Ask Steph

I was accused of  'hiding behind my ivory tower' by a client in South Africa recently. I imagine my ivory tower would look like this, although in my head it looks better. Clearly Graphic Design isn't for me That's a first. Also, if I did have an Ivory Tower, it certainly wouldn't be big enough for me to hide behind, given my modest lifestyle. I am by no means wealthy, only barely reaching the edges of middle class really. (And yes, I know how that sounds given the extreme poverty in my country of birth and other places around the world.) Here's what I think of this Ivory Tower I am hiding behind. I work 7 days a week;  full days that start around 5 am and end anywhere between 7 and 9 pm. There is some flexbility around that, usually I average 12 hours a day at our busy times, and 9 or so if it's dead quiet.

So I noticed somewhere around March or April that I've been endorsed for some of my skills- and I'm very grateful to the new contacts and ex-colleagues and friends who have taken the time to endorse me. I've also noticed - and I shall keep names out of it - that some of my skills ( which I do have) have been endorsed by people that could not possibly have experienced or witnessed those skills. Because  I know them in a completely different sphere than the skills they have now endorsed. For example. I know some SQL . I know it because I learnt it by working on an Oracle database while being a Business Analyst at Discovery Health . Unless you have worked with me at Discovery ( and even then , I did a lot of different things at Discovery Health) you wouldn't really be able to endorse my SQL skills. I also know a fair bit about databases and database management. Not all of it by direct experience mind you, but because in working with DBA's over the years I have pi...

Just so we are clear - I am talking in philosophical terms here - not about specific people , or any particular incidents that may or may not have happened to me in the recent ( or distant ) past. I am expressing my beliefs and comments on world affairs. No more. This is a personal opinion, and it does not change my view of my Christian friends and family, whom I love dearly.  :  Christians think of themselves as a flock of sheep , following their shepherd. And truly - I cannot think of a more truthful analogy. There are few things more comforting that knowing that all the hard decisions in life are already made for you. You don't need think about all those really tough ethical issues - like what is right and wrong exactly , and how to determine whether your construct of the universe works well or not. It's handed to you , a ready made rule book , with a knowledge expert ( priest/ pastor/ counselor ) who will help you to understand something , or just t...