Pure attention reality and measuring impact

Readily admit did not react well when finally got objective evidence of a decent audience response to some of my ideas. Which is an interesting way to put it. Another way to put it is: struggled with handling properly global interest across several areas from a coding effort with an open source project to my math ideas and beyond.

This blog was made by me over a decade ago to try to get a handle on the beyond would think, from the title. Seems lately to be where I try to process things. And for over a decade there have been people out there keeping up with my content and apparently linking to it, and finally got more thankful. You're all kind of the unsung heroes of my story? Yeah, those of you who fit that description are. I DO focus so much on myself. But for so many years it all just seemed so strange.

For so many years have wondered what is real and how to know. That can really make life a struggle because you still have to make decisions regardless, on the daily.

So much has been and still is a mystery to me. And yeah, mystery matters but I mean that to be about not showing too much to your audience. Some people like to peer behind the curtain, but more just want the performance.

Objective reality here though is telling: have maintained global interest by objective measures from 100+ countries, where THAT number comes from downloads of my open source project for over a decade.

The blogs like here, except for Lost in Commentary, trend to 50+ countries where am relying on third party sources with much from Google. Like I use Google Analytics for country counts as can look at on a yearly basis and even compare between years. I also rely on Blogger stats to some extent, but they are less extensive, for some reason. What's up with that Blogger?

And is very mysterious to me who you all are--out there, all over the world.

Maybe I should work on that, huh? Will consider. There are HUGE positives to me with how things have gone. And have talked here much about the web benefit of being in control, yourself. But the big negative is: then how do you make money? Which to me seems kind of pathetic. Never thought money-making focus would end up driving so much. But also is forcing me to settle things.

We can get a pure attention reality where you share your thoughts and people can be interested, or not. Without so many intermediaries who could too often in the past simply be gatekeepers, who could block people just based on their moods or discretions.

In our times we can know just how terribly that worked as SO many people who would never have done well in the old systems, are getting global now. Guess can count myself as one? Guess I should.

So yeah, I need to work on the mystery. Who are YOU who may be reading now? For those who have supported me through the years, amid the ranting, and the endless repeating of how unsettled I am, and who knows what else wacky, thanks!!! Reality is, most of my global attention is just from ideas that I share without some huge production.

For that to work though, especially to stay at the global level is about the audience for the content.

That is just how such things work.

Measurement though is so much about other people. Sure I can control the content here, and my decisions to post or not, and edit or whatever.

But measuring things like how global this blog is? That is out of my hands.

Information about interest comes from others.


James Harris

Some quick background

Grew up in the United States in Tift County, just outside the small city of Tifton, GA, actually next to a farm. Is a rural area. And is part of what is known as the Deep South.

• Went to my first college course at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College usually simply called ABAC when I was 12, where I got an A, with a simple course to me on BASIC programming language back in 1982.
• Went to Duke University twice as part of their Talent Identification Program also called TIP, which is summer program for gifted youth. Studied math first time and computer science the second, with a course in Structured C taught by a researcher from the IBM Research Triangle.
• Had highest SAT of my high school class and went on to study at Vanderbilt University, where got my degree in physics, in 1991.
• Random information: had six college credit hours before graduating high school and didn't bother to declare them when enrolled at Vanderbilt. Later asked and they said was too late (I think if remember correctly). Oh well. Didn't matter though.
• Enlisted in the US Army after graduating, oddly enough but feel like was a great decision. And I worked my entire time on active duty in medical areas. Like at first was primarily an EKG tech is the civilian but the military title was way cooler: Cardiac Specialist

Did tend to confuse some people though.

Debating if should add more or not, and think this particular post works for just some tidbits, from so long ago seems like now. Last was over 20 years ago.


James Harris

Comfort in time with global

With a rapidly changing world is not surprising to have things that can rattle you. And for people who build things that operate globally in any way, am sure there is quite a bit to that reality. Where for most that will be as part of some organization, and include lots of structure.

And that would be with a single global product, where for me there are roughly half a dozen is my rough estimate where have talked how consider.

So imagine a global team with one thing and how that might stress them as they work to maintain. There IS a global standard folks. Just look around you to consider various global entities. Where I readily admit do that often. And at times am checking also where that standard is, as shifts.

Then imagine a single human with a global thing, who is not me.

To get to me, consider someone who has at least half a dozen, he thinks. And I have to manage all of it. Where I primarily use 4 blogs now, where this one helps me consider such things.

Maintaining a global presence in our times is an interesting challenge to me. The competition?

Is relentless.

However, usually am competing with myself, which I noticed when that got really hard, and started lowering my expectations. Like for this blog is 60+ countries annually really necessary? By web measures from strangers I have to trust anyway? And realized that 50+ or around there is good enough for me!

