Greg Johnson – Page 18 – About Greg Johnson

Greg Johnson – Personal Update 201602

February 29, 2016May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in news

Personal Update 201602 | 29 February 2016 | Monday

Greetings,

I hope you’re doing well. Thanks for taking a moment to read my latest update.

Career News

For the past two months I’ve been keeping very busy with my consulting business providing technology services and developing websites for individuals, organizations, and businesses.

Websites Launched

This past month I’ve designed and launched many websites. Here are a few that I’m really pleased with:

My online web design portfolio has some of my latest creations.

Time With Greg

I’ve started using an online scheduling system which makes it much easier for people to schedule time with me. The web address is TimeWithGreg.com and that forwards to the service I’m using.

Brand Loyalty Case Study

I’ve been a fan of Bevel for a long time, and recently I’ve begun doing more research examining the company and their products. I recently wrote a short case study on brand loyalty using Bevel as an example. As a business owner, studying Bevel has been a good grounding and engaging experience. Another Bevel related article I wrote was an product evaluation and comparison of the Bevel Trimmer. I’ve been pleased with the response to the Trimmer article. In just 24 hours it’s had readers from coast to coast, as shown in the map below.

Thanks!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

~ Greg

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Want More News? For additional news and updates you can subscribe to the Resources For Life Newsletter by sending an email to resourcesforlifenews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 15 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and activism. This is based on the life map presented on the Resources For Life website.

Great News: Business is Expanding

February 17, 2016May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in announcements, news, technology

In December 2015, I received an unexpected offer to work for a business I really admire. The new job would allow me to return to doing more consulting and public interest work. It seemed like an appealing option. I decided to take the offer, and make a change.

I wasn’t sure how long it would take to build-up the consulting business. Surprisingly, in less than 24 hours, I was busy with all the work I could handle, and it’s been busy ever since. Many thanks to everyone who has been calling and requesting services.

Recently my wife Makur, also a technology support person at the University of Iowa, decided that she also would like to do more consulting work, so she decided to leave her job at the University and in March will join me in providing technology support through Iowa City Technology Services.

Makur has a broad range of experience in expertise in small business and enterprise-class computing, as well as an array of other skills. So, we’ve launched MJIowa.com as a website for her to bring in additional business. Over the years she has developed a following of people who specifically ask for her, so the new site is a great way to connect with those clients.

I look forward to the coming months, and appreciate everyone’s support.

Thanks!

Reflections on a Year Using Gmail

January 10, 2016May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in announcements, technology

As an Apple computer enthusiast, I’ve been using the Apple Mail client for years. About a year ago, I decided to switch over to using Gmail exclusively as an online email client. For my primary email accounts (included with my website hosting package), I set them to forward all emails to Gmail. I have a personal account and also a collection of other email addresses that I forwarded to a secondary Gmail address.

Here are the reasons I switched:

Over time, the Apple Mail client became slower, and it caused my entire computer to slow down whenever it was running. I assumed this was due to the indexing of so many individual emails. I stopped seeking a solution when I learned that many people were having similar problems. Gmail was much faster than using the Apple Mail client.
At the same time the slowness became an issue, about two years ago, there were known issues with Gmail compatibility and the Apple Mail client. Flagged and read emails weren’t synchronizing properly. For many months, people complained on the Apple discussion forums, but no solution was provided.
In addition to these issues, I began hearing from people trying to reach me by email who were getting returned emails with an undeliverable message notification.
I also heard from people that my emails were ending up in their spam/junk folder.
At the time, my email inbox was limited to 1GB and constantly filling up, but Gmail offered virtually limitless email storage.
Junk email wasn’t being identified accurately so I was having to manually sort them out.
The Apple Mail client in iOS lacked mail rules and the intelligent Junk Mail filtering found in the native OS X desktop Mail client version. So, unless I had a desktop computer on all the time, with the Mail client running, those rules wouldn’t get applied.
Gmail was identifying the Apple Mail client and others as non-secure email clients. So, using them required a special exception setting in my Gmail account.

So, for all these reasons, I decided to switch to Gmail.

As of January 2016, here’s why I’m switching back to using the Apple Mail client and the email accounts included with my hosting package.

