From the category archives:

Work/Life

As I formalized the business organization for Dave Atkins Media, Inc., I learned a few things I am going to share here–sort of a corollary to my popular post on What I’ve Learned about Unemployment in Massachusetts.
But First Things First
Until you are seriously committed to starting a business, you don’t need to do anything more [...]

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Last Friday night, I attended an unconventional book-signing/networking party in Boston that brought together Gary Vaynerchuk, Jeff Cutler, and Mike Langford along with the usual suspects of the Boston social media scene. I picked up a copy of Gary’s book and then–because I missed the earlier train home, had an hour and a half to [...]

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One good thing about high gas prices…they may be encouraging more people to consider bicycle commuting. And more people riding bikes means drivers will be more aware of bicyclists and perhaps those of us who ride already will be a little safer.
I’ve noticed more bikes on my commute to Boston as reported by this Boston [...]

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On a beautiful fall day in New England, who would want to drive a car to work? For some time, I’ve been meaning to carry a camera along my bike ride to work and take some photos. Last Friday, I got that chance.

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I believe our most fundamental challenge is to restore a sense of community–a building and strengthening of the ties within our neighborhoods and between our communities, especially the neighboring towns where development is uncoordinated and often in opposition to the interests of the next town over. But what can any of us really do about [...]

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Believe it or not, we are forever young

by Dave Atkins on May 22, 2009

in Essay, Work/Life

I still get nervous when it’s my turn to speak at a meeting. When I organize and lead meetings, I still feel like the novice upstart. I still assume there are older people who know better, and I wonder if they will take me seriously.
Then I realize I am 43 years old, and I recall [...]

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I recently reviewed the mission statement of this blog and was struck by how it sums up my own “mission.”
The purpose of this blog is to connect topics in economic development, community development, and new media technology and identify practical actions readers can take to make a difference in improving our society.
I want this to [...]

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I’m tired of hearing people complain that so many don’t read newspapers or vote or participate in their communities. The belief that Americans have become apathetic, complacent conformists is accepted as conventional wisdom, when, in fact, I believe it is about to reverse and correct in a dramatic fashion. I would go so far as [...]

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Why I Don’t Make Lists

by Dave Atkins on April 7, 2009

in Work/Life

Well, actually, I did make a list. But making a to do list, more often than not, is a tiring postponement of what should be done right away. However, I thought it might be helpful to illustrate how I spend my “leisure time” these days now that I’m not working…and maybe I’ll get this stuff [...]

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I’m looking forward to a social gathering and speech tonight where Dan Schawbel will talk about “personal branding”–how you market yourself to other people. I’ve had an amazing amount of interest in my story of using social media in my search for work, including a number of media interviews, most recently a front-page story in [...]

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