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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Because it Dovetails so Well With Uncle Wil's Advice....

Hugh MacLeod isn't the fresh face at this year's rodeo. You've heard of him before even if you don't know the name. He previously published Ignor Evrybody, blogs @ gapingvoid.com and draws some of my favorite cartoons. But in that case I would call him the illustrator of snide remarks, witty quips and all the dark thoughts that pass thru our easily frustrated brains while toiling to make others rich as we pray for a TARDIS rescue. And, I suppose, being a fan of English lit, TV and humor, he's a bit of David Tennant's Doctor Who and Douglas Adams rolled into one neat bundle... and he's not even from across the pond. His ancestors are.

Not that it matters all that much where you come from. It just matters that you get to where you want to be. And no- there was no step by step assembly diagram for shutting out your fears and insecurities. There is no bulleted list to tell you how to jump your hurdles. This is an open ended book. Which is a nice change of pace from the normal self help dreck out there.

YOU have to write your owners manual. There's lots of great examples to be sure. But better than that ther is lots of encouragement. And he has a lot of insight as to how the job market has changed and is constantly in flux. So if you, like me, thought that you were seeing things (or actually not seeing things) like the dried up lake bed formerly known as the life time job with pension benefits he lets you know that you aren't crzy. Yea us!!! His experience has made him wise to the fact that rote formulas don't really work any more. Andwe've all known for a while you can't rest on the laurels of a family name to keep your business from needing some bail out money.

Remember I said that I would read it at Borders? I didn't. After I realized I'd seen the illustrations somewhere before, and was a little familiar with the author, I got excited by what he had to say. It isn't your average self help book. It's liek a letter from a friend or your Favorite Uncle Hugh. I already have a favorite Uncle Wil so why not. Nothing in the rulebook for favorite uncles says there can be only one.
(Puh-lease! With a last name like mine you think I would leave that alone? Not on your life. Besides Highlander props are way cooler than Betty Crocker props.... especially when you've heard them all your life.)
Now I tell you, whatever you do, whoever you are and whomever you are meant to be... this little inverstment can only help. So despite severe fiscal issues I bought the book. It's only fair. I've probably odne something ill-mannered by putting the book cover in the post without express written permission. But I only have you 18 readers and I doubt that is going to put a hole in Penguin's budget to have me do a little leg work for their PR department.

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