, it's fantastic!) and the forth-coming book Appliqué Your Way, out next fall. She'll also soon be working on a new series of softies (like this one) of endangered fish and other sea creatures on plaques. Her favorite things right now are: paint by numbers, Japanese craft magazines, '90s club kids and mylar wallpaper and the color yellow.

1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?
Little details are very important in my work. Embellishing is all about details and that's really where you see the individual "hand" of the crafter. The placement of a sequin or an embroidery stitch makes a big difference.
Also, it's important to me that I know how things were done before we had kits and machines to do it all for us. I like to know the "right" way to make something even if I don't end up actually using that technique.


2. Which bits matter least?
The threads and bits of fabric that end up all over my rug. The dishes that sit in the sink when I am really busy. The occasional nagging sensation that I am making something weird or ugly.


3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?
Worrying about whether my job is silly or frivolous. "Friends" have actually said this to me before but I think that making things beautiful is really important.


4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?
My public image. It's not like I'm famous or anything but when you have a more public profile than most people, you think about what you say before you say it and you try to keep super-personal information off the internet.

Also, I have learned to pay close attention to details in materials I work with: the patterns of vintage wallpaper or fabric, the detail in a bead or button, the color of threads and the textures of yarns. I like working with vintage materials the most because each material has a rich sense of history.


5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?
I love little tiny moments in life when you feel like everything is perfect: walking around New York and having one of those "I am so lucky to live here" moments, that feeling in the air when you can sense the seasons changing, the smell of someone you really love...these are the best parts of life.

***

Thank you, Ms. Kayte!

The OSI Interview: Jonathan Mead

Jonathan Mead is a prolific writer on the topic of self development and living authentically. He writes about "the less boring side" of life at his blog, Illuminated Mind, and is also a regular contributor on the popular blog, Zen Habits.

Since a young age, Jonathan lost his tolerance for doing things that he doesn't care about. He's on a mission to escape from cubicle hell, and reclaim his dreams. His purpose is to help other people liberate themselves from fluorescent lighting and start living deliberately. He recently published an ebook on this topic called Reclaim Your Dreams - An Uncommon Guide to Living on Your Own Terms.

Jonathan is also a drummer, idea pusher, polymath, mad scientist, husband and essential renegade. He's currently researching how to get paid to exist.


1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?


Every time I sit down to write I'm either subconsciously or consciously thinking these two questions "Do I really care about this?" and "Will other people care about this?"

My aim is always to bring clarity and awareness to topics that are important. I know that I can write about certain things that are controversial or popular, that will gain a lot of attention. But if I'm not being authentic, it will be hollow. People can see through that and the way you connect is by real.


2. Which bits matter least?


I would have to say following the rules. There are a lot of "unspoken rules" in the blogging and self-development world, that don't make sense to me. For example, a lot of people will say to post 3-5 times a week to create a successful blog. I do exactly the opposite, because I only write when I have something worth saying. Some of the biggest gains I've had in readership is when I only posted twice a month.

So I would say that's the first one. The second would have to be obsessing about everything being perfect. When you get caught up in "the cult of productivity" you tend to not be satisfied unless everything is done, completely organized and in order. But the truth is, life is a giant, beautiful mess. There are no square boxes and straight lines in nature. So instead of resisting, I try to embrace the mess. I try to give up trying to control everything.


3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?


Trying to live up to an image of what I thought I should be, but was not. We all tend to have this idea in our heads about what we think we should be, what kind of self we should become in order to really accept ourselves.

My quest to be authentic has led me to develop a sort of filter of when I'm really being true to myself, as opposed to when I'm chasing something just because it's a "good idea."


4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?


The little things in life. It's amazing when you really just slow down and allow space to come into your life, how beautiful things become. Something as simple as leaves blowing in the wind across the pavement, can be so beautiful. Just the feeling of being can be something amazing, if you simply slow down.


5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?


I've been seriously obsessed with Bruce Lee lately. One of my favorite quotes from him is "If you always place limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, they will seep into your work and your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus; and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them."

Every time I see myself pushing up against beliefs that don't serve me or imaginary walls around what I can and can't do, I ask myself "Am I limiting myself? Is this feeling valid, or is it simply an arbitrary limit I've unnecessarily placed on myself?"


It's amazing how often the answer turns out to be the latter.

