John B. Marek

I saw a news story the other day about a woman who lost her remote-work job for installing a "jiggler" app on her company laptop. The headline read something like "Tech Worker Fired for Illicit Jiggling." I wasn't familiar with the jiggling app, but I assumed it must be something like Uber or Doordash, except catering to those who need to jiggle but don't have time to do it themselves. It turns out I was waaaaay off on that.  Jiggler apps are software that moves your mouse pointer in random directions, giving anyone monitoring your computer the impression you are hard at work when you are actually using the bathroom, getting a drink, or walking the dog. In the comments under the story, several people noted it was pretty stupid of her to install the app because tech companies closely monitor their networks, and unapproved software immediately raises a flag. They claimed it would have been wiser to use a mechanical jiggler. My next step, obviously, was to chec...

Fall is a great time to introduce Square Foot Gardening in your community. With kids back in school and vacations wrapping up, people are in learning mode. Summer is winding down, and whether spurred on by inflation, supply chain issues, or just wishing for fresh, chemical-free produce, folks want to know more about how to grow vegetables. John is currently booking Fall speaking engagements with libraries, community centers, church groups, and adult ed programs. There is no cost for the hour presentation, but John does request mileage reimbursement for programs more than 50 miles from Huntersville. Email johnbmarek@gmail.com for details or to schedule your program.

A grocery store near my house employs a man with a medical condition similar to that which afflicted Stephen Hawking. He uses a motorized wheelchair, is unable to move much more than his fingers, and is unable to speak. He is typically positioned near the entrance, at a table with product samples, and invites everyone entering the store to try one in his computer-generated voice. Many businesses employ persons with physical or developmental issues, and we should commend them for that, but it feels like this store is going above and beyond. Such compassion comes at a price, though. A second employee is stationed nearby to replenish the samples and make sure nothing goes wrong. The store is paying two employees to do a task that is not strictly essential to begin with.  I know there are grants available for businesses who hire people with impairments and that there is likely a positive word-of-mouth "marketing" aspect to such a hire. Still, it is doubtful this was a business de...

In July of 1980, I received an invitation in the mail. It was from someone named Rod Smith, who introduced himself as my residence hall advisor for the upcoming fall quarter at Ohio University. He invited me to a "small get-together" at his house in Perrysburg for the incoming first-year students on his floor. I'll give Rod credit for trying, but I was the only person on that floor within reasonable driving distance, and I wasn't going to miss a night of work to attend his party. In retrospect, that might have been shortsighted of me. Except for a couple of high-school buddies who roomed together, no one on the first floor of James Hall that September had met or even communicated with anyone else until we showed up a day or two before classes. Apparently, that's not how it's done these days. I stumbled across a lengthy article from the Ohio University student newspaper, The Post, detailing how to go about selecting and vetting a roommate through social media....

Is your faith-based organization interested in learning more about how community agriculture outreach can enhance your mission? I am currently booking speaking engagements for the summer and early fall in which I share my experiences starting and growing a faith-based community garden that provides fresh produce for our local soup kitchen.  The 30-minute program is a general introduction that includes the reasons, methods, costs, and next steps for launching a community agriculture ministry. The 90-minute program offers a more detailed look at those next steps, tips for securing grant funding, and the Biblical reasoning behind community agriculture. Both programs are free ( I respectfully request travel cost reimbursement for programs delivered more than 50 miles from my home base in Huntersville, North Carolina) and can be "freestanding" or integrated into your board, missions, or ministry meeting.

My new book, Such Is Life in Vacationland , is now available as a paperback or an ebook from Amazon. It is a collection of selected "Field Notes" columns and new content related to my formative years growing up on the Lake Erie coast of Ohio.  The book is FREE for Kindle Unlimited subscribers and priced at $12 for the paperback and $6 for the ebook. A preview of the first three chapters is also available.   

Our first-ever Moravian Barn Raising was a big success! It was probably never realistic to get it finished on Saturday, so we took a more experiential approach teaching the kids some fundamentals of construction and safety. A smaller group came out later in the week and finished the primary construction. There’s still some finish work to do and it needs to be stained and roofed, but I am pretty happy with how everything ultimately turned out.