Are you ready for this? I’m about to lay some serious knowledge on you about some of the most traditional music that still exists today — Irish music. No, this post will not be about Riverdance, so you can go ahead and refocus now. I’m talking about the Irish music that’s been around for centuries. Music that is so much more than lyrics and a melody. It’s stories about the people, the culture and its history. Songs that talk about the fight for freedom in Kilmainham Gaol, the strength of the people during the famine, and the characters who walk the streets of Dublin and Galway day in and day out.

2011 was a big year for social media in human resources. 2012 is going to be even bigger. You know why? Because you still have a lot to learn.

Maybe you’ve heard of NaNoWriMo, the annual creative-writing challenge in which participants attempt to churn out a 50,000-word novel in the month of November. Maybe you’ve participated before. Or maybe you’d rather stab your eyes out with an ice pick than attempt to write 1,667 words a day for 30 days. I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo four times, and each time it was a grueling, soul-crushing affair. I love writing, but NaNoWriMo is such a relentless grind that I’ve skipped it the last two years and not missed it.