***
Thank you, Jonathan!

The OSI Interview: Marianne Elliott

After a decade working as a human rights advocate in New Zealand, Afghanistan, the Gaza Strip and Timor-Leste, Marianne returned to New Zealand in 2008 to write down some of the extraordinary stories she had gathered along the way. Her work experiences range from heading up a provincial office of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan, providing human rights advice to the Government of Timor-Leste and working as international legal and media advisor to the extraordinary Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in Gaza. "Living in the midst of conflict," she says, "My friends in these war-torn countries have taught me how to practice my own brand of personal peace." Today Marianne divides her time between writing, working as a policy advisor and advocate/lobbyist for Oxfam New Zealand (a not-for-profit international development agency dedicated to finding lasting solutions to poverty and injustice) meditation practice, training to be a yoga teacher, learning to surf and post-graduate studies in psychology. Her current writing project is a memoir about her life and work in Afghanistan, and you can read more about her experiences at Zen and the Art of Peacekeeping.

1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?
In human rights work the detail of the law matters. I'd like to think that empathy or ethics would be enough to compel us to act honorably towards our fellow human beings around the world, but governments and multi-nationals are going to care about the law.

In environmental work the detail of the often science matters. It's important to be sure that you actually understand the science if you are going to try to motivate people to make changes to their lifestyle based on that science. I'm not a scientist and it takes effort for me to make sense of climate models and emissions reductions scenarios, but I've had to learn.

2. Which bits matter least?
Ironically, I think the answer is the same as to question 1, i.e. the law and the science. You've got to get them right if you are going to get out of the starters block in your campaign for change, but then you have to understand that they won't get you much further. You need to move on pretty quickly to the forces that will motivate people to change, and at that point you have the choice to play to people's weaknesses (fear, insecurity, anger) or to their strengths (empathy, hope, optimism). Take a guess which I prefer.

In writing I struggle to think of minutiae that doesn't matter - it all matters: spelling, grammar, punctuation, length, tone, pace, rhythm, point of view, vocabulary. If any of those are off then the reader is likely to be distracted by them, and the emotional power of the piece will be lost. I still get them wrong, but I know that it matters when I do.

3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?
That's a tough question. The only minutiae I ever really cared about in my childhood were words and tidiness. Even as a child I liked a tidy room and could spend days in the company of a well-written book. They both remain as important to me as they ever were. My sister tells me that if I ever have children I'll learn to care less about the tidiness. But, as yet, that is an unproven theory.

4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?
With the exception of words and neatness, pretty much all of them. I've had to learn to pay attention to most of the minutiae of life. In my first job as a lawyer I tried to convince my boss that since I had a "big picture" brain he should let me work on the overall strategy for our case and leave him to read through the piles of documents looking for details. He wasn't convinced. Over the years I've learned that minutiae matters, but if I can delegate them to someone else I always will. These days my boyfriend is the most likely candidate. He has, for example, a wonderful capacity to check whether the picture is going to be lined up straight before he bangs in the nail.

5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?
The tiny changes that appear in our vegetable garden each day, a tomato starting to turn red, a new tendril on the cucumber plant, a zucchini flower blossoming. Mary Oliver's poems.

(Photo credit: Susannah Conway.)

***
Thank you, Marianne!

The OSI Interview: Justin Flitter

Justin Flitter is a Creative Customer Services Professional with a seemingly unquenchable thirst and enthusiasm for delivering and promoting excellent customer service. Given that the lack of customer service is one of my biggest pet peeves, I was very interested in Justin's championing of the cause. Nine years ago he founded, along with a board of trustees, the NRG Charitable Trust Business Incubator. Located in Wellington, New Zealand, the Incubator housed and supported young entrepreneurs setting up their own businesses. More recently, he has served as Customer Service Manager at Fishpond.co.nz and Fishpond.com.au -- which won ‘Exporter of the Year’ and was ranked the 4th fastest growing company in New Zealand. Currently he works for Zendesk.com as a Customer Advocate, Business Developer and Cheerleader! His personal site promotes customer service thought leadership, encouraging proactive management and best practice.

1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?

Customer Service: Its the little things that mean the most. Reading or listening to an email to pick out the calls for help, hesitation or feedback that could benefit from a phone call really works.

The other is follow up, if I have replied to a customer with a question that email remains 'pending'. If I have not heard back after 2 or 3 days ill often email again or call the customer to ensure that request is completed.

Being Nosy: With blogging and Tweeting, it's listening that pays the dividends. It could be a comment from someone on your post, or a Twitter discussion that creates a "lightbulb" moment leading to a new relationship, business opportunity or blogpost.