What does it do to a person though? I wonder. More and more am looking at other things in different ways as get even more meta. More curious about, how do I do it? I realized, I probably need to know.

And there is a relentlessness to the activity in a way though more manage as thankfully everything is on, and available 24 hours a day. So what is in flow as I like to describe it, is a constant thing to consider.

Any fixes have to be done while everything is in full production, unless am building something HUGE like a new primary portal, like was happening with my latest blog. Otherwise full production mode, for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year is the basic standard.

Where new things like this post, go quickly to in flow, and then I edit until satisfied with option to edit just about anything, anywhere if a command decision to do so is made.

Eventually I think executive function has to be always there but in the background lots, where web makes that possible. Often just need a smartphone and a web connection and if necessary can make executive decisions. But best thing is for that to almost never be necessary.

But have awakened in the past like at 2 am realizing need to fix something. I really do not like that happening. Get on the web, get it done, and get back to sleep then. Reminding myself to work harder, and smarter. Efficiency is a necessity or you just cannot get everything done.

People check things relentlessly. You need things operational that are always there to answer.

To my mind is primarily about a focus on functional ideas.

So much about attention elsewhere in our times has been about mood chasing. Like entertainment I say is just a way to safely control mood.

Focusing on ideas as attention drivers has long been a working concept for me. And I like to talk about my ideas as entities.

The ideas actually do the work of drawing attention when people find them useful, so functional perspective is best is my philosophy. And the web enables global distribution, which is rapid and constant. Yeah that explains a lot.

As rattled by web disruption as have been in the past, time has allowed a certain comfort to return. Experience can be a great teacher. With new things so revolutionary like the web is only way I know to learn--by DOING things.

So I try things, and try to figure out what happens as a result. Is fun, usually. More comfortable with global now, but so many years of massive effort to get here.


James Harris

Be professional tell myself

Got lucky in so many ways where discuss much, as talked my backstory quite a bit more recently where used this blog primarily. And one word meant a lot for me, which is, unsettled. Where am glad had another word, professionalism, to ponder where solid ground could be found.

There is something about what like to call the stranger economy where you can go get wonderful things, as long as you have the money and behave somewhat yourself. Like few places want you walking in naked for anything, even if you're holding a wad of cash. And where can you get away with being rude? Or other things not to do could list? (Of course some places you are quite welcome nude.) We have to follow some rules, as humans, if we are to get things usually, from our fellow humans.

And being professional is very telling. But what is it really?

Easier to talk what it is not. Like actually had a vague plan in mind for my first interview with a major news organization, which was actually able to implement. That was because happened as a karaoke singer which have brought up before. And I was just one of several, for a fluff piece for the San Francisco Chronicle which ended up published literally on the last page.

But whoosh! That was the impact for me for a few days in the city, which is another subject. But what was fun was I knew by then I was global. But not in a way apparently that registers even now much with established press.

Have seized on one easily shared fact for one thing I have, which is a software tool, which I use which is for Java developers. With downloads from over 150 countries in its lifetime, I can focus on that as proof global.

My personal creation where I wrote every bit of it. Was all my decision to put it up and keep it up. And I still control my code completely, though also is open source which means that is not suppressive in any meaningful way. Others could build from if they wished.

So I would ask myself, to move from surreal to real: how many people can put up something entirely their own which can gather any kind of attention from over 150 countries? That one would stump my ability to try to rationalize away as maybe nothing important. Then though that other thing would gain greater force--unsettled. Not much else made sense as forced myself to focus objective.

But got fun out of it, with a very unprofessional interview for my first interview with a major news organization as San Francisco Chronicle qualifies. Had been drinking before the reporter informed he would be interviewing me and others, but hey, is a karaoke bar, of course! Got to drinking more.

Directed him around to other singers till he got to me last, and I cursed every other word. He just smiled benignly at me. Have told this story before but guess love it so much, so like to repeat it.

Of course no curse words would make it into what made it into the paper but I was happier that way anyway. Not like I would want that published, you know?

Was a flight from my ideas really. Even the silly of it, was an escape. And have talked that subject more as well. My ideas are always there though. They challenge me relentlessly. I work hard to find ways to feel more settled.

Was just the thrill of being able to do that wild interview when knew it would not matter, for once. My aim now of course for any other interviews is to be a consummate professional is the phrase. Like I should write that down, maybe even to make certain is clear even to myself. Ok I tell myself. Ok.

There are just rules we need to follow as humans beings if we wish to get along well with our fellow human beings. Writing things down helps me, really it does.

Do aim so much to be, civilized.

Talking about things now where am so glad were SO many years ago, can feel like distant subjects. Am lucky there too. Things barely had time to consider in the past finally feel make sense to me now.

Where so much finally does feel, settled.


James Harris