Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with ideas

How to be Magnum PI for Halloween?

Twinedog — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:58:19 -0800

How can I be a good Magnum PI for Halloween? What are the essential costume pieces?Curly Wig, fake mustache, tigers hat, Ray Ban cop sunglasses, blue jeans and Hawaiin shirt? Can't afford the ferrari whats a funny way to reference it?

Where Can I Receive Feedback on Research Ideas?

gadha — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:38:53 -0800

Are there any websites I can post research ideas and receive feedback on them? (compsci) I sometimes get ideas in different areas of computer science, most of which (the areas) are not within my expertise. Is there any place, formal or informal, where I can share them and receive critical feedback on them? (I understand that there is the risk of the idea getting stolen or hijacked, I'm ok with that)

What do I write, and give to him the last day of a friendly brake up?

zulonline — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:42:44 -0800

What do I write, and give to him the last day of a friendly break up? We've agreed that the best thing for both of us is that I move out of his place after a year and a half, (as I can't bear any more the situation of loving someone who does not love me).

I will move out while he is away of the country travelling for work, so when he gets back my room will be empty. For the times we've shared, and the care and support he’s showed for me on several occasions, I would like to leave in my bed room a little something, and a short letter.

Any of you imaginative/ writers out there, could give me some advice what to Buy? Also, what to write? (English is not my first language and it’s difficult for me to write something special, touching and well written to him for this occasion and the circumstances).

ESHER IDEAS

ss448 — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:53:24 -0800

I need IDEAS!! - Working on a piece/pieces inspired by Escher and need your help!!! PLEASE READ The graphic works of Escher have many layers of depth with the influences of psychology, mathematics and technique which have made a major impact in design as we know it today. For school, I am working on a project that is influenced by Escher. I already wrote the paper and now I need a good original piece to go along with it.

The piece is for my portfolio, so I really want it to be strong. I think I could have chosen the obvious route and done some sort of Tessellation or I could have worked with Photoshop and altered some pics, to make my own escher inspired master piece. But I think maybe that is too literal. What I want to try to concentrate on is the Duality in his work. So not so much his work, but really what the work does when you look at it.

I feel like when I look at escher's work it is posing a question. Whether you are trying to figure out what is up/down, good/evil, concave/convex. The viewer is captured by the question, and has to seek out the answer. And the answer is always virtual...their is no correct answer, it is just forcing you to think.

So ideas! - I need them, I started taking some photos around the city, to see if I could capture Duality, but it's pretty hard to find obvious paradoxes within the city, while having only limited time.

Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way. I need help, advice, suggestions.....everything. I don't have to work with photography, I can make an illustration, a poster, a book, anything.....My first Idea was a photobook, with a few quotes in it. But now I am ready to explore anything (Graphic Design related), I am just limited on time. PLEASE HELP!

A Certain Kind of Beauty

divabat — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:25:39 -0800

I'm trying to cultivate a certain kind of beauty in life - something exemplified by the likes of Dumbo feather, pass it on and Keri Smith's blog. Where else can I find such beauty? This would be a hard thing to put into words, but essentially I found that I'm tired of the rat-race, having to promote myself every second, get to the top life that I've lived for the past few years. I want to take it slow. I'm also tired of having to define myself by what I do - I'd rather just be me, regardless of my job description.

I'm imagining this new state of mind in pictures - sunsets, blowing dandelion puffs, free and floating, soft and gently. Almost bohemian. Peaceful, somewhat magical, doing good for the world by sharing peaceful vibes.

I'm looking for people, media, resources, etc that inspire that sort of beauty.

Dumbo Feather is an Australian mook that interviews 5 people about their lives per issue - what I loved about it (aside from the great writing) was that while their interviewees did all sorts of interesting things, they weren't defined by their job. Rather, the interviews showcased how they saw and moved in the world. Similarly, this post from Keri Smith affected me deeply as it sums up how I feel, and I find her blog inspiring in the same way.

What else could I read, see, do? Does anyone understand the type of beauty I'm trying to reach out to? What else (or who else) exemplifies that beauty for you?

"Why didn't anyone think of that before?"

ShooBoo — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:14:19 -0800

What are some innovations that come across as obvious solutions for problems? Something that makes you say, "Why didn't anyone think of that before?" Three that I can think of are: ketchup bottles that pour from the bottom, adding a notch to make it easier to tear open sealed packages, and having a single line for all bank tellers instead of a line for each teller. Ketchup bottles pouring from the bottom: I've also seen this with shampoo. However, I don't think they have this completely right yet as most of the time the bottles are essentially upside-down regular bottles that are top-heavy and can fall over easily.