A great example is my recent connection with Laurie Brown, a customer service expert in the United States. Laurie posted a customer-service related Tweet which captured my attention,so I visited her website. Our shared passion for customer service was obvious, so when I had an idea for a new White Paper I approached Laurie to co-author it with me. Recently we published "The Essential Customer Service WhitePaper for 2009" which is available free from http://justinflitter.com.


2. Which bits matter least?
Definitely timekeeping and appearance. Firstly I work from home, with a pool and the neighbor's cat' which is partly bliss and partly boring. Given that I physically work on my own' there's little reason to dress up, do my hair or shave every day. I can walk around in shorts and jandals [Note: that's "flip-flops" to you crazy Americans.]. I bought a suit a while back for job interviews, have only worn it once.
Timekeeping is something I'm naturally good at, but having a largely unstructured day means that minutiae of being on time is not one of mine.


3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?

Over the last year my vision has broadened in that I'm focusing on relationships on a global level rather than a local, community/city level. Where before I focused on building local relationships for professional development, now I'm looking globally so local contacts have become less significant. Local networks are still important (especially when you work from home), but there are far more people and opportunities available when you're not fussed where they live.


4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?

Patience is not my greatest virtue. Yet working at home requires a certain amount of patience and discipline. Working internationally often means I don't get an answer back as fast as I'd like so you have to learn to put things down for a bit. Some of my customer service work is repetitive. It would be easy to take shortcuts to get through the work. But as I've said, it's the small things that matter the most, personal comments and suggestions or a little time spent makes a huge difference. Post-It notes on the computer say "How can you make this better?" and "If it is to be, it is up to me".


5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?

I have been reading First, Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham. In it he talks about talents. As managers we recruit for talent but often talents are misinterpreted as skills or as if talent is hard to find. Marcus dispels the myth by saying that "Talents are simply recurring patterns of thought, feeling, or behavior" so "Talents are actually rather commonplace". Perhaps customer service in some companies would improve if staff were hired based on talents like compassion, listening and thoughts of "the customer, before me". This idea has changed the way I write about customer service recruitment, staff coaching and training.

***
Thank you, Justin!

The OSI Interview: Mark McGuinness

Mark McGuinness is a poet and a coach for creative people. Mark's latest venture is Lateral Action, a web publication to help creative professionals achieve success (creative and commercial). Lateral Action is a joint venture with Brian Clark and Tony Clark. Mark is a bona fide savvy guy with a bona fide poet's soul--a most unusual and delightful combination. Via his websites and his Tweets (he's @markmcguinness on Twitter), he shares useful tidbits and witty observations (real witty, not Twitter witty, if you know what I mean?). Not to put too fine a point on it, but Mark is a well-rounded person, and how often does one find that in these heady, Web 2.0-heavy times?

(Oh, and in case you're wondering about some of his spellings: he lives in London, y'all.)

1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?

Coaching: Often it's the little cues from the client during a session -- a change of expression or voice tone, a gesture, a hesitation or turn of phrase -- that alerts me to something important. A lot of the art of coaching is your ability to pick up these little clues and weave them back into the conversation.

Writing: Obviously there are plenty of verbal minutiae to be aware of -- grammar, punctuation, spelling, syntax etc. And with poetry there are additional elements of formal minutiae -- rhyme, rhythm, meter, alliteration etc. At the moment I think tone is probably the element I'm mostly preoccupied with, in poetry and prose. It can be very subtle, and is influenced by a combination of all the other elements, so you have to become very sensitive to pick up when you're hitting the right note or when the writing is off key. My poetry teacher Mimi Khalvati has an incredible ear for the authentic voice of a poem, and I'm doing my best to learn from her and edit out the false notes.



2. Which bits matter least?

Coaching: The bits that feature in long explanations -- too much back story or analysis of past events. Sometimes clients start off thinking I need to know everything about their situation in order to help them make changes, but usually that isn't the case.

Writing: Explanations again! I have a tendency to over-explain things, which I'm trying to cut down on.



3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?

I used to be a big book collector and was very finicky about getting (and keeping) books in mint condition. These days I don't buy so many books and I'm not quite so fussy about their condition. I've even started using (gasp) a pen to make notes in some books!

I think the change is partly because I do a lot of my reading on the Internet, which makes you realise how ephemeral most writing is. And hopefully it's because I've come to realise that the words are more important than the books. I treasure the words more than ever.



