Mechanical Engineering (the magazine of ASME) has a challenging article this month about our culture of disposable goods. All of us have an energy footprint, some of which is obvious - air conditioning, gasoline, air travel. The article focuses on the more subtle energy costs of stuff. It takes energy to produce our cell phones, laptops, automobiles, and underwear. That energy cost gets spread over the life of the product, so short-lived products mean higher energy use.
In today's world, replacement is often cheaper than repair, and marketers work hard to make us want new stuff. The implications of new stuff go well beyond our own convenience, though. (See Glenn Beck's favorite online movie, The Story of Stuff for another take on this issue.) Am I willing to sacrifice my disposable lifestyle for something longer-lasting and responsible?
Maybe. Worth thinking about, at least.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Everybody's doing it
Talking about healthcare, that is.
My old friend Jacob, whom I have not talked with in person for years, wrote a nice short little healthcare post on his blog recently, prompted by a nasty head cold. I appreciate his lack of hysteria or over-partisanship. Overall, he makes sense to me.
However, the public option makes me queasy. Not because of the government taking over healthcare...they may be able to do a perfectly adequate job. I have a child covered by Medicaid and have not had any complaints. Rather, my issue is with the arguments for it.
How is adding a government competitor to the marketplace going to be "competition?" The market works when competitors are on a level playing field. The government can never be on the field with business. Government is the stadium, the rules committee, the groundskeeper, and the officials. Those things are incompatible with a simple "competitor."
The result of adding a public option as an alternative to private insurance is nearly impossible to foretell. As Thomas Sowell keeps telling me, the real effect of policy is rarely the same as the intent. So it may end up being good, but I distrust centralized decision-making enough to doubt it.
More competition makes me happy. Government competition worries me.
My old friend Jacob, whom I have not talked with in person for years, wrote a nice short little healthcare post on his blog recently, prompted by a nasty head cold. I appreciate his lack of hysteria or over-partisanship. Overall, he makes sense to me.
However, the public option makes me queasy. Not because of the government taking over healthcare...they may be able to do a perfectly adequate job. I have a child covered by Medicaid and have not had any complaints. Rather, my issue is with the arguments for it.
How is adding a government competitor to the marketplace going to be "competition?" The market works when competitors are on a level playing field. The government can never be on the field with business. Government is the stadium, the rules committee, the groundskeeper, and the officials. Those things are incompatible with a simple "competitor."
The result of adding a public option as an alternative to private insurance is nearly impossible to foretell. As Thomas Sowell keeps telling me, the real effect of policy is rarely the same as the intent. So it may end up being good, but I distrust centralized decision-making enough to doubt it.
More competition makes me happy. Government competition worries me.
Monday, September 28, 2009
The End of Empire
(Aside: Support your public library. The only reason I picked up the book is because it was free to borrow, and as a result, I am better educated than I was. If you haven't visited lately, go. Get a random book or one you've had your eye on. You'll be glad you did.)
The history was interesting, and there were a couple lessons that are easily applied today.
- Barbarians are rarely barbaric. They are usually different, and may appear barbaric to outsiders. Do not be fooled, though. When someone looks or acts differently than you do, a quick assessment of equivalence between appearance and intelligence is an easy route to disaster, for an empire or an individual.
- Buying off a blackmailer is a good way to make the blackmailer rich while doing nothing to lessen the threat to your own security.
- Good politics today can destroy the state tomorrow. Keep the big picture in mind.
- Excessive drink is a bad idea. Do you really want to risk being known for drowning in your own blood from a nosebleed experienced while passed-out drunk? Not the death a noble warrior king like Attila would have hoped for, I suppose.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
All predictions are wrong
There was a thought provoking article on the peak oil issue over at Scitizen the other day. If you have never heard of Peak Oil, it is the argument that the constantly increasing production of oil will someday reach a peak, after which point production will begin to steadily decrease. Many individual countries have experienced this phenomenon (the US being one), and the world peak is predicted to happen any time between 2012 and 2050.
A peak is a problem because demand for energy (which today means oil) is projected to increase monotonically without peaking. Increasing demand with decreasing supply leads to increasing prices and likely public outrage and government over-reaction. Chaos is probable and complete social disaster possible. Not good.
I have no facts or figures to support any of the predictions, but I do have two points to add to the Peak Oil debate and any other predictions of the future.
Read the Scitizen article and maybe a couple others that are linked on that page. Think about the issue and how you will respond, if at all. Will you buy oil futures? Start biking to work? Do not let hysteria overwhelm you, just learn, think, and act.
A peak is a problem because demand for energy (which today means oil) is projected to increase monotonically without peaking. Increasing demand with decreasing supply leads to increasing prices and likely public outrage and government over-reaction. Chaos is probable and complete social disaster possible. Not good.
