Right, well I've used You Tube for many a thing. Listening to live performances usually, new song releases sometimes and rare songs occasionally... However, when doing this it is possible to come across so terrible terrible things. Now, I'm not perfect. Vocally I can improve, we all can, but then I wouldn't splash it (seriously) across the internet on You Tube.

I've found some terrible videos of people singing their own versions of songs and now, I'm going to shame them. It's so cringing.

I Won't Say (I'm in Love) from Disney's Hercules: Sang by some girl who has no performance belief, no idea of what the songs is ACTUALLY about (ok it's Disney), and yes, she may be young but still. If the key you sing in doesn't feature in the song your gunning down, leave! Please leave!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2onfbA2QxPE

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An amazing star and a diva of my generation, everybody knows of Beyonce for her talent, her looks and her moves. She's a global star with advertising contracts, fragrance endorsements and mutli-million selling albums coming out of her ears but what is happening?

I've recently sampled some of her new songs from the album I Am... Sasha Firece - a titled album based on her stage alter-ego. Firstly, what is with this? First Mimi (Mariah Carey) and now Sasha Fierce (Beyonce Knowlews)? I thought names like these were only found in drag shows. Is it healthy to personify an alter-ego and then make an album titled this? Is it something to be shouting off about or should it be kept between those four (white-padded) walls?

Secondly, her beautiful aural treat from the album entitled Ave Maria is 'her take' on the classical song. Nicely arranged and simply performed it does make easy listening on the ears BUT there is a pattern forming to the songs that Beyonce has put her name to... It's either called Audio Sampling or Rip off. In particular I draw your attention to the verse of Ave Maria (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgpUTQFgHX8), clearly the chorus is a 'sample' which has been credited but listen to the melody where these lyrics fall: "She was lost in so many different ways, out in the darkness with no guide" and then I urge you to listen to one of Madonna's underrated and older songs called 'Promise to Try' (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0LEMkN3Xu7Y) Specifically the melody that accompanies the lyrics "Little Girl, don't you forget her face, laughing away your tears, when she was the one who felt all the pain".

Notice a similarity? Madonna - 1989, Beyonce - 2008.


This isn't the first time Beyonce has done this... have a listen to the song 'Still in Love': http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EBYuCWfGo1Q
If anyone has heard the massive hit for Des'ree 'Kissing You' featured in the big Shakespeare movie Romeo and Juliet with Leondardo DiCaprio then you'll know what I'm talking about. Beyoncé failed to credit the original... here is the original (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IFVHliyGqBs)

Let me know your thoughts. Sampled or ripped off?

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2008 is soon to be ending, merely weeks left of this year and it closes on another redundancy. Two redundancies, one year, zero regret.

This year has certainly been one of a career and personal development, a few truths revealed but more importantly an increase in professional strength. From lending money to testing software and then recruiting for the technology sector, I've experienced it all. I've learned a great deal about the powers that I posses and the weaknesses I can embrace with gratitude. You see, getting made redundant or leaving a job you're unsure about isn't a bad thing as long as you've been able to learn from it and take away from your experiences something that will transform you and your career into something bigger, better and more fulfilling. That is EXACTLY what I intend to do. 

So it's goodbye to mortgages, so long to software testing and Au Revior to recruitment... HOLA to a new me and a new career. I'm not sure what that is but there are lots of conversations to be had and lots of potential to be unleashed but it will hopefully be an opportunity for me to engage, enlighten and be creative. WOOHOOO..
2009 HERE I COME

Thanks to all of you who have provided kind words.

HOW NOT TO WRITE A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT LETTER - DESPITE MY TEMPTATION!

Dear Client,

I've written to you today to talk to you about recruitment and I have chosen a letter in which to do this. I have opted for this pre-dated method of communication for a few reasons.

1) All of the carrier pigeons were out.

2) I can't talk to your secretary anymore. Shy of knowing her bra size and favourite day of the week, I've come to know more about her than my own mother and whilst I enjoy hearing the words 'If you'd like to send me an email, I'll ensure your details are passed on to the right person who will be in contact soon' more times than Michael Jackson say's 'chimone', I feel my relationship with her is becoming one of those relationships that cause people to bungee-jump - minus cord. I know she's lovely but her telephone sign off can only be heard by near-by dolphins and my ear-drums can't take it anymore.

3) Hearing the 'your call is being answered by Audix' speech is coma-inducing. I've put in a lot of work to contact you and researched the ways in which our businesses would be mutually beneficial by comparing the skills required against the work environment and culture in order to establish a good synergy from our suitable candidates, this in turn reduces the need for constant communication and distraction from myself, leaving you to carry on with your job and letting me do mine efficiently. The whole reason for utilising a recruitment agency in the first place (pause for breath). By the way, I won't be sending countless CVs of candidates I haven't screened and pre-referenced. It's not effective business practice. Have you tried to say that in a 10 second voicemail that will guarantee a call back?