4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?

Coaching: All of it, originally. A big part of my training when I started out as a psychotherapist was to get me to stop thinking about theories and start looking at clients and listening to them. More recently, since I trained as a Reverse Therapist I've become more alert to the promptings of my intuition. So now when I get a gut feeling about something I speak up and share it with the client. Usually they find it helpful.

Writing: Well right now I'm working on Lateral Action with Brian Clark, a world authority on copywriting headlines, so I'm taking a lot of care over writing my article headlines! And also with Tony Clark, who is the design and technical wizard at Lateral Action. Tony is rightly very concerned that we format everything correctly so that it looks right for our readers - so I'm doing my best to be meticulous with formatting codes!


5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?

It's just occurred to me that my poetry blog is a collection of my favourite bits of poetry minutiae. For example, I wrote a recent post wondering whether W.H. Auden rhyming 'clerk' with 'work' was a sign of him developing an American accent. (It doesn't rhyme properly with a British accent.) That's the kind of thing that I doubt anyone else loses much sleep over, but I enjoy writing about it on the off chance that someone, somewhere may find it of interest. In this case, I was delighted to discover that I was right -- one of my readers found a recording of Auden reading the poem, which confirmed the accent!

***
Thank you, Mark! (Especially for the bit about 'clerk' and 'work'... I feel much less alone in the world now.)

The OSI Interview (AND GIVEAWAY!): Kim McMechan

Kim McMechan is a poet, singer-songwriter and freelance writer from Kelowna, BC, Canada. She is the mother of two girls, ages 6 and 3, and her creative work reflects the landscape of her life, which means she writes a lot about the grocery store and being tired. No, really. Check out her fantastic voice and excellent songs at www.myspace.com/kimmcmechan and www.kimmcmechan.com/sblog. And! I have her CD, Little Grey House, to give away to one lucky person who leaves a comment (or Tweets it, or emails it) telling me your all-time favorite song lyric. (Winner will be chosen at random--I'm just nosy, okay?)

1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?
In my creative work as a songwriter and writer, it's the daily few hours of showing up to get something down that matter most. There's a part of me that is always trying to make everything HUGE and BIG, and when I do this, I lose sight of the small steps and get really disoriented. It's been starting to sink in the past few years that if I show up to write or work on music today, I'll do it tomorrow and the next and the next. But if I spend today procrastinating, it could turn into a lifetime. So I try to stay very shortsighted about my work, and trust that it will add up to the bigger things that I want to achieve.

2. Which bits matter least?
I think the projecting about the future matters least. Maybe I just feel this way because I've spent the past year trying to plot a path, and every day something changed--my vision, my desire, or my opportunities. It drove me crazy! I did this because others were always asking me to describe my goals and my business plan and I doubted my own process. Now that I've done that for awhile and have seen that it's not a very nourishing way for me, I'm reverting to what works. And that is spending a little time planning, and the bulk of the time getting songs and writing done and trusting the momentum of my own creativity.

3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?
I once spent a lot of energy trying to ensure I was being impressive. I've stopped caring about that and now just want to give birth to whatever is in my heart. I'm not so attached to outcome anymore, and Lordy, is it a relief. Also: organization. I wish I'd known earlier about how there's different personality types in regards to organization. I'm the type that has to SEE everything or it doesn't exist. But I used to try to put it all into different folders and binders and boxes. Then I'd forget what I was working on. A few years ago I just said "screw it!" and started taping things to my walls. Now I have 3 bulletin boards above my workspace and about 30 pages of things laid out across my desk. I don't care if someone else would consider it chaos. To me, it is perfect order. When I have my few hours of creative time in a day, I can scan my stuff, and start working on whatever pulls at me. I work best in creative bursts, so this system has been a lifesaver, because it supports those bursts.

4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?
Money has been a big one for me. I like doing the creative part of work, but getting it into the world - promotion, sales, writing press releases - has always been a little more draining for me. I'm learning to love that part and honor it as necessary. That's still a work in progress. Also, I'm prone to being overwhelmed, and I've had to train myself to focus, fully, on one thing at a time. Lately, I set the timer and tell myself: you only have to work on this for half an hour and then you can switch gears. I have so many things I want to do sometimes, that when I am working on something, I'm only half there, the other part of me worrying that I should be over there working on the other thing. It's really annoying. So I'm trying to rewire my brain on that one.