I have no facts or figures to support any of the predictions, but I do have two points to add to the Peak Oil debate and any other predictions of the future.
- Forecasts have a hard time accounting for market forces. Small increases in the price of oil will drive innovative entrepeneurs to exploit technology in ways we cannot dream of, adjusting both the supply and demand sides of the equation in unknown ways (e.g. 2008 Prius sales). Therefore, forecasts are most certainly wrong.
- Forecasts do a good job forcing us to think about the future. Nearly every individual forecast is wrong. Nearly every individual forecast is possible. It is important for us each to understand the inputs and implications of predictions so that we can decide if we are willing to contribute to, or fight against, that particular possible future.
Read the Scitizen article and maybe a couple others that are linked on that page. Think about the issue and how you will respond, if at all. Will you buy oil futures? Start biking to work? Do not let hysteria overwhelm you, just learn, think, and act.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Destroying books
My kids love books. They love to sit in your lap and read all about dogs or trucks or ducks or whatever is on the page. They have favorite books that they toddle across the room with, and will often sit happily by themselves flipping pages.
So it really frustrates me when they sit down with a book and start deliberately, methodically ripping out pages or tearing off the spine.
Why are they destroying something they love so much? I try to stop it when I can, but that has not prevented a growing collection of books without covers, without binding, without pages.
They are not insane (at least I hope not). They just are not seeing the big picture. Reading a book and tearing it apart are two fun, but unrelated activities, and they are simply unaware that tearing a book today prevents it from being read (at least as easily) in the future.
Yet again, my kids teach me something. Temporary gratification today can mean no joy tomorrow if I am not seeing the big picture. My actions have consequences, and not always what I intend. So keep the big picture in mind, and be careful not to tear up your joy.
So it really frustrates me when they sit down with a book and start deliberately, methodically ripping out pages or tearing off the spine.
Why are they destroying something they love so much? I try to stop it when I can, but that has not prevented a growing collection of books without covers, without binding, without pages.
They are not insane (at least I hope not). They just are not seeing the big picture. Reading a book and tearing it apart are two fun, but unrelated activities, and they are simply unaware that tearing a book today prevents it from being read (at least as easily) in the future.
Yet again, my kids teach me something. Temporary gratification today can mean no joy tomorrow if I am not seeing the big picture. My actions have consequences, and not always what I intend. So keep the big picture in mind, and be careful not to tear up your joy.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Who needs conflict?
I do.
I hate it, but I need it.
A long time ago, the writer of Proverbs said "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." I have heard that verse talked about as friends gently encouraging each other, cheering each other on like buddies on the JV track team.
Now I confess to having no experience as a blacksmith, but is that how iron sharpens iron? When iron and iron come together, I do not imagine gentle. I imagine Braveheart-style two-handed longswords and the like. That is not cheering. That is conflict.
The description is that of two unyielding forces rubbing against each other hard enough so that little bits come off of one or both of them. Afterward, they are more able to do what they were intended for.
My thoughts and opinions are the same way. Unyielding until they come up against something else equally as hard. Then they rub and create friction and eventually come out sharper and better for it. Only through conflict does that happen, though. Without it, I am dull and therefore useless.
So I challenge you (and me) to disagree today. Create some conflict (maybe on this blog) and be the sharper for it. I do not like it, but I need it.
I hate it, but I need it.
A long time ago, the writer of Proverbs said "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." I have heard that verse talked about as friends gently encouraging each other, cheering each other on like buddies on the JV track team.
Now I confess to having no experience as a blacksmith, but is that how iron sharpens iron? When iron and iron come together, I do not imagine gentle. I imagine Braveheart-style two-handed longswords and the like. That is not cheering. That is conflict.
The description is that of two unyielding forces rubbing against each other hard enough so that little bits come off of one or both of them. Afterward, they are more able to do what they were intended for.
My thoughts and opinions are the same way. Unyielding until they come up against something else equally as hard. Then they rub and create friction and eventually come out sharper and better for it. Only through conflict does that happen, though. Without it, I am dull and therefore useless.
So I challenge you (and me) to disagree today. Create some conflict (maybe on this blog) and be the sharper for it. I do not like it, but I need it.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Contemplating hermitage
I hate conflict. I do not want to rock the boat, make waves, sail into a storm, or engage in any nautical metaphor that could involve drowning, even metaphorically.
I have therefore decided to become a hermit.
The way I see it, that's the only way to avoid conflict. Exposure to people equals conflict. I wish to avoid conflict, so therefore...I must avoid people. However, four things prevent me from following through on this, all found in the title of this blog.
I have therefore decided to become a hermit.
