In this country of traditions, which has captured my heart and caused me to set down roots as deep as a modern human can have (family with children, house, bank accounts, taxes, habits of behavior and mind), there is a tradition that is quite modern, as recent as radio. “Summertalkers” is not a beautiful word, … Continue reading The Summertalker’s Moment of Revelation
Blogging, Tweeting, Booking Face – Results & Survey
For the last month, I’ve done my best to write publicly (on the internet) about my professional life, with a personal voice, as often as I possibly could. “Daily” was the original ambition. It became “often” instead. What did I learn? Should I continue, with the same frequency? You know, that’s really up to you … Continue reading Blogging, Tweeting, Booking Face – Results & Survey
What I loved about S. Korea
The shock of the car accident I had in Seoul (see previous post), and the more ordinary shock of being in a new country, have settled down a bit now, and I find myself thinking more and more about the week I spent in S. Korea. What am I thinking about? Not the car accident. … Continue reading What I loved about S. Korea
A Week in Super-Fast Green-Growth South Korea
My first visit to South Korea introduced me to a remarkable country. Everyone I met, from the taxi driver to government officials, was unfailingly kind and courteous. I came away very impressed, on many levels. But the trip certainly started out in an interesting way ... South Korea is in a hurry. I felt this … Continue reading A Week in Super-Fast Green-Growth South Korea
“San-ten-ichi-ichi” — what March 11 means to Japan (so far)
I was on UN business in Korea this week, but on Friday, I took a day off to fly to Osaka and meet with friends Junko Edahiro and Riichiro Oda, at a hotel near Osaka’s Kansai airport. I wanted to find out how they were doing, and how the country was doing, since the last … Continue reading “San-ten-ichi-ichi” — what March 11 means to Japan (so far)
What Lady Gaga and I Have in Common
You might be expecting a humor piece -- “I once dropped a piece of Parma ham onto my lap, where it draped across my leg as though it were a patch on my pants, just like Lady Gaga’s famous meat dress” -- but I’m actually quite serious here. I’m not really a Gaga fan, no … Continue reading What Lady Gaga and I Have in Common
Transparency, Confidentiality, and Consulting
Tomorrow I arrive for a week in the Republic of Korea on UN business. The purpose of this blogging intensive is to make my work more transparent, but this is one of those moments where I just cannot be very transparent ... yet. This is the reality of the consulting life. Working with institutions and … Continue reading Transparency, Confidentiality, and Consulting
Closing Reflections on the Conference on Future Lifestyles …
This photo is from the closing session of the UNEP-Wuppertal "un-conference" on the the future of sustainable lifestyles and entrpreneurship (which I keynoted yesterday). What did I do here? First, I sang. That's not surprising to anyone reading this blog. But it was sort of surprising to this audience ... and I don't think I've … Continue reading Closing Reflections on the Conference on Future Lifestyles …
Sunday: Half-Work, Half-Family
The half-family part of this short post is probably easy to understand ... but why "half-work" on a Sunday with family? Easy answer: Monday deadline for one assignment (teaching an online class for the ISSP), and a keynote speech to give on Tuesday in Germany on The Future of Sustainable Lifestyles and Entrepreneurship. Plus, the … Continue reading Sunday: Half-Work, Half-Family
Elation, Despair, and Professionalism
Yesterday and today, two days that could not be more different. Standing on stage at the royal theater in front of hundreds of people; sitting in the cottage behind my house that serves as my 'Global Headquarters'. Moderating a panel of leaders and ambassadors; sorting receipts and dealing with corporate paperwork. The purpose of this … Continue reading Elation, Despair, and Professionalism
Alan AtKisson 