4) Your Outlook hates me. Either my emails don't arrive or your finger accidentally hits the 'delete' button before reading it. PLEASE READ IT. I've called you for a reason, not as an excuse to fill a quota in my day so if you really don't want to chat to me, at least be courteous and read why I called. I've already managed to listen to your secretary who advised that email is the best policy so please let me know that you've read it and you're not interested. No matter how rude the response, one would be great.

5)  I actually enjoy my job and I love listening to how businesses run first hand - specifically yours. Why not tell me about why you're passionate about what you do and how you've obtained your business and then allow me to tell you why I'm no different to how you've built up your business from scratch.

If a letter is the only way you'll get to hear these things then I can't help but think how difficult business must be for someone with no tolerance to new relationships and a closed mind. I know there are thousands of us that call but please understand that we're not all the same. Some of us actually care about what we do, how we do it and why it will save you time and money. Yes, recruitment saves you time.... and money.

Thank you very much for introducing my letter to your bin, I'm sure we'll get on famously. "Hello apple core, nice to see you here. Chewing gum, please detach yourself from me."

Yours exhaustedly

Ian Jeanes.

New Media Specialist

We are all victims of letting passed experiences influence the way we make decisions in the future. We live by learning so it's only right that we do this.

I know from personal experiences (a past reference in itself) that I have made decisions that I probably wouldn't make now and made judgement calls that, now, are so blatantly stupid that I cringe with embarassment. In my opinion this is actually a good thing because it does mean that we are able to learn from our mistakes fairly quickly due to Emotion Memory and therefore apply caution to our next decisions. I have made mistakes, we all have, and I have learned from them (and I'm still learning - the hard way in some cases).

Applying !caution! is merely all we should do. It has been known that people 'shut down' after experiences that cause them strong emotional reactions. This impacts the brain's natural ability to 'switch off' core things that relate to that particular event. In doing this it means that our brain is locking it away as a memory and creating a separate 'storage' facility to it. You're never going to be free from your experience, no matter how traumatic, but more importantly you won't learn from it, you will merely put up huge barriers to ensure things don't happen again. This stops you experiencing more of the same - good and bad and as a being that has the ability to adapt, evolve and move with the times, you can lose out to survival.

On this theme I am referring to LOVE specifically because it is something I am very passionate about. Finding love, making love, being in love, loving someone, loving something. The heart allows our brain to make this happen.  A train, whilst having the machinery to move can't operate without the fuel and drive. This requires energy. Our 'heart' (metaphorically speaking of course) gives us the drive and desire to achieve things, our brain merely provides the logic.

When you approach the notion of love and open yourself up to the experience then it is important to take all you have learned and let it guide you to ensure that you are true to yourself and who you are. Love is a risk. Of course it is. But it's how you assess the risk that influences how successful you are at being with the person who is right for you.

I ask you one question on that subject for now that brings together all that I have mentioned. Should the prospective partner's past be included in the assessment? If so, to what extent does it influence your decision on being with them?

^ Artist is a talented and beautiful painter callec Doug Hyde... check him out on www.doughyde.com/

London consists of a population of more than 7.7m people living in a considerably dense area and yet it has been referred to as one of the 'loneliest' places to live due to the disconnectivity of communities. There are strong communities and there are some that don't like to mix with others. There are also those individuals who don't recognise their demographic... do you know yours? I KNOW MINE. But I refuse to close the doors to others.

In fact....

                   ...I would love a more integrated society where people are brought together because you don't judge them**... Imagine a world where we selected friendships on character instead of aesthetics. Would marketing die? Would currency be void? Well in London,integration is even more difficult, probably because people have a cause and plan whilst there are in London and people 'network' for business reasons and go out to satisfy their animal instincts. There is a very blinkered and perhaps more selfish attitude in what 'needs to be achieved' whilst you're in this capital.

[**which is why I love Twitter and other social networking tools, and probably why Chat forums etc are perfect for meeting people, because it's a way of communicating without the initial prejudices that come with 'front cover' judgement**]

All considered, I pose to you my question. Do you know your neighbour?

I DON'T.
....well....
I DIDN'T!

Last night, amid the dramas that normally occur through my life - mainly because I'm so dramatic and probably magnetise myself to attract more! - neither of my flat mates were in and so I was left without keys, and without entrance to my own warm apartment.

THE DOOR OPENED - but it wasn't mine!

My next door neighbours, almost all of them, appeared at their door and invited me in unquestioningly and fully accepting of me. This was a nice surprise and a 10 minute wait in their kithen turned into almost an hour's discussion about, well, weather actually (retrospectively laughing  at our 10 minute babble on weather and subsequently our discussion as to why the English are so affected by our weather!). Then our conversation turned into everything around, social media and broadcasting and it turns out that my lovely next door neighbour is a Twit (of course I mean Twitter)... FABULOUS!

It is such a nice surprise for new relationships to be created by the willingness and openess of those who are responsive to it. As such I will now be getting to know my neighbours and exchanging more stories and I CAN'T WAIT. What a lovely mix of people...