The way I see it, that's the only way to avoid conflict. Exposure to people equals conflict. I wish to avoid conflict, so therefore...I must avoid people. However, four things prevent me from following through on this, all found in the title of this blog.
- Learn - without other people to show me where I am deficient, why would I ever learn? If no one spoke Spanish, how would I know that it was worth learning?
- Love - one of my goals in life is to love people. Hard to do without people around.
- Lead - the simplest definition of a leader is someone with followers. No people, no followers.
- Live - the culmination of the first three, life is not, for me, worth living alone. Hard to not be alone without people.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
What does testing test?
Standards are all the rage in school these days. By standards, naturally, we mean test scores. Weeks and months are taken up every year in every public school to prepare for, take, and recover from standardized tests. The results of the tests determine funding, rankings, college admissions and scholarship opportunities. The results of the tests are clearly very important. What about the meaning, though?
What does a test measure? Learning? Potential? Based on the use of the results, both of those seem to be true. Did you learn what the school sought to teach you this year? Do you have the potential to succeed at our university?
The truth is, the test measures nothing but the number of correct answers given to the questions on the test. Only by demonstrating or assuming a correlation between this and something else can the test measure that other thing.
As an analogy, take a classic mercury thermometer. It measures temperature, right? Wrong. It measures the volume of mercury in the tube. The only reason we can determine temperature is because thousands of experiments have been done to correlate volume with temperature, then the thermometer was calibrated with lines to allow the rest of us to read that correlation without going through the math.
Back to school testing. There are studies and correlations out there for testing. A lot of work has been done to validate some of them. At the same time, most of us never worry about that. We take test scores as absolute measures of something (usually learning) and make decisions based on that information.
I have not done the research to be able to speak about the validity of this test or another. I am not in a position to make policy or school board decisions. All I can do is caution all of us to think twice about how we are interpreting and using test results. We are all responsible for how our kids are educated, and it is rarely a good idea to blindly trust others with that task.
What does a test measure? Learning? Potential? Based on the use of the results, both of those seem to be true. Did you learn what the school sought to teach you this year? Do you have the potential to succeed at our university?
The truth is, the test measures nothing but the number of correct answers given to the questions on the test. Only by demonstrating or assuming a correlation between this and something else can the test measure that other thing.
As an analogy, take a classic mercury thermometer. It measures temperature, right? Wrong. It measures the volume of mercury in the tube. The only reason we can determine temperature is because thousands of experiments have been done to correlate volume with temperature, then the thermometer was calibrated with lines to allow the rest of us to read that correlation without going through the math.
Back to school testing. There are studies and correlations out there for testing. A lot of work has been done to validate some of them. At the same time, most of us never worry about that. We take test scores as absolute measures of something (usually learning) and make decisions based on that information.
I have not done the research to be able to speak about the validity of this test or another. I am not in a position to make policy or school board decisions. All I can do is caution all of us to think twice about how we are interpreting and using test results. We are all responsible for how our kids are educated, and it is rarely a good idea to blindly trust others with that task.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
An imitation of life
I recently attended my grandmother's funeral. It was a sad time for all the family, though not tragic, as she lived a long and full life, which is something that never lasts forever.
During the open casket viewing, I saw a body that looked like my grandma. She was wearing her clothes, her ring, her necklace, her watch. The face looked like Grandma's, the hands were folded a lot like hers.
It wasn't Grandma, though.
There was something just underneath the surface that was not, could not be there. Her spirit was gone. Like a skillful wax statue, every detail of the living person was there except life itself. The most important part of what made that body "Grandma" was gone.
It was a bit disconcerting, and has stirred thoughts about my own life. How often do I exist in much the same state as my deceased grandmother, going through the motions of life, without putting my core into what I am doing. My heart, my soul, my spirit, my life. How often do you?
Grandma never did. She lived fully until she lived no more, cracking "Grandma-jokes" to the end. The most fitting tribute we can give to her memory is to do the same. Never imitate life, always live. Fully, completely, wonderfully, to the end.
During the open casket viewing, I saw a body that looked like my grandma. She was wearing her clothes, her ring, her necklace, her watch. The face looked like Grandma's, the hands were folded a lot like hers.
It wasn't Grandma, though.
There was something just underneath the surface that was not, could not be there. Her spirit was gone. Like a skillful wax statue, every detail of the living person was there except life itself. The most important part of what made that body "Grandma" was gone.
It was a bit disconcerting, and has stirred thoughts about my own life. How often do I exist in much the same state as my deceased grandmother, going through the motions of life, without putting my core into what I am doing. My heart, my soul, my spirit, my life. How often do you?