The Gmail conversation threads were problematic, and the nested messages made it sometimes hard to find where the conversation left off, especially if multiple replies were in a a thread. Messages people would send using feedback forms with the same subject line would be grouped as a conversation. Turning conversations off was an option, but not desirable either.
Gmail would repeatedly put important emails into the Junk folder even for senders who were in my address book and even after repeatedly marking them as not junk.
Gmail would automatically file emails into the Social, Promotions, Updates, and Forums categories, which was very helpful some of the time, but much of the time it caused important emails to be misfiled.
Gmail lacks the ability to sort on sender, subject, date, and other aspects of messages.
Once I setup my computer with 16GB of RAM and a solid state hard drive (SSD), the slowness issue went away. This may have also had something to do with upgrading to the latest edition of OS X (El Capitan).
The Google Gmail client for iOS made it possible to send messages as another email. However, the Apple Mail client for iOS would not permit this with Gmail accounts. This was very frustrating. So, it was necessary to continually used the Gmail client for iOS if replying to a message and desiring the recipient to see the correct sending address.
Clicking on an email address typically brings up the default email client on a computer. This doesn’t work with the Gmail web based system unless you’re using Google Chrome.
The Gmail ecosystem doesn’t have the same instantaneous push feature that Apple offers with their other iCloud services.

During the transition back to my original email addresses, I’ve set an autoresponder letting people know my best contact methods — in case anyone had inadvertently received an email from those Gmail accounts.

I still maintain email accounts in Gmail, Hotmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and other services in the event there are communications issues with people using any of those third-party services. It’s sometimes more reliable to communicate with someone on the same system they are using, and other features exist that make it helpful to have an account on various services.

Please visit my contact page for further details about how to best reach me.

Thanks!

Greg Johnson – Personal Update 201601

January 1, 2016May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in news

Personal Update 201601 | 1 January 2016 | Friday

Greetings,

Happy New Year! I hope you’re doing well. Thanks for taking a moment to read my latest update.

Career Change News

As I shared in last month’s update, I recently accepted a job offer. Yesterday was my last official day at the University of Iowa. The new job won’t start for a few weeks. In the meantime, I plan to expand my tech support and other consulting work, as well as the public interest work I do. I’m thankful that the new job will not be taking up the 50-60 hours I’d been working at my old job.

Yesterday evening, a few short minutes after finishing up at the University, I was grateful to have computer work to do for someone. This morning and this afternoon, on the first day of the year, I was also busy with tech support. As of this evening, I have enough support requests to fill next week. I’m looking forward to spending more time on my technology services business.

Also this morning, I received an email from a supporter of the advocacy work I do relating to small houses. They wrote to let me know in the year ahead, they will be doubling their monthly donation.

So, the year is off to a good start.

A Focus on Public Interest Work

About 25 years ago, when establishing my technology services business, the name I chose was Public Interest Computer Consulting (PICC).

My intention at the time was to support those who serve the public interest working with non-profit groups or their own personal outreach. Sometime later I named the business PC DOC, yet the same mission to support those in public service remains today.

By providing a sliding scale for services, volunteering when possible, and offering other in-kind and financial donations, my hope has always been to have a hybrid business model that functions much like a self-funded non-profit organization. The income I make from traditional computer support helps fund the public interest work I do.

In the months ahead, I hope to share some inspiring stories about some of the work I’m doing in the Iowa City area and beyond.

Small House Event

On January 23, from 2-3 PM, I’ll be giving a presentation at the Marion Public Library about small house living. The presentation will hopefully be just a part of a larger gathering of small house enthusiasts. Click here to learn more about the event.

Thanks!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

~ Greg

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Want More News? For additional news and updates you can subscribe to the Resources For Life Newsletter by sending an email to resourcesforlifenews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Greg Johnson – Personal Update 201512

December 27, 2015May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in news

Personal Update 201512 | 27 December 2015 | Sunday

Greetings,

I hope you’re doing well. Thanks for taking a moment to read my latest update.

Career Change

Earlier this month I announced an exciting career change. As you may know, I’ve been working at the University of Iowa for a long time. Over the past year, with expanded duties, the workload increased significantly. Although I enjoyed the work, I was putting in 50 to 60 hours a week, cutting into the evenings and weekends when I do some outside consulting. This month, a company approached me with a job offer, and I decided to accept it. I’m feeling good about the decision, and sleeping better at night.

Beautiful Iowa City Video

This month I discovered a locally produced video on YouTube about the Iowa City area. It had about 80 views a few hours after it launched. Today it has over 27,000 views. I think you’ll agree it’s quite magnificent. Take a look.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMmykFeF1-Y?rel=0]

NPR Interview

In case you missed it, last month on Thanksgiving I was surprised to learn that a radio interview from earlier this year was airing again on NPR, apparently nation-wide. Since it was originally recorded live, it convincingly seemed to be happening on Thanksgiving day. I wouldn’t have known about the interview except that friends and family were texting me to let me know about it. I’d neglected to put the interview on my website, so I took the opportunity to create a post of the interview.