WELCOME TO IAN JEANES' 12SECONDS TV CHARADES:

Ok, firstly you need to have an account with 12Seconds.tv so sign up and become a member. When you've done that, get your cheeky little face back here and get ready to read more.

Secondly, do you know the rules of Charades? If you've ever had Christmas or particpated in family events (or if you're an IT geek and there was powercut) then you should. If you don't or need to refresh those hand signals click ME.


Ok good, the basics have been covered, you've got the communication facilities and now the language. Hands on TV... REMEMBER - no speech.

With 12 seconds charades, you've literally got 12 seconds in which to get your FILM/BOOK/SONG/PLAY/PHRASE communicated. And that's it. The plus side is that your audience don't have 12 Seconds to guess it... but if you do it well then you should get lots of correct responses based on your 12 Seconds...


NOW GO... Have fun and spread the Charades love around the world. let me know your thoughts...

YOU READ IT HERE FIRST: 12 NOVEMBER 2008 14:02 (GMT)
 

 

Last night I thought about how I can jump on the SEO and PPC bandwagon. I've done a little research and opened a Google AdSense account. Now I'm going to set up a mini 'theatre' search engine and links page for adverts to raise money for my own theatre company.

Firstly, what do you think? Any tips/advice/assurances?

Secondly, have you done it before? If so, what's the key to a good, effective and cute website that I can make a little money on?

 

This morning started with an early alarm and only two 'snoozes' - a great start. Then I woke up, flicked on the straightners, went into the lounge and flicked on the iron and then went into the bathroom for my shower and mouth cleanse. Straightened my hair, ironed my shirt and performed minor household tasks - by the way, I was dressed at this point! ALL IN 30 MINUTES. 

It's funny, in the early stages of the morning when the brain hasn't had time to engage thought and reflex takes account of everything I find myself able to achieve the rare and impossible for the male species - multi-tasking! I can perform multiple tasks and all within a good time too. This morning I left the apartment at around 7.24am (not to be too precise) and set off for work... tum-te-tum-te-tum tum tum.

It wasn't, however, until I got on the bus that it happened. Within the confines of a warm bus, PTLS (Public Transport Lullaby Syndrome) set in and I fell asleep... and we're not talking 'snooze'. I was OUT. Out for the count. I was woken up by a pleasant fellow who alerted me to our arrival at our destination - I JUST HOPE I DIDN'T SNORE! Deep sleep can bring out the lion inside of me...

So there is it, evidence that you can operate without brain functionality and snooze as a result of such occurences. This morning I reaked of Eau de Zombie... zzzzzZZZZZombie. But I'm alive now.

GOOD MORNING!

And it's not for the money.

Why? Why, then, should somebody enjoy the trials and tribulations that come with being a recruitment consultant. HR HATE you, Managers despise you, receptionists would rather stick pins in their eyes than endure another 'introductory sales call' and Financial Controllers see us as an unnecessary cost.

CORRECT?

Well, there are always PROS and CONS in using a recruitment consultant, but what about the PROs and CONS of hiring a new person. Trawling through endless CVs from people who haven't read the specification, or are looking to change direction and give the job a go but have done nothing to their CV to suggest this. What about those people who apply, then call, then email,, then follow up, then keep calling... and they're not even that good? Well I CAN TELL YOU that having somebody take all that away from you is an amazing opportunity. It's like pouring raw meat into shark infested waters and jumping in yourself.... however, this time, you've got recruitment consultant chainmail to protect you.

Recently for one role I scanned under 900 CVs for one vacancy in order to find an initial shortlist of 25 people, from there I then called all 25, left 18 voicemails and emailed them all too. Then I utilise my network to find the recommendations and referrals, speak to them and then gage the interest enough to put them forward legally and speedily. Once I've got some good talent, I then send over the best 3-5  people. So, the manager/HR/director receives only the quality that has been found trough my hard work and dedication to delivery. They also get a personable person who is there to provide the best service at the least convenience. YES THERE IS A FEE, but it's a small price against the man hours taken away from the individual who is recruiting... even HR have work to do. :-)

BUT HOW TO HANDLE US:

- Firstly, honesty is always the best policy. We have to market you in the best possible way and we ask questions to ascertain that, sometimes they may be personal or come across inappropriately, but through cooperation, you will alnd the dream job and not have your time wasted. I wouldn't be calling you if I didn't think you were worth it - and I'm fussy.

- Secondly, don't be too quick to give away your references or people's names if you haven't built up a good relationship. I work hard at building a trustworthy relationship with my candidates, and by giving me names of people they used to work with only encourages me to develop my network. A bigger network means more opportunities for the candidates, so it can only be a good thing.

- Thirdly, listen and love. Listen to each other, take on board advice and suggestions and provide feedback as much as you can about what's your up to and how you feel... the love will occur naturally.

Its building these relationships that make me love my job, getting to know people who have real passion and belief behind what they do and helping the grow and develop throughout their career. I. LOVE. IT (information technology)

IF YOU HAVE ANY VIEWS ON RECRUITMENT CONSULTANTS AND WHAT WE DO... let me know. I'll be happy to answer your questions.