Explicitly and without apology a marketing vehicle MaryMaryQuiteContrary

Check out the front page of sun.com. 

:-)

Mary 

There's a neat interview with Jonathan Schwartz that's worth checking out.

 "OK, I'm starting a blog."

With those first six words, Jonathan Schwartz began a journey that would eventually turn him into one of today's most prolific bloggers.

The timing is serendipitous.

I've been having lots of conversations lately about this whole topic... citizen journalism ... it is neat to get Jonathan's perspective.

Mary

About twenty years ago a man who served lunch to Gannett executives handed one the resume of his newly-graduated daughter, who was desperately hoping to land a job at USA Today.

It took courage.

He stepped out of line to try to open a door for his daughter to a world he knew only from stolen glances. He served meals for a living. His role was in some sense to be invisible.

The Gannet executive was indulgent. He treated him warmly, with respect. On that resume he wrote the words: "News Assistant candidate?"

It was the beginning of a professional career -- the first for this immigrant family. My family.

It was a lesson in courage.

And a lesson in graciousness.

It spoke volumes to the kind of man my father is.

And the kind of man who gave me my first break is.

Much has happened over these two decades. Many successes followed. But this exchange -- that lasted just seconds -- was the first step in this journey of a thousand miles.

Today the man who took this step for me celebrates his 79th birthday.

 

May we see him to 100.

Xronia Polla Daddy.

Mary

Three Sun employees from Linlithgow - Fraser Arnot, Chris Beamish and Scott Poole,  have qualified to represent their country -- Great Britain -- in this weekend's World Championship Sprint Triathlon taking place in Hamburg. 

Elite athletes.

Hot-shot professionals.

Pushing the envelope of innovation at work and the limits of physical achievement in sport.

An inspiration.

I am proud (and humbled) to call them my colleagues.

Here's the path if you want to be too.

:-)

Whatever the case, you know who to root for this weekend.

Mary

Our ticker symbol on the NASDAQ changes to JAVA today. 

 

Jonathan has written about this in his blog.  

579 million Java Powered phones. 750 million Java cards.  And now a ticker symbol on the Nasdaq.

Java is everywhere.

Mary

I'm running again.

I haven't really been running for about a month.

Nothing wrong. Just lazy. My get up and go just got up and went, I guess.

But I went out this morning.

And I ran for 50 minutes without stopping. 

The good news is that it's possible to recover from these long absences.

The bad news is that it's painful every step of the way.

Today I ran through the neighborhood I lived in as a young child -- until the age of 8, I guess.

Memory lane.

I'll take my phone tomorrow so I can take some pictures and tell you about it.

OK. Gotta jam. Busy day coming up today. Need to get ready for it.

Mary

Check out the Eco Innovation launch

Jana Lee Frazier

of Silver Spring, Maryland wrote an essay that was recently printed in the Washington Post. 

This piece contains the most beautiful words I have read in a very long time.

Her opening: 

I have been ill, and this summer my world has shrunk to a plot of dirt in a back yard that does not belong to me. The seeds my sister suggestively places in my hand are not mine, either; she buys them at yard sales and flea markets. One day, a perimeter of string appears along a patch of dried weeds. Even the dream is hers.

I strongly encourage you to read the essay. It's well worth your time.

The author is truly masterful.

Mary 

From the people who brought us blogs.sun.com, we've got something as good as a rocket pop on the fourth of July. 

Only better.

Very exciting.

I'm working on this project with the UN Global Youth Leadership Summit series. And I'll be starting my wiki on that this weekend. So if you want a sneak peak on what it's all about, you'll know where to look.

VERY excited about having this infrastructure.

People coming to the network to communicate, collaborate and build community.

The method is the message.

:-)

Mary

 

It's Friday afternoon and I've already ruined my weekend. 

I had a fender-bender. I was backing out of a parking spot at the bank and I didn't look behind me and I hit the car of this lady who was right behind me.

 

I can't believe I did this. 

I haven't had an accident since I was in high school.

I'm just so completely disappointed in myself.

It was careless. I wasn't paying attention.

The lady I hit was very gracious.

It doesn't change the outcome though.

:-(

Mary

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A new poll commissioned by Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW - News) and conducted by Harris Interactive® shows that while U.S. workers want to work for socially and environmentally responsible companies, many are not doing simple things to help their employers conserve energy, such as turning off lights and computers when they are done using them. The study also found that employees are using some energy-saving measures at home but are not taking those same good habits to work with them. If the percentage of America's 81.1 million office workers who are not turning off lights and computers at work took their energy-conscious behaviors to work with them, Sun estimates that those workers could achieve the equivalent of taking 6.1 million cars off the road in aggregate CO2 emissions.

More....  

Eddie Bontado

 

is now on Facebook.

You've got to be a Sun employee really get this.

Here's the path if you want in.  

:-)

Mary 

p.s. Eddie, you never fail to make me laugh out loud. :-) 

 

 

I recently had a 1:1 with Hal Stern. 

Details on what we talked about here.

But I thought you might appreciate seeing the notes that came out of the meeting:

 :-)

Mary 

I've got more to say.

So I've started another blog.

I'm going to try to the others in my immediate group to take the plunge and join me in group blogging there.

(a test of how persuasive I can be) 

:-)