5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?
I bawl my head off at the end of Once, when he gives her the piano, and the camera pans out and you see her, in her appartment, playing her piano with her little girl beside her. It's so achingly real, especially since I sometimes fall into the trap of feeling confined in my creativity because I have 2 children. Also, I LOVE The Secret Life of Bees, and think about this one part almost every day: The beekeeper ladies tell the girl that if you "send the bees love", you won't get stung. I've been trying to do this in my life - send the hard parts love, and maybe it's coincidence, but I find that things turn out much better when I do this.

***
Thank you, Kim!

The OSI Interview: Colleen Wainwright

Colleen Wainwright is a writer-speaker-illuminator who started calling herself “the communicatrix” when she hit three hyphens.

She spent 10 years as an award-winning TV copywriter crafting ads for brands like Wheaties®, Gatorade® and Jell-O®, and another 10 acting in them for cash money. Since deciding she’d blow her brains out if she had to sit through one more meeting about which way the bears danced around the cereal box, Colleen spends her time teaching other creative souls how to talk about what they do in a way that wins them attention, work and satisfaction.

Currently, this translates as speaking to groups about non-sucky usage of social media, consulting with solopreneurs about how to get their message out there and creating content for an alarmingly large number of online outlets.

What else? She is one hell of a woman. Tough, warm, funny, irreverent, kind and with more ideas in one little finger than are contained in the entire body of most other humans, Colleen is one of my local heroes. Give her all of your business and money as soon as you possibly can.


1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?

I'm tempted to say that my work is all about the minutiae. I try to carve out great swaths of time for myself to take in and sift and putter so that the tasty morsels get trapped in my web. (How many metaphors did I just butcher with that? Five? Six?)

Anyway, if I had to narrow it down, I'd say that in my writing, close attention to the thin, thin line dividing using the personal to illuminate the general and self-diggery is the most important thing. In my consulting work, finding the thread that allows a client to hang onto something after we're off our call and she's into navigating the sometimes murky waters of marketing possibilities by her lonesome. In my speaking work, it's literally slowing down and enunciating so that I'm understandable. I spent 18 months of my two years in Toastmasters on that one, and it still trips me up.


2. Which bits matter least?

I've found that if you provide people with the help they need with cheerfulness and relative alacrity, they're amazingly forgiving about things like late invoicing, follow-up emails to clarify stuff, and general disorder. Things that would not be tolerated in one's accountant or attorney are fine and dandy for me. Um, so far.


3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?

Could you be more specific with that?

(Ha!)

Almost all of it. Perfect punctuation. Adhering strictly to protocol. Dotting "i"s and crossing "t"s. Dress codes. Restraining myself from using foul language. Even showing up on time! Traffic is so abysmal here in L.A., people are stunned in almost a bad way when you show up exactly on time. Like you're some kind of alien replicant.

To be clear, I'm very glad I learned all that Catholic school, Miss Manners-y, upright citizen-type behavior. I know when I'm breaking the rules, and if need be, I could probably travel again in fancier circles and not embarrass myself nor whatever poor, deluded soul invited me. (Although I'd definitely need a brush up. And how.)


4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?

Incomplete email replies sent too quickly. Numbers, of all things—I'm numerically dyslexic, and have learned to repeat EVERY number I'm given to the person giving it me to ensure I can actually return the call/write the check/find the address. This is a weird one, but making sure my purse isn't upside down when I pick it up, or that the lid is tightly on a jar of whatever when I go to grab it.

Most of my pecadilloes are easily handled by s-l-o-w-i-n-g down. Not that I'm ever so inclined.


5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?

Other than me turning 13 on Friday the 13th, they're all from Play Misty for Me [Note: Why yes, Colleen did rise even further in my estimation after I discovered that she loves Clint also, thank you for asking.], as I've seen it upwards of 100 times (although I've only watched it all the way through a half-dozen). I love that the note Jessica Walter's character has supposedly pinned on a large stuffed animal was clearly written by an old prop guy; I recognize the handwriting as the style of my grandparents. Donna Mills' character makes repeated references to the blondes who used to tempt Clint Eastwood (and drove her away); Ms. Mills is herself a blonde, and that unchanged line is a clear indicator that the writer was herself a brunette.

My all-time fave bit of minutiae from PMFM is the "set dressing" for a scene in Clint Eastwood's kitchen: an empty paper towel roll and a packet of Skotkins fancy paper napkins beside it. It screams "bachelor" pad; I swear, it could have been shot in my dad's post-divorce apartment.