Notched packages: I only recall seeing these in the last five years are so. How long have this been done for? It certainly cuts down on the struggle of opening plastic packages.

Single lines for bank tellers: I first noticed the switch in the mid 1970's. Previously, there were individual lines for each teller and you'd never know if you'd get stuck behind someone with an annoyingly long transaction. It would be nice if something like that could be done for cashiers at supermarkets and retail stores.

And here's one that I think someone should sell, take the pour from the bottom of the bottle one step further and use a syringe for thick liquids (ketchup, mustard, honey, etc.)

Breaking into Performance Art

divabat — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 03:45:01 -0800

How do I get into performance art? I've seen this video series and read some links, and find the concept of performance art interesting. However, I'm finding it hard to get more resources and help on breaking into performance art.

Whenever I try asking people about it, they think I'm asking about performing arts and start referring me to theatres and choirs. (Google does the exact same thing.) Trying to describe performance art is tricky too - "well, they do weird stuff. In all sorts of styles. And it has a concept."

I have plenty of ideas for potential performance art, but I don't know how to start putting them together. I'm worried about seeming wanky or pretentious, when really all I want to do is express myself in a mixture of mediums. (A large part of this involves creating a persona, which is also another hard subject to Google - I keep getting stuff about MPD or superheroes.)

How do I find a teacher to guide me? What resources are out there and how do I find them (without getting stuck into the Performing Arts section)? How can I develop myself and my art? How do I get my ideas out of my head and onto...well, whatever my stage happens to be?

What's the name of this particular peer review website?

Jimmie — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:00:40 -0800

There's a specific website I once visited. You could post your ideas for anything - a product, a new technology, a book, etc. Other users could comment and critique your idea. The website had a large picture of a fortune cookie on it. Does anybody know the name and URL of the website I speak of?

How to spend a minute of free time?

macsigler — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:20:29 -0800

I work at a call center, and have very short breaks in between calls, but it's frequent enough to get a little boring. What kind of productive ideas do you all have for something I could do? I've tried reading a book, but unless it's very simple with not too many words on the page, it's easy to lose my place.
I'm not a good artist. I can't really think of anything to write about.
I can't do homework that's very technical (i.e. math/science) since I get interrupted by the calls halfway into the problem.

Any ideas?

What should I be when my company grows up?

Anonymous — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:01:51 -0800

What do I want my actual position with a start-up to be when it becomes a more structured company? So I work for a software start-up that is growing and getting funding. My boss wants to know what I would like my actual position to be when we grow up in probably 3-6 months.

Currently I handle some marketing as well as other more business processes. At the moment the business side of the company is only two of us.

I can passably create things such as project plans and communications plans but I am not that great at it and do not enjoy such tasks.

I am great at, and enjoy, defining the brand and dealing with larger strategic issues such as new markets we might want to explore.

I have worked in consulting in the past developing new product and positioning. Generally anything that involves throwing out ideas and creation I am rather good at.

The problem is I am not very good at the organization or math. While I am getting my MBA from a great school I struggled through classes such as Stats and Accounting while doing extremely well in Negotiations, Leadership, etc. I am much more strategic than tactical.

I want to make sure I don't get pushed to the sidelines when it comes to actually running the company. I still want to be involved in large decisions and keep a position of power in the company as it grows...especially once we have a board and such.

So what should this guy with a bunch of crazy ideas be to become more legit?

Wedding/anniversary gift ideas for hard-to-shop for couple!

pseudostrabismus — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:47:03 -0800

Gift ideas for close friends' wedding / first anniversary, please! I didn't get my friend a wedding gift (she demanded that her bridesmaids not get gifts) but it's almost a year later & it still bugs me. Their first (paper) anniversary is fast approaching, and I'd like to get them something special.

Budget = under $200.
I'd be happy to get them some kind of experience rather than an object. Maybe a meal somewhere? I have thought about this daily for over a year, and I have NO idea what to get.

About them:

Her: 30, actor, very urban; likes cooking, dancing, shopping, film, Alvin Ailey dance company. Dislikes camping, wilderness, hunting, plant life, computers. Taste in home decor runs towards "South Asian hippie bordello" - dark, carved wood, bright fresh flowers, coloured glass jars, candles, rich, intensely-coloured indian silks draped over Xmas lights. Fave colours: baby blue, grass green.

