Ali Bytes: Bullet-sized strategies for modern living

Similar to simple, clever websites I’ve highlighted in past posts - like “stuff people like” blogs and FailBlog.com - new viral websites seem to be responding to a sort of backlash against web 2.0. It’s as if users are saying, “I don’t want to contribute. Just give me something easy and amusing (and useful if possible).” Here are some examples I’ve spotted in the past few months. Do you have any to add to the list?

1. Shiba Inu Live Puppy Cam: Probably the most famous of all, this site has been written up in tons of articles like this NY Times piece. It literally requires nothing but staring at your computer screen. While I love puppies, it’s a little like watching paint dry.
2. YourOfficeSucks.com: Some funny, many odd, and some boring ways to know whether your office sucks. Keep hitting refresh for a few rounds and then get back to your job search.
3. WiFiFreeSpot.com: The name says it all. The site is a directory of all locations that offer Free Wi-Fi. Simple and useful.
   
4. Web 2.0 Bullshit Generator: You can keep hitting the button until you get what you need. Also try Web 2.0 company name generator.
5. UmbrellaToday.com: Apparently I’m the last to know about the simplest weather report ever. Just type your zip code to get a “Yes” or a “No.”
6. LetMeGoogleThatForYou.com (or LMGTFY.com if you’re an acronym person): Lifehacker, the blog on getting things done, says this site “passive-aggressively helps your friends.” Type a question. Click a button.
7. PalinAsPresident.us: This site is now old of course, but if you need a dose of Obamaspiration or want to remember what could have been, check it out.

In the last decade of her life, my 90+ year old great grandmother Mimi had a boyfriend. This was often one of the first things I would tell people about her; I thought it best highlighted her vibrant, youthful spirit despite the connotations of her age.

Though the word “boyfriend” was fitting for Mimi and is for so many, it doesn’t work for me. I’ve always placed a lot of the weight on words and labels - possibly too much - and find boyfriend comes with too much baggage. I recently read an article that made me realize I’m not alone: Adults stumble over what to call their romantic partners (also the topic of a discussion led by Ben Zimmer at Visual Thesaurus). “The need for just the right descriptor is a signal of the societal changes surrounding social identities,” says Stanford linguistics professor Arnold Zwicky.

So I’ve collected some of the popular (and not so popular) ways to describe “that individual” in your life. What do you think? Does the label even matter? Which do you think captures your relationship but doesn’t sound over complicated, cause misunderstanding or awkwardness?

1. Significant other: What about all the other people who are significant?
2. Partner: Too official or business-like? Perhaps alternatives like romantic partner or dating partner could work?
3. Companion: Too plain?
4. Sweetheart or sweetie: Too cute?
5. Lover: TMI for the average conversation? How about these non English alternatives: Amoureux, Mon/Mon Amour, Amante/Amore, Mi Amante/Mi Amor which translate to lover/my love in French, Italian and Spanish/Portuguese respectively?
6. Boyfriend or girlfriend: Too young sounding?
7. Better/Other half: Too insecure?
8. POSSLQ: Too much explanation required? (According to the USA Today article, POSSLQ is a 1970s U.S. Census acronym for “Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters”)
9. Mate: Too functional? How about more descriptive alternatives like “inti-mate” or datemate?
10. Person I’m dating: Too many words required?
11. Beau: Too French?
12. Dear: Too elderly?
13. Paramour: Too illicit?
14. Special friend: Too mockable?
15. “SE” or spousal equivalent: Too serious?

I recently got myself into a debate about whether there is such thing as a new idea. I say “got myself into” because I found myself passionately arguing that successful authors, inventors, entrepreneurs, consultants, etc. are really only tweaking an existing idea (like Softsoap) or repackaging it (ala Rome and Jules). Though I’m not actually sure if I agree with myself that there are no new ideas, many others do including Carl Sagan who said “If you wish to make an apple pie truly from scratch, you must first invent the universe.”

True or not, innovation seems to be the leading strategy in business today. To be innovative when there are no new ideas puts more pressure and value on collaborative brainstorming and no one does it better than Ideo. If you haven’t heard of them, they are leading innovators in innovation and embrace the principles below. (After you read this, scroll down for links to more on Ideo)

1. Quantity over quality: Contrary to the lessons of every teacher we’ve ever had, Ideo embraces the value of quantity because it takes quantity to get to quality. In their brainstorms, there is no such thing as a bad idea (at least at first) and in fact, the crazier the better. They start with the longest list of ideas possible before narrowing down to ideas that might have legs.
2. One conversation at a time: At its essence, this principle is about trust. Giving an individual the floor with no fear of interruption or self consciousness, establishes a high level of respect that everyone’s voices and contributions will be heard. Trust is the foundation of creativity and collaboration.
3. Start with “Yes, and…”: One of the Ideo rules is that you can’t use “but.” The idea is to acknowledge the contributions of each person and build on their ideas rather than try to poke holes in them. It’s the same golden rule used in improv comedy.
4. 100% diverse participation: Ideo has employees of all different backgrounds like psychology and biochemistry and they encourage all of them to participate in brainstorms. Incorporating perspectives from all angles into their designs makes for superior quality products.
5. Post it and Vote it: Ideo loves post it notes. Putting ideas on paper allows people to visualize the ideas, move them around and easily add to them. They when they’ve gotten enough ideas on the table (or wall), the group uses more post its or markers to vote on their favorite ideas to start narrowing them down.
6. Use toys and rules: Combining structure of rules like “yes and” with fun, like nerf toys which you can throw at people when they break the rules, helps break down “old rules” of self editing as highlighted in this great TED talk by Ideo CEO Tim Brown on “The powerful link between creativity and play.” Holding people accountable with toys ensures people take the rules seriously and that the spirit of creativity is not lost if they break the rules.

To see Ideo in action, I highly recommend you check out their 3 part 60 Minutes segment on ABC from 1999 and this Business Week article from 2004. If you liked this post, you might like these other posts: 7 barriers to innovation and 8 questions to ask yourself before starting a business.

As you’ve surely noticed, AliBytes couldn’t keep up with the shock and humor that came out of the last couple month’s election cycle. Every day there was something new drawing me into YouTube for hours. Combine that with trying to fit two semesters of business school into one while working, and the result is my poor, suffering blog. So to begin a new era, both for this blog and for the country, I’ll offer a final post on the election (though I’m not promising I won’t blog again about Obama).

If this The Onion video describes you a little bit or even if you find yourself on the other side, you may be interested in an election memento from Cafe Press with one of these clever slogans on it.

1. Even my llama is for Obama
2. The United States of America has B.O.
3. OMFG
4. I voted in the 2008 election and all I got was a free cup of coffee
5. I like my President like my coffee: black and strong!
6. Voting is just like driving: If you want to go backward choose “R.” If you want to go forward choose “D.”
7. Don’t tax me, bro
8. Dear Santa, Thanks but I got what I wanted on Nov. 4th!