***

Thank you, Colleen!

The OSI Interview: Michelle Ward

Michelle Ward set a course for acting at an early age. For twenty years she worked toward reaching the fabled bright lights. But one day she realized that this goal was no longer as valuable as it had once been. In her own words:

I enrolled in a Career Change Workshop at NYU, and through a series of personality tests, exercises, and conversations with my classmates, I realized that I wanted to help others find their own path, especially "creative types" that thought they wanted one thing their whole life and now have to rewrite their plans. I wanted to help them figure out what they wanted to be When They Grow Up.

But I didn't want to limit myself to Career Coaching. I wanted to help people along with all their life challenges, but not in a Hippy-Dippy or a Tell-Me-What-Your-Parents-Did-When-You-Were-Five way. I wanted to be their springboard, their partner, their confidante, their cheerleader. I wanted to be their Life Coach!

I went full throttle into taking classes at the International Coach Academy, where I'm enrolled in the Certified Professional Coach Program. I will then be certified by the International Coaches Federation, who "exists to Build, Support and Preserve the integrity of the coaching profession."

I've been training my whole life to be a coach. My communication skills, my enthusiasm and sense of humor, my desire to help people find their passion, and my people-loving-personality makes this the role that I was born to play.

She ain't kidding, either. But she is fantastic.


1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?
Listening, or as coaches call it, "power listening." For me, it means to shut off the part of my brain that gets ready to jump in and contribute to a conversation, and to turn on my natural curiosity. If something comes up while my client is talking, I'll jot it down or let it go, trusting that I'll know the next question to ask when the time comes. If you go past all of the tools that coaches use, it all boils down to being non-judgmental and to listening.


2. Which bits matter least?
Doing the "right" thing. As a perfectionist, I was scared you-know-what-less to start coaching, because I didn't trust myself to do it "right." I would start that call with a million (OK, 4) things in front of me: my coaching model, to visually let me know what I wanted to focus on; a binder full of questions to ask, based on the situation presented to me; my notes for that client along with their intake form; and a pad of paper. Now I only have my notes and a blank sheet of paper. And if The Worst thing happens (aka What Now? Syndrome), I admit it. Oddly enough, I think that my saying, "I'm not sure where to go now" allows the client to chart the course. So, You're Welcome, clients!


3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?
Being a people pleaser once seemed to be my role in life - to make everyone happy, to not rock the boat, to be everything to everyone. Not to say that I don't care what people think anymore, or that I try to piss people off. I don't. But I know what I need to feed myself emotionally, and I can't say "yes" to everyone. I know my limits, my priorities and my values, and if someone or something doesn't fall within that I'm OK with letting it go.


4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?
Silence. Building on my answer to question #1, I have had to stop myself from filling the silence when I'm with a client. The chatty extrovert in me wants to jump in, ask another question, give the client multiple choice answers, or share a personal story. But I've learned that those silences are one of the only ways to prove that you've made the client stop and think, possibly in a different direction than he or she is used to. I used to live for the applause when I was pursuing a career as an actress, but now the silence is my applause. Ironic, huh?


5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?
John Cusack holding the boom box in Say Anything. Seeing the outtakes on a scene that Glenn Close did for Fatal Attraction, where no two takes were alike. The custom-written verse that my brother-in-law added to Grow Old With You, the song he played at my wedding. The way that my husband's whole face lights up when I ask him if he wants to do something that he really wants to do at that moment in time. The tiny piece of wallpaper - a single blue star on a white background - I took from my childhood bedroom and carry around with me. The place in the show (always at the theater, never at the movies) that gives me chills. Most recently, the new When I Grow Up logo! I want to keep those kids in my pocket and carry them around with me. Oh wait - I guess that's what business cards are for.

***
Michelle, thank you!

The OSI Interview: Rod Sherwin

Rod Sherwin, known as "the tapping man", is an Energy Therapist from Melbourne, Australia. Rod runs the Tap4Health EFT Practice and works with clients all over the world on issues such as stress, anxiety, trauma, abuse, anger management, depression, weight loss, public speaking and presenting. His approach is an unconventional and original combination of warmth, humour, respect, intuition, and skill. Rod speaks frequently on mental health and emotional well being with a genuine and authentic style. Rod's primary tool for helping others is the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) which he combines with his experience in Energy Medicine, Solutions-Focus Brief Therapy, 6-Human Needs Psychology, and Neuro-Associative Conditioning. Rod's original qualifications are in Computer System Engineering and Computer Science which gives him a very grounded and practical approach that's focused on achieving real results for his clients.