Him: 40, animation painter, very nature-oriented. Loves camping, wilderness, hunting, canoeing, guns & crossbows, painting. Dislikes urban life. Taste in home decor runs to "Hunting Lodge"- canoe strapped to the ceiling, dark distressed wood, paintings of pine trees, antlers on the wall. Fave colours: chocolate brown, moss green.

They are both gregarious, playful, messy, funny, laughing, lovely party animals, generally adventurous & up for anything. They both like good food (avoiding refined sugar), dancing, and Christmas. They tend to be a little strapped for cash. They both tend to dislike "cookie cutter presents" like alcohol or gift certificates. They have a black lab which serves as a fur-child for her and a hunting dog for him.

Ideas I have considered:
Portable dishwasher - this would have been ideal but they got one from someone else, dang!
Maid service (I think they'd appreciate it, but it seems weird)
Small video camera or lomo camera (they don't really take photos, though)
Vintage steamer trunk (this would be pretty good but I dunno where to find one)

What the heck should I get them? This is in Toronto, by the way.
Thanks!

Dealing with blank slates

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:53:18 -0800

I consider myself creative in some areas. But I have problems with the "blank slate". But I'm great at improving things once they start to take shape. Am I weird or are there others like me? My job is in a field that demands creativity. I've been at it for many years now. Here's my problem: when it comes to starting completely from scratch and coming up with a new concept, I find it hard to tackle the blank slate. It takes me a long time to get off and start off with a skeleton that I can build something off.

However... I am pretty darn good at improving or fixing concepts that are just starting to take shape. For instance, if somebody shows me a basic web page design, I can instantly think of a hundred ways to improve it. If somebody asks me how I would fix a mediocre dish, I can come up with many ideas on how to improve the recipe. If somebody asks me what I think of a particular marketing campaign, I can probably think of numerous ways to refine it.

I am a refiner of ideas, IMHO. I try to take "good" and turn it into "great". What I seemingly am not is the guy who provides the initial spark. I sometimes find myself completely blank in my head when asked to build anew.

Have you people experienced this behaviour in yourself or others before? If so, what are possible remedies? Or what are professions where this might be an asset?

Managing an Anothology Project

divabat — Fri, 30 May 2008 03:16:08 -0800

What should I take into consideration when spearheading an anthology project? What resources are out there for us? I'm organizing a book project to collect real-life stories related to the Others (non-Malay/Chinese/Indian, classified as "Other" on all official documentation) in Malaysia. This only started a few days ago, so it's all planning at this stage, but currently I've built up a great team and we're discussing issues on content, definitions, research, publication, and publicity.

While some of us in the group have some experience with publishing (as a writer, editor, or just part of the process somehow), none of us really have that much experience in starting, organizing, and managing such a project. I'm doing quite a bit of brainstorming to work out what we need to consider, but would like some ideas and tips in case I left anything out.

1. Publication - I've contacted a well-known socially-conscious (and somewhat alternative, but great for our target audience) local publisher, who is interested in looking at our manuscript when we're done. Their advice was to "just do it". This is great, but I'd also like Plans B, C, D, Etc.

How else can we find possible publishers, what should we look for in a publisher, and what should we ask them? Some in our group have suggested self-publishing - what should we take into consideration about this option? What other alternative options are there? (Malaysians, particularly our target readers, are quite web-savvy, but it is a bit difficult to purchase online due to Paypal/bank restrictions.)

2. Rights - how do we manage rights and contracts with contributors? I would like the contributors to keep the copyright to their works (and give an option for a Creative Commons license), but would this be a good idea overall? We're planning on field interviews (to get stories from people who won't necessarily write their own tales, such as older folk) and may possibly deal with translations - who gets the rights to those?

3. Finances - assuming we make money out of this, what would we do with the money? I don't think we'll ever make enough to pay each contributor individually (though that would be great!!). Donating the proceeds to an NGO would be great, but our topic is in-between niche and general and there isn't a specific NGO for Malaysian Others yet.

Also, I've heard a lot about how we shouldn't pay to get something published. If we're getting published through an established publisher, are there any costs we still have to look out for? We're thinking of possibly getting sponsorship - is it worth it? Would we need sponsorship? (Perhaps to cover costs of research and compilation?) Where would be good resources for money?

