Yes, I'm going to comment about Michael Jackson.

Although much has been said about Michael Jackson since his recent death, I'm going to comment on it anyway. He was too big of a star to ignore.

I don't envy the life Michael Jackson had, but I do admire the impact he had on the world. As a performer and songwriter, he must have been gratified to know that what he created affected millions of people. Any artist or writer could appreciate that, but his achievements went beyond music and dance. He will also be remembered for kicking down racial barriers with style and setting records as a philanthropist.

"Making a difference" has become such a cliche that I hate to use the phrase. However, I think it's safe to say that many people's lives -- from aspiring artists to charity recipients to everyday people -- were enriched by the King of Pop.

Are Coaching Changes Smart or Risky?

I've been trying to put myself in the shoes (or skates) of the high-level figure skaters that have recently changed coaches. Just seven months away from the 2010 Olympics, a fair number of top skaters have put their futures into the hands of new coaches.

In some cases, it seems like a newly acquired title may have caused the skater to believe he or she needed a coaching change. Jeremy Abbott, who won the U.S. men's title in Cleveland in January, walked away from the coach he's trained with since 1999. And while I have great admiration for his new coach, Yuka Sato, I can't help thinking, "Why change now?" The other guy did get you to the podium.

Maybe some of the skaters had been thinking about changing coaches for a while, and the upcoming Olympics provided a reason to do something about it. It's also possible that a long-coveted spot opened up on a coach's schedule, and it just happened to occur half a year away from the biggest competition in a figure skater's life.

When the skating season kicks off in a few months, we'll find out if these coaching changes were smart moves or risky ones.

Life in Zen Mode

I don't play computer games often, but "Bejeweled Twist" had been on the computer for months and I hadn't tried it yet. I decided to check it out.

The game offers a player several choices, such as "blitz mode" or "zen mode." Zen mode offers the chance to play without a timer ticking down and without the threat of nasty, ready-to-explode gems.

What a great thing that would be to have the choice each morning about living in blitz mode or zen mode.

Editing in history

While I was watching fireworks tonight, it occurred to me that today's holiday can be traced back to a document. Of course, that document was the Declaration of Independence and it had nothing to do with fireworks or picnics.

I was pleased to learn (courtesy of the Library of Congress' web site) that the Declaration of Independence's author, Thomas Jefferson, wrote at least one rough draft. He made many changes to his first attempt at writing what would become one of America's most important documents. Lines of text were crossed out and words were added here and there above existing text.

Writers, take heart. Even the author of this famous collection of words didn't get it right the first time.

I hope we talk on Monday.

Networking is key in today's job market. Because of that, networking groups are sprouting up everywhere. One of the fun things about networking is meeting people I wouldn't have met otherwise and learning about other jobs and industries.

People from very diverse backgrounds gather at these meetings, and friendships develop easily over time. It reminds me of one of my favorite movies, "The Breakfast Club." Instead of a group of five stereotyped teenagers spending a Saturday together in detention, we are a mix of adults whose career paths were interrupted by the recession. We were thrown together because of circumstance, but we get to know each other while waiting for detention to end.

At one point in the movie, the teens discuss whether they will talk to each other at school on Monday. Coming from such different places on the school's social ladder, it's unlikely they will. My hope is that the friendships developing now among job seekers will continue when the seeking is over. I hope we talk on Monday.

Take time to stop and...jump in puddles?

The other day, I saw a little girl jumping in puddles in the street. She was soaking wet and loving it. Maybe she had things on her mind: a pesky older brother, a Barbie haircut gone bad. Who knows? In that moment, all concerns were pushed aside and she was just living in the moment.

As adults, those kinds of moments get harder and harder to find. With dishes to wash, bills to pay and lawns to cut, jumping in puddles just isn't a priority. No wonder everyone is stressed out.

That little girl is a good reminder to us that sometimes it's good to step away from the to-do list for five minutes and enjoy life.

Auditioning For Your Next Job

I was thinking about how quickly audiences and judges size up contestants on talent-oriented reality shows. Turns out, job interviewers are doing the same thing.

An email from one of my job networking groups quotes a hiring manager as saying that she gets a positive or negative attitude about a candidate within the first minute of the interview. Appropriate dress, a firm handshake and eye contact will make a good first impression, according to the article.

Maybe an interviewer can't get past a bad first impression, but it's a good thing the talent shows can. Otherwise, some gifted people might have missed their shot at stardom. Look at Clay Aiken, who ended up taking second place a few years back on "American Idol." Thank goodness the judges looked past his geeky appearance. Behind it was a wonderful voice. And of course, there's Susan Boyle from the British version of "America's Got Talent." She didn't look like a rock star, but she sure could sing.

There seems to be another factor at work in both auditions and interviews -- how much people like the person who is being evaluated. The confident performers are more endearing than the arrogant ones, especially if the arrogant ones give lousy performances.

I guess the best plan is to make a great first impression and then give a memorable performance. Having Paula Abdul there wouldn't hurt either.