Thanks!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

~ Greg

__________

Want More News? For additional news and updates you can subscribe to the Resources For Life Newsletter by sending an email to resourcesforlifenews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Amazing Improvement in Sleep Quality

December 17, 2015May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in Health, Uncategorized

I founded the ResourcesForLife.com website almost 20 years ago with the goal of empowering people working in the public interest. The Life Map outlines areas of life that need attention, care, support, and renewal. Those working in public service and social activism especially need to maintain a strong and balanced life for maximum efficiency. Optimal health is critical, and sleep is an essential foundation for health.

Like millions of other people, I’ve been using an activity tracker during the day, that also analyzes my sleep quality at night. Anyone curious about their sleep quality can get a report that shows a chart indicating times of sleep, restless, and awake times.

Over the past few years, I’ve been working to improve my quality of sleep, and had some success. Yet, I still found my sleep quality wasn’t as good as I’d like, and in recent months it had been getting worse.

Stress can have a big influence on sleep quality. One of the biggest sources of stress for people can be their work, even for those who enjoy their job. Perhaps those who enjoy their job are even more susceptible to stress, because along with that tends to be a genuine concern about colleagues, customers, and the business or institution you work for.

Those who don’t care can leave their work behind at 5 o’clock and go home without giving it another thought. For others, that’s hard to do. Concerns about a colleague, or a problem at work, or perhaps considerations about innovations that might improve the workplace, these things are hard to ‘turn off’ for some people.

I’ve met many dedicated people thought the years — those putting in extra hours, and going above and beyond, not for any recognition or financial compensation, but just because they care about their job and the people they work with, and sometimes because they don’t complain when they are asked to take on extra work. Such people probably take on some additional work-related stress.

Yesterday I decided to make a career change. It was a big decision, and also a big weight off my shoulders. In life it’s easy to wonder whether or not the choices we make are the right move. There are gut feelings, but rarely any scientific metrics to go by.

Last night I went to bed at peace with the decision I’d made. It helped to have the support, agreement, and reassurance of my wife (Makur).

I woke up this morning and looked at my sleep analysis chart for the night like I always do.

Yet this time I saw something that I’d never seen before. I just looked at the chart. I was stunned.

I’ve provided the chart below so you can see it for yourself.

The “Before” chart shows a typical night. Normally there are lines indicating restless times (blue lines) and awake times (red lines). This is what I’ve seen now hundreds of times over the past few years. Sometimes more lines than others, but typically like what you see below in the top chart. In recent months there have been more of those lines.

The “After” chart shows only one blue line over a seven hour period. I’d slept through the night without waking, and apparently without even moving.

At that moment, I really knew that I’d made the right decision yesterday. Not only was I at peace with the decision, but the pressure of the job was gone.

It gives me a lot to reflect on, being familiar with the health impact of poor sleep, it’s a decision that may end up saving my life.

Update: As of 1 January 2016, it’s been about two weeks since I first posted this article. Since then, I’ve consistently seen better sleep each night, and had some great success with weight loss — I’ve lost about 6 pounds since then.

Career Change

December 17, 2015May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in news

I first started working at the University of Iowa in 1983 as a student in a computer lab. Over the past 30 years I’ve had the pleasure of working at the College of Law, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC), and the central IT group. In 2001, I returned to working for the same department (and boss) that employed me as a student, and I’ve been there for the past 15 years. I always imagined I’d continue at the University until retiring.

Those who follow my writings and social media posts know the that I’m often writing about and promoting various companies and products. I’ve had friends and family ask me if the writing and promotions work I do is paid advertising. I take it as a compliment, but explain that it’s just something I enjoy doing.

Last week on Wednesday, I received an email from a small startup company that you’ve likely never heard of. My previous interactions with the CEO had been nothing more than a few short informal tweets. He’d appreciated what I had to say about their company and products. The email last week, with him copied, was from a member of their team asking if I’d like a job with the company.

After considering their offer, I decided to accept it.

I think their company is doing some really innovative work in an important niche market. They’re not just following best practices, but establishing best practices and creating new approaches to doing business. This has the potential to positively influence how other businesses operate — creating better workplace environments and positively impacting consumers. So, it’s exciting to have at least some part in helping them grow.

In my new role, I’ll be able to stay in Iowa City, have flexible hours, and work from home or while mobile. The initial commitment will free up my schedule to do more of my own consulting work, as well as the public interest work I enjoy doing. My work at the University had at times been taking 50 to 60 hours per week. I’m eager to get back to a more livable schedule.

My last day at the University of Iowa will be December 31. I’ll miss everyone, but I’m also looking forward to the opportunities ahead.

I’ll share more details as they unfold, but today I wanted to let everyone know about this big change.

Facebook Comments

If you’d like to leave a comment, or read the comments of others, click here to visit the post on Facebook.

Page Visitors

Thanks for helping share this story. The maps below show recent visitors to this page. Click any map for a larger gallery view.