4. Timelines - what's a typical timeline for this project? I was thinking 6 months - get the Call for Submissions and guidelines ready within 3-4 weeks, get submissions for about 3-4 months, edit and compile and get everything ready for publication by Month 6. Is that realistic, or too short? What's normal?

5. Team needs - currently I'm scouting people for editorials, research/field interviews, publicity/promotions, website management, and logistics/finance/publishing. What other skills and roles would we need for a project like this?

Are there any resources for managing a project like this? I've seen plenty of books and articles on non-fiction writing, but those tend to assume you're the sole writer. Any resources on managing anthologies?

Thanks so much!

Vacation ideas needed : with teens

Scoops — Tue, 27 May 2008 10:20:51 -0800

I'm planning a summer vacation with our three teenaged boys. 14 year old twins and a 13 year old. We've done the Florida/disney thing already and I'm looking for some ideas for a fun place to go where they'll have enough to keep them busy and out of trouble for a week. Budget is $7000 all in. Any thoughts out there?

Where can I find pictures of pretty objects?

Alison — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:25:54 -0800

I really like looking at pictures of beautiful/clever/interesting products. What are some frequently updated blogs that feature good pictures of really cool stuff? I'm talking about pictures of clothing, gadgets, prints, handmade goods, kitchen implements...pictures of almost anything tangible, and the featured items don't have to be for sale. I like making things and I frequently find inspiration by looking at stuff that other people have made. Plus, for some reason I find joy in looking at well designed things.

I already visit a few sites that scratch my product design itch, but I'm always looking for more. A few of my favorites are:

Grain Edit
Readymade Blog
Dress A Day
Etsy (although I would love to see any blogs that attempt to distill the best of Etsy)

Make my mom's day!

keep it tight — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:38:30 -0800

So what are you getting for your mom on mothers day? Mothers day is just around the corner and i once again am stuck. My mom is young, in good health, and currently at the beach with my dad. She has pretty much everything she wants...

Other the lunch out or a Starbucks gift card, I am stuck with no ideas!

Help me hive!

Here's why I think cats could never drive cars

Turtles all the way down — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:13:22 -0800

How do I meet smart, sparkling people? I live in the West End of Vancouver, where I used to frequent a couple of notorious bars. At these places, I was, on any given night, likely to come across smart, interesting people. For various reasons (the bars aren't there anymore being one, but not the only) I no longer do this, and I miss the opportunity to explore ideas with strangers. I really do miss it, and wonder how I can regain this opportunity in a nonalcoholic setting.

Help me be an awesome uncle

special-k — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:31:27 -0800

My nephew turns 10 soon. I got him The Dangerous book for boys. What else can I add to make it more awesome? So far I have some rope, string, and a pocket knife (although I am not entirely sure I should give him one). I don't have the book yet (should arrive tomorrow) but if you've given this to someone, what other small items would make this more awesome?

How best to take discreet private notes on a not so private computer?

therubettes — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:34:50 -0800

I want software which will allow me to capture text thoughts at work, to a remote web location - quickly, discreetly and privately. I work at a computer which is visible to co-workers and is sometimes used by others at short/no notice, so I would like to make the following senario a reality.

1. At work I have a non-work related thought which I wish to capture.

2. I input a keyboard shortcut and am presented with a simple command line interface. Something similar to the google desktop quick search if you have seen it, but perhaps even a little more discreet if thats possible.

3. I type the thought and hit enter/esc and the input screen/command line disappears.

4. The text I entered is not stored locally but sent to some remote web location (I am willing to pay for this service if necessary) where it can be reviewed and edited by me at a later time.

Additional Info:

I am using Windows XP.
A physical notebook and pen is not what I want.
I have had a Palm and did not like it.
I do not want to have to open a web browser.
Have tried using Yahoo Notepad with widget but it is not what I want.
I lose USB memory sticks too often for that to be a reliable method.
A local text file fails the privacy test.
I would prefer not to have to install software but would be happy to run an exe, if it did the job and was safe.
I do not wish to use my cell-phone.
I would like to be able to capture the thought almost as soon as I have it and then return to work immediately.
This is not related to GTD and I do not wish to do any more than input shortcut, type though, hit return.

I have checked lifehacker, ask mefi and similar sites for what I want but can't find precisely what I want.

I want to write for interesting online magazines

0bvious — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:16:42 -0800

I am looking for online magazines to submit art/literature/experimental/fun articles to. I think 'The Believer' magazine is a good example of the type I crave. UK based would be best, but not completely necessary. Any ideas?

