Jeffrey Dunster

I'm sitting in the Louis Armstrong Internation Airport in New Orleans, LA. This was an intense week and I'm glad to be going home! I've been attending the first ever Do It With Drupal (DIWD) conference.

DIWD, It Was Awesome!

This was my first "real" conference experience. I've attended several as a student at BYU, but this was my first professional conference, with flight, hotel, and per dium arrangements. I would do it again.

I recently learned a new term for a concept I have struggled to explain to people for some time. Connectivism.

I subscribe to the netcast (iTunes link) of the Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Seminar, provided by Stanford University.

First, watch the presentation. It's short, to the point, and effective.

This was a surprising find on TED. TED usually deals with social, economic, design and other touchy-feely topics. This presentation was how to wow investors and, in general, give a powerful presentation that influences your audience. I suspect that this was partially to help all the non-profit leaders in attendance as they seek donations.

How much do you trust your friends and family? Would you trust them enough to pick your major for you? How about your spouse? That may seem absurd to you, but we make many important decisions in our lives believing that they are ours alone. Are they? In practice, most of us consult friends and family, even strangers, about important decisions we must make. We are social creatures that depend extensively on each other.

I want to take a moment to share my philosophy of cultivating your social networks, learning how to trust them, and improving how you use them.

I am reading Ron Paul's book, "The Revolution; A Manifesto". I can see why it generates a great deal of controversy, though I personally agree with every major point he has made. It is refreshing to see someone else stating my long-held beliefs, with historical evidence and personal experiences.

I have been anticipating the release of Spore for several years now—ever since I saw Will Wright demo it on TED.