Where I Live: Beautiful Music Video of Iowa City Area

December 10, 2015May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in videos

DPD Productions of Iowa City recently produced a exceptional video for the Convention and Visitors Bureau. The video was launched yesterday on YouTube and 24 hours later it already has over 10,000 views. The featured song and them is “Great Big Storm” which conveys the abundance and diversity that comes together in Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, and surrounding area.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMmykFeF1-Y?rel=0]

The video is a great resource for employers, businesses, educators, realtors, web designers, and anyone wanting to share a glimpse of the opportunities in this area. The YouTube version embeds nicely and looks great on just about any platform. The Vimeo version is also excellent.

You can visit DPD Productions on Vimeo to view their recent portfolio of work consisting of 90 professional videos. Follow DPD Productions on Facebook for the latest news.

Enjoy and share!

@BEVEL and the ‘Slow Shave Movement’

December 9, 2015May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in Health

As a technologist, I’m always looking for ways to do things faster. For this reason, it’s been hard for me to embrace the Slow Movement (until recently).

My long-time approach to shaving has been to go as fast as possible, using a disposable razor and a can of cheap shaving cream. Other than razor burn, cuts, and dry irritated skin, I felt I’d achieve the optimal shaving experience. I didn’t imagine there could be anything better.

I recently purchased the Bevel shaving system. It’s a high quality kit that comes with a razor, extra blades, brush, priming oil, shave cream, and soothing aftershave lotion. The Bevel shaving experience is definitely more comfortable, and surprisingly, it only takes a few minutes longer than my old less effective and more painful shaving experience.

With Bevel, I discovered the essential missing ingredients to my old fast shave method. The priming oil includes natural emollients (some organically derived) that help soften hair and enrich the skin. The shaving cream contains similar ingredients that are complementary to the oil and aid the shaving process. The soothing aftershave cream moisturizes and protects. The result is a closer and more comfortable shave. The fragrances of essential oils and natural ingredients help enhance the relaxing, invigorating, and grounding experience.

Using the high quality Bevel shaver and products to experience a slower shave, has really caused me to reflect on other areas of life where I’d been moving too quickly to enjoy living. Always racing through life in a rush to get to what’s next results in missing a lot along the way (see the movie Click for a great example of this).

Slowing down, enjoying the process of whatever we’re doing, and using high quality products can be a real life changer.

The Slow Movement is summarized as:

“A cultural revolution against the notion that faster is always better. The Slow philosophy is not about doing everything at a snail’s pace. It’s about seeking to do everything at the right speed. Savoring the hours and minutes rather than just counting them. Doing everything as well as possible, instead of as fast as possible. It’s about quality over quantity in everything from work to food to parenting.” (source)

Bevel has really helped me appreciate and embrace the Slow Movement. I wouldn’t have thought such a simple product could change my approach to life, but it has. The Bevel system has inspired a Slow Shave Movement among their many satisfied customers.

If you think you’re ready for a better more enjoyable shaving experience, click the link below to learn more and get started.

https://getbevel.com/invite/resourcesforlife

Greg Johnson – Personal Update 201511

November 29, 2015May 15, 2022 by Greg Johnson, posted in news

Personal Update 201511 | 29 November 2015 | Sunday

Greetings,

I hope you’re doing well. Thanks for taking a moment to read my latest update.

NPR Interview

On Thanksgiving I was surprised to learn that a radio interview from earlier this year was airing again on NPR, apparently nation-wide. Since it was originally recorded live, it convincingly seemed to be happening on Thanksgiving day. I wouldn’t have known about the interview except that friends and family were texting me to let me know about it. I’d neglected to put the interview on my website, so I took the opportunity to create a post of the interview.

Fitness & Wellness

I’ve been spending more time walking and biking these days, and looking forward to getting outside throughout the winter months.

Bevel

This past month I continued promoting Bevel and having a good time doing that. My original article about Bevel has had 50 shares on Facebook and many readers from coast to coast. This past month, I’ve spent time responding to some prospective customer questions that are showing up as comments in the Bevel Facebook posts. These days, companies need loyal customers to help participate in various discussions on social media. Company employees can talk about their products, but there’s no substitute for a positive review and feedback from a happy customer. When anyone uses my personal Bevel link and signs up, they get a month free, and so do I.

Tile App – Find Your Lost Stuff

If you’ve ever had the frustration of losing or misplacing something, you’ll see the value in the Tile tracking system.

The Tile App is a brilliant system that uses crowd sourcing to find lost items.

Put a ‘Tile’ on your keys, in your wallet, or on anything. Then, when it’s misplaced, lost, or stolen, you can track the item. Click here to learn more.

Thanks!

Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.

~ Greg

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Want More News? For additional news and updates you can subscribe to the Resources For Life Newsletter by sending an email to resourcesforlifenews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com