Seeking tech assistant(s)

Flexibility required.

Good morning,

Planet Waves is seeking a tech assistant or two to help with our ordinary workflow and populating the forthcoming new website. This is a terrible role for a “tech bro” because it’s based on love and devotion (in addition to getting paid a modest hourly fee). You would do it because you feel called to serve Planet Waves.

1. You are not busier than God. You’re able to show up dependably and consistently.

2. You have decent computer equipment and a large monitor.

3. You are able to actually collaborate, and are happy to do so, which is a give-and-take human process calling for mutual respect and understanding our work flow. For example, production people work closely with proofreaders.

4. You are already somewhat familiar with Planet Waves work product so you have a sense of our workflow. That’s what you’ll be doing. Once you’re in the groove, you can suggest modifications.

5. You are flexible, able to handle some tasks on standing schedule, others that float, and others that are off of any schedule and done in the background on your own time. Of special note, as you might predict, we do not work like a typical corporate team, the result being accommodating greater creativity. Conditions of reality necessitate that we do some things on the fly. That is journalism.

6. You’re willing to learn new things (such as basic web software) and teach others how to do them, so you’re not the only one who knows. You are responsive when I ask, “Can you help me learn how to do this?” The new website, coming some time in the spring, will have new processes, some of which we can initiate early.

7. Proficient in Wordpress and basic HTML — using templates. This is a starting requirement. I cannot train Wordpress or HTML. We are not coding whole websites; we are publishing letters and articles, all in templates. You must be able to follow specs and produce things that work like what we did last week.

8. You are willing to have your tech skills and your social skills tested as part of an interview process, and you’re willing to go through a training phase with busy people — so you need to be a quick study, observant, cooperative and kind.

9. You have some ideas about how Planet Waves can grow and thrive.

This is a good role for a calm young person, or a lively retired peson, who is intelligent and wants an opportunity to participate in a digital project. Planet Waves is created by humans and appreciated by other humans, and your lavish benefits will come in the form of a job well done, skills learned, and succeeding in helping Planet Waves and its people grow through another production week.

Think: DHARMA.

We expect that absolutely nobody is qualified for this role in 2026, but I have faith in the astounding long odds of the universe that have led to so much as the creation of the Milky Way, the discovery of Chiron, and the very moment you are reading this letter to which all of the events of your life thus far have led.

Write to me at the address efc@bookofblue.com, and begin your letter with the salutation, “Dear Uncle Lars.”

And then Uncle Lars will respond.

Thank you for your interest and your trust.

With love,

We’re everywhere.