I must admit to having scoffed the first time I came across the notion of EFT. It seemed to me on par with saying that I'd thrown a ball into the air to resolve my outstanding emotional issues, or that by rolling my eyes counterclockwise eight times I had been able to stop smoking or something. I suppose this is why it's important to keep my words soft and sweet: I've been eating them now for weeks. Hit with a particularly nasty allergy attack last month, I decided to try tapping (I'd read about it over at iCiNG). It was sheer desperation; if nothing else, I thought, tapping would temporarily distract me from the nonstop sneezing, itchiness, coughing, near-hysteria and other gross things that come with extreme seasonal allergies.

Less than an hour later the allergies were almost completely gone; all that remained was a slight itchy sensation in my nose. Leaving me--ahem!--something like completely astonished. There's something to this, I thought, feeling like a jerk for all of my scoffing. Fast-forward a few days, and I'm tapping, via telephone, with Rod. (But first he was treated to a fine cross-examination, which he very admirably took in stride.) He's deeply intelligent, kind, intuitive and earnest, and didn't seem to mind my smartass jokes. I loved working with him and would absolutely recommend him to anyone who's interested.

1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?
When working with a client I find using their exact words and phrases is so important. There are layers of meaning behind the words we choose and changing a person's words I feel is disrespectful and invalidates their feelings. Have you ever said "I feel sad" and had someone reply "You should feel angry"? Does that feel like they are empathising with you or presenting their point of view? Sometimes you need to help people clarify the words to describe what they're feeling but there is a difference between helping them find the words to describe an emotion and another of running rough-shod over the words they have chosen. The subtlety of the words is so important.

2. Which bits matter least?
This is where my tendency to perfection gets in the way. Most of the time it all feels important to me. I feel pressure to get everything right and do even the smallest things perfectly. What I tend to pay least attention to is how I dress. While people do judge me by what I wear in the first few moments of meeting me, once they start working with me or hearing me speak they see past the clothing to who I am as a person.

3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?
There are only 24 hours in a day so you are never going to have more time than you do today. As you grow a business, to take on some new project you also need to decide what you are going to stop doing. It used to be important to me to keep up with all the blogs that I read but now days I may get to them every second day and am happy to mark a lot of stuff as read even if I haven't read it. It's just not that important in the bigger picture.

4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?
Given I work from a home office, clients come through my home so I've had to learn to pay attention to how tidy it looks when someone walks in. I have developed the habit of washing up after every meal because dirty plates on the sink are not a good thing for people to see when they enter.

5. Just for kicks -- what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, moment in a movie, etc.)?
One thing is my sun alarm clock radio. Instead of waking up to a in shock to an alarm, my sun alarm gets brighter over 30 minutes and simulates the sun rising and I find it such a gentler way to come to consciousness. Another thing would be my Timex watch that is more than 15 years old. I always have it with me when I travel and deliver training as it has two time zones, stop watch, and count down timer, and alarm. All valuable things to have on hand (or on wrist as the case may be). I've travelled with it all over the world.

While I have lived in a lot of different places, I grew up in a small country town in North Queensland, Australia called Charters Towers, population about 8,000-10,000 people. Charters Towers at the peak of a gold rush was known as "The World" and had a population closer to 100,000 which, at that time in Australia, was the same as the nearest capital city. Now days, Charters Towers is the home of the Gold Field Ashes which is the largest amateur cricket carnival in the Southern Hemisphere.

***
Thanks so much, Rod!

The OSI Interview: Pete McGregor

Pete McGregor is one of those people who make you wonder what the hell you've been doing with your life. He writes, edits, takes photos, travels, keeps two blogs, does a lot of complicated-sounding outdoorsy things, and goes out of his way to be kind. He is also maddeningly logical, and I mean that in the best way possible. Over the last few years I've sort of harassed him into being my friend, and I'm better for it (and he is probably more tired for it.). Check out his blogs. Read his stuff. You'll be better for it. Trust me.