Ideas for a death metal theme party?

sveskemus — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:14:28 -0800

I'm hosting a death metal/black metal themed party on Friday. I would love some recommendations for ways to make it memorable. If anybody has suggestions for my costume, decorations, a welcome drink, a party game and/or anything else it's much appreciated!

Things I've already done: Ordered a pig's head from the butcher and bought a couple of Mayhem albums. I'm not really sure what I'll do with the pig's head yet but it seemed appropriate.

What Could I Do With My 2009?

divabat — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 05:03:03 -0800

This year's my final year of my degree. My psychologist asked me if I had any plans for next year. My original plan fell apart, so now I don't really have anything. Hmm. What could I look into? So I didn't get shortlisted for the Danish KaosPilots. Ouch. I'm still sad about it, but I've had two weeks to brood about it and it's time to move on.

Since I had been so single-mindedly focused on that one goal for the past six months, I didn't really consider Plans B, C, and so on. (I did consider that it would be a possibility, but I didn't spend too much time on it.) I had been pretty worn out from all that preparation and planning, so I'm taking at least this month off from anything along the lines of "my future" and just do random things for a while. If something strikes me as interesting, I'd apply for it, but I won't devote much time or energy on it.

I do still have to think about next year though. This is my final year; I'm finishing off all my required subjects this sem and have 4 electives free next semester. Deciding what to do after university isn't really a clear-cut process, as there are a few complex factors that need to be considered.

While I don't think I'm quite ready to devote my entire life to one pursuit (like I did before), and I don't want to commit to something just yet, I'd like to explore my options and just take a look at what seems interesting.

I'm interested in young people, non-traditional education, culture, community work, and making a difference. What could I do? What could I explore?

Some ideas:

1. Apply for the KaosPilots in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) - it starts roughly around the same time as the Denmark school, but they seem a lot more excited about potentially having me (though I don't want to get my heart broken again!!)

2. Do a Masters or a Grad Dip in something - some courses that look interesting and are more the kind of stuff I'm interested in are the Non-Profit/Philantrophy stream in QUT's Business programs (though I'm ineligible because they're part-time); International Comparative Education and Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies in Stanford; Arts in Youth and Community Development in Columbia College Chicago; SIT Graduate Programs; Humane Education. Possibly also education in general, social work, or counselling. I'd rather it be more experiential and real-world as I'm sick of academic writing and learn best by doing, but I'm not sure how to search out this information.

3. Get a job in Australia. The main problem here is visas - to be eligible for the 18-month bridging visa, my job has to pay me at least $40,000/year - next to impossible for entry level, especially in the creative industries/community services which are underfunded. The other option is to be sponsored by a company, but they need to have a lot of resources to prove that I'm better than any Australian candidate, and most of the companies that would otherwise be an excellent fit just can't afford to do so.

4. Get a job in Malaysia. No visa issues, but prospects are pretty low as there aren't as many opportunities.

5. Take some of my ideas and make them real (so this would also involve research on funding, project management, how I'll survive while I plan out my project...)

6. Apply for my dream job at UWP, if it's available

7. Take up the partial scholarship from The Scholar Ship and travel for a sem - might need to reapply though. Alternatively, travel on similar programs (though funding would be an issue)

8. Take up BrainStore's traineeship offer - 3 months in Switzerland. It's actually meant for this August but I could defer it.

9. Apply for a fellowship to something - I've applied to a couple that don't require much travel (and pay expenses if I have to). Sauve Scholars would be COOL. I'm not sure where to search for these though - most of the ones I find require you to already have a project in mind, but I want to find a project I can get involved with.

10. Stay at home, mooch off the parents. While desirable by my parents (who sometimes have Empty Nest Syndrome) I would be bored very quickly.

11. Travel, though this would eat up money mainly in visa fees (damn Bangladesh passport).

12. Do a second degree in something, or a random course that's more for fun than anything else

13. Try to be famous for...something.

As I've said before, I'm most interested in exploring possibilities than anything else, so feel free to toss me any suggestions - schools, programs, people, countries (particularly those not picky with visas), companies, visa advice, etc. Most of the best/most interesting ones tend to be US-specific, so anything that allows internationals would be best (e.g. an international City Year or Peace Corps).

If nothing else, just looking at all the ideas would get me a little more excited about life and lift me out from my dumps!

Thank you!

