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Who the Hell Are You?

Recently a question was raised:

"What are you skills, your education, your publishing accomplishments that make you an authority"

It's a fair question, though I can't promise I will answer it in a fair manner.

Since the question covered a lot of ground, the answer will as well.  And since bullet lists are easy to read, I'll go ahead and use them.

The Basics
- I have a genius level IQ
- I make a six figure income in the corporate world
- I am paid to think and plan and create sustainable systems and solve problems
- My specialty in the corporate world is taking on and fixing broken projects
- My formal education is two associates degrees, Poli Sci focus and IT focus
- My mind identifies and resolves patterns with little difficulty
- I read incessantly on an extremely wide variety of subjects, both fiction and non-fiction

How I Implement the Basics
- I know I am never the smartest person in the room, but I can spot them and get them motivated
- I am not afraid to be wrong
- My ego never gets in the way of doing the correct thing
- I am always thinking, creating and running scenarios in my mind, for anything in which I am involved
- I am writing this as I sit in on an interview and can recap the salient point of every conversation that has happened in less than five minutes

What Does this Mean?
- I remain employed because I am extremely competent, I believe we can all agree it is not due to my sparkling personality
- I do not get offended when I am wrong
- My focus is on solving problems not stroking egos

And?
- And nothing of course.  None of the above is of any value if my ideas and the implementation of my ideas is not valid.
- Compensation, education, past performance, etc. is a way of justifying actions rather than defining a sustainable path
- Each person will have to decide for themselves to whom they will listen or turn for advice based on their own motivation

So What's The Point?
- I am at Neopoet.com to become a better writer through active participation in a workshop environment
- The vast majority of members have proven they are at Neopoet to display their hobby writing and be told how special they are
- Spotlight is not the best of Neopoet, it is the most popular
- People who come to Neopoet.com as serious writers need the tools of serious writers
- Tools for serious writers are lacking
- The "I love you, you love me" approach does not support serious writers

Oh, So You Think You Are Better Than Everyone Else?
- Pay attention.  It's not about better or worse, it's about serious or hobbyist

So, What Do You Mean?
- I approach writing as I approach everything else I do.  My goal is to be competent at it
- I am competent at everything I do.  Not the best, perhaps, but at the very least competent
- Neopoet.com is defined as a workshop environment, that's the only reason I am here. 
- When Neopoet.com is no longer a workshop environment, there is no need for me to be here
- Some people are offended by basics facts.  These people are idiots

Why Should We Listen to You?
- Are the ideas I espouse or defend viable and sustainable?
- Is the work I create competent?
- Can I transition my ideas in a clear and effective, not nice, effective, manner?
- Make up your own damn mind, I do not have anything invested in anyone listening to me.

Wait, Publications, What Are Your Publications?
- I have not submitted any fiction for formal consideration for publication in 20+ years
- I have self-published two volumes of poetry
- I run and edit several geek culture websites
- I perform free-lance copy writing by request

So, Does This Make You An Authority?
- That's not for me to decide.

Anything else?
- I am an excellent teacher by the only standard that matters, my students become, at the very least, competent when I teach
- I teach martial arts formally
- I teach stickwork formally
- I teach Project Management in the corporate world
- I get more mentor requests at Neopoet.com than I can fulfill
- I have a low tolerance for idiots


Wow, What an Asshole.
- Yes