1. In the context of your work, which bits of minutiae matter most?

What's my work? To what degree could what I do be considered work? I write, I edit, I photograph and a lot more, but, of those things, the editing contributes most to my financial survival—or, to be more accurate—to the postponement of my financial ruin. So let's accept that what constitutes my work is nebulous, ignore the minutiae of definitions of work, and simply say for the purposes of this question, much of my work is copy editing. This necessarily concerns details: punctuation, grammar, spelling and the like. Whether these details are minutiae could be argued—often they're so critical for meaning they shouldn't be considered minutiae (with its connotations of trivia—trivia being another matter altogether)—but in at least one sense they're small: therefore, minutiae. It's important to get these right, particularly when editing scientific or other academic manuscripts (the bulk of my editing): as anyone who's had to check APA style will tell you, academic pettifoggery reaches its apogee in the formatting of reference lists for science journals. On the other hand, many aspects of punctuation and grammar are debatable, so in more forgiving contexts what's important is less to get the minutiae right than to ensure that if you're going to get them wrong, at least to get them wrong consistently, thereby giving the impression that the error was deliberate.


The reasons these editorial minutiae are important are, first, that they're often essential for clarity or emphasis, and second, that one is paid to get them right. If neither reason applies, they don't matter and correcting them is a waste of time one could spend on important things like writing, photographing or living.


2. Which bits matter least?

Briefly staying with copy editing: if a punctuation mark makes no difference to the meaning or clarity of the writing, it matters only if it's required by a particular convention (a journal's style or a client's stipulation, for example).


More generally, minutiae that lack context (trivia, perhaps?) seem largely pointless and sometimes irritating. For example, knowing that C3PO was the first character to speak in the Star Wars films or that Captain Jean-Luc Picard's fish was called Livingston has little other than mostly mindless entertainment value for me, but if these were answers to questions at the Celtic's quiz night they might matter a great deal, particularly if knowing them facilitated the winning of a bar tab. To use a more powerful but fictitious example from Slumdog Millionaire, Jamal's knowing what Lord Rama holds in his right hand mattered a great deal. These examples (and other reasons, about which I intend writing) encourage me to be wary of dismissing knowledge of any kind as “useless”. On the other hand, minutiae that confuse rather than accentuate or enlighten are worse than useless (I'd give an example, but can't right now think of one).


3. In the context of your life, what types of minutiae once seemed important, but have since fallen by the wayside? Why?

I used to work for one of New Zealand's large science research organisations. Much of my work there entailed administrative tasks justified on grounds like the need for senior managers to maintain awareness of the organisation's efficiency, effectiveness and morale; however, these tasks impeded my ability to do my primary job: science research. Perhaps these tasks were necessary—without them the organisation might have gradually deteriorated and my research would then have been impeded by different organisational failures—but at the time it seemed my effectiveness was curtailed by the need to attend to minutiae ostensibly intended to improve my effectiveness.


However, those minutiae did not fall by the wayside. I abandoned them deliberately by choosing to live a different life: one not involving working for an organisation.


4. What types of minutiae, if any, have you had to train yourself to pay closer attention to?

None I can think of. Even the copy editing seemed to come naturally. Typos, grammatical errors and infidelities, and errors of punctuation seem to leap off the page. I make mistakes but I trust they're rare (they're more common in my own writing than in work I've edited, but that's to be expected).


5. Just for kicks — what are your favorite bits of minutiae (personal, from a book, a piece of music, a movie, etc.)?

Whoah, that's a big question. Where do I start? The more I notice details, the more I realise they so often say so much about the larger world: paradoxically, big ideas or pictures are often best revealed through detail. This is especially true of writing and photography. Examples and analogies are ways we understand: examples are details of larger ideas; analogies often so. By writing about or showing in a photo the detail of water streaming over a rock, or of an old woman's weathered hands, one creates a sense of something larger: in these cases, the river or the woman's life. Chains on an elephant's legs suggest something about that elephant's life beyond the chains and the legs. Understanding the power of details encourages me to pay more attention to details—what's happening in the background of a movie; what a writer mentions, ostensibly for no particular reason; or a quotation that seems to encapsulate part of life (most recently, Nicolas Bouvier's statement in The Way of the World: “Travelling outgrows its motives. It soon proves sufficient in itself. You think you are making a trip, but soon it is making you—or unmaking you”).


But what are minutiae? Detail at one scale constitutes the big picture at another: the bristles on a robber fly are details of the fly, the fly is a detail of a summer afternoon, the summer afternoon is a detail of seasonal life in the Pohangina valley. Perhaps the world is only minutiae—or do minutiae not exist?

***
Thank you, Pete!