Over-Ambitious Teenagers

divabat — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 03:40:03 -0800

If you were writing a book/essay about the motivations of over-ambitious young people, where would you look for research? One of my friends was asking me why young people (often like myself) would go through all that effort to apply for opportunities (conferences, courses, fellowships, etc) overseas, then go through the hassle of trying to find funding for them. Why not, she asked, just save up your money and apply, or go to something in your own turf?

In my reply, I had mentioned Government grants, and she said that she'd rather her tax money go towards a charity for the homeless rather than "to send an over-ambitious teenager overseas to chat with the UN". That term inspired me to think about doing a book or essay on such "teens" (or youths) - the ones who go conference-hopping, or travel on unorthodox study abroad programs, or hike for weeks in Tibet, or so on. Why do they want to do so? How did they support themselves? What challenges did they face?

To do this though, I need to do extensive research on the background issues so that I know my argument holds water. Which areas can I research to flesh out my arguments?

So far I'm considering:

* Currency values across the world (what can $1000 buy you in different places, for example)
* Why events/conferences/programs charge the amount that they do, and where the money goes to
* The percentage of Government budgeting towards different fields (education vs war vs medicare etc)
* Funding opportunities for young people in this position
* Attitudes towards overachievers - Tall Poppy Syndrome, Impostor Syndrome, etc
* The impact of such programs internationally (for example, the argument that short-term study-abroad/service programs only benefit the student, not the host)

My main argument is that side costs (such as travel) are usually the high and hard-to-fund costs, that Government funding for these efforts aren't very high, that there is very little private support for individuals, that not all countries have such opportunities in "their own turf", and that there are strong benefits to networking and doing service internationally. Would that work? What do I need to look up to make my argument stronger?

Has anyone else done work on this before? What else should I be looking at?

Help me make my Barack Obama event successful

brandnew — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:54:10 -0800

So, I have twenty-some unknown Barack Obama supporters coming to my house on Sunday, and I don't know what to do. So, I had this great idea. I wanted to host an event where local Barack Obama supporters could come together to meet each other and discuss various political topics. Easy enough, I just went to Obama's web site and posted a "meet & greet" event open to all. Great idea, right?

Now, I have twenty-some random strangers planning to come to my house this Sunday evening, and I have no idea what to do! Please help me!

The session will run from 5:30 - 7:30 PM Sunday evening. I want to make this event as enjoyable and productive as possible for everyone. However, I've never hosted such an event (or any event for that matter), and I'm not sure what to expect. I'm afraid that a bunch of people will show up, stand around in silence for 15 minutes, and then leave.

What are some things that I can do to make the event most enjoyable for all? What can I prepare? Should I have literature available? Should I have snacks? Are there ice-breakers tactics that I can use to loosen people up? Any tips or tricks would be helpful...

How does a lovely geek drop-out find gainful employment?

watercarrier — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:30:19 -0800

What would be the ideal type of work for someone with no formal education but who has amazing talents? A friend dropped out of Junior High and never looked back, basically educating herself via books, experience and internet. She is super smart, has worked in numerous jobs, from food vendor to assistant to a CEO of a global financial corporation, to simulatneous translations online to cleaning people's houses and on and on. Basically she never felt she was fulfilling her life's purpose. Now - she's at a cross-roads and must find some type of employment - self-generated or other to make a living. Her skills are almost genius in differential association, having the ability to gauge space and matter, she has exceptionally good writing skills, and a very rich language, spoken in a beautiful voice. This is a bit random, but I'm trying to fill you in on some background talents. She's computer savvy, has an eye for design and color and has a flair for incorporating nature and its elements in all she undertakes. From flowers on the wall, to driftwood sculptures, to creating fragances from trees and fauna.

The things she can't do anymore is hard physical labor like lifting heavy objects, standing or sitting for long periods of time and would probably be at her best working for herself or in a small group.

She also has a bit of struggle with long-term projects, so any job would have to be relatively short-term projects, or immediate sales.

Another quirk she has is a really ~really~ uncanny way of drawing people into stores. I've seen it myself more times than I can remember at this point. She will enter a virtually empty store and within a minute after people start crowding in. So maybe that's something to capitalize on as well as the above mentioned.

Maybe a job where she could work from home, online with occassional projects where she could venture out.

Any ideas what a person like this could do and do really, really well? The last time she took an aptitude test - it showed good marketing skills but also it was said that she could do practically anything she would set her mind to.

That's it. Hopefully, the hive mind will help generate some awesome, intelligent and insightful ideas to help her get back on her feet and feel like *she's doing her life's work*.

Cheers