Grandma never did. She lived fully until she lived no more, cracking "Grandma-jokes" to the end. The most fitting tribute we can give to her memory is to do the same. Never imitate life, always live. Fully, completely, wonderfully, to the end.
Monday, September 21, 2009
In Memorium
Tressa Wallace
Wife, Mother, Grandma, Auntie, Friend
May we all live a life as long and as full.
We miss you, Grandma.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Ignorance is bliss
Much of the time, perhaps too much of the time, I am convinced of the importance of something based on how much I hear about it. Not based on how relevant it is to my life, not based on how it affects those I love, but simply how many other people/blogs/ads are talking about it.
So when Seth Godin had a recent post about website design, it appeared to be a great post, not because I read it critically and came to that conclusion, but because that same day I saw it on at least two other blogs and two Twitter updates. That is a large portion of my web input.
The same goes for TV shows that advertise during football games, billboards on my way home, and National Hurricane Center updates during the summer and fall. Many things become overwhelmingly important to me.
Yet without the buzz, without the chatter, very little of that remains important to me. If I do not watch TV, I do not care what I am missing. When I recently watched a couple hours of USA while folding laundry, the lives of Adrian Monk and the noble detectives on Law & Order quickly became central to my being. A couple days later, they matter very little again.
All this reminds me that my attention and my desire are very fickle things. They are easily led about by the nose by whoever puts in the effort. Advertisers know this, and they put the effort in. Without a counterbalance, I will become a vessel for whatever others want, desiring their products, thinking their thoughts, believing their opinions. This is easy, but not the best way to live life.
The answer is to decide for myself what is important, what I want to value, and limit my input to those things. Selective ignorance is the phrase used by some. I choose who I follow on Twitter, I choose which blogs I read, I choose what TV I watch, I choose what news to listen to. Only by doing that will my life be mine and not an extension of NBC or NPR or GTD (unless I choose it).
So what is controlling your life? Are you? Why not?
So when Seth Godin had a recent post about website design, it appeared to be a great post, not because I read it critically and came to that conclusion, but because that same day I saw it on at least two other blogs and two Twitter updates. That is a large portion of my web input.
The same goes for TV shows that advertise during football games, billboards on my way home, and National Hurricane Center updates during the summer and fall. Many things become overwhelmingly important to me.
Yet without the buzz, without the chatter, very little of that remains important to me. If I do not watch TV, I do not care what I am missing. When I recently watched a couple hours of USA while folding laundry, the lives of Adrian Monk and the noble detectives on Law & Order quickly became central to my being. A couple days later, they matter very little again.
All this reminds me that my attention and my desire are very fickle things. They are easily led about by the nose by whoever puts in the effort. Advertisers know this, and they put the effort in. Without a counterbalance, I will become a vessel for whatever others want, desiring their products, thinking their thoughts, believing their opinions. This is easy, but not the best way to live life.
The answer is to decide for myself what is important, what I want to value, and limit my input to those things. Selective ignorance is the phrase used by some. I choose who I follow on Twitter, I choose which blogs I read, I choose what TV I watch, I choose what news to listen to. Only by doing that will my life be mine and not an extension of NBC or NPR or GTD (unless I choose it).
So what is controlling your life? Are you? Why not?
Saturday, September 19, 2009
For PETER's Sake!
The following is the script of a speech I gave for a Toastmasters Humerous Speech Contest a few years ago. Not originally written for the blog, but originally written by me. I came in second to a guy talking about kissing. It's hard to beat the Muslim who jokes about polygamy. May reading it bring you small fraction of the fun I had writing it.
For PETER's Sake!
A great evil is sweeping across our land. An evil that is made all the more insidious by the complacency of so many people. Mr. Contest Master, fellow Toastmasters, honored guests, I thank you for providing me the opportunity to speak to you today. I stand before you a sad but determined man. My dream is to persuade you of this evil that pervades our nation, but failing that, I hope to at least plant the seed in your minds so that one day, you will think twice before participating yourself. My name is David Wallace, and I stand here today on behalf of the group I have recently founded, PETER. People for the Ethical Treatment of Edible Roots.
For PETER's Sake!
A great evil is sweeping across our land. An evil that is made all the more insidious by the complacency of so many people. Mr. Contest Master, fellow Toastmasters, honored guests, I thank you for providing me the opportunity to speak to you today. I stand before you a sad but determined man. My dream is to persuade you of this evil that pervades our nation, but failing that, I hope to at least plant the seed in your minds so that one day, you will think twice before participating yourself. My name is David Wallace, and I stand here today on behalf of the group I have recently founded, PETER. People for the Ethical Treatment of Edible Roots.
Some call me the Potato Prophet. They mean that term to be demeaning, degrading…but I wear it with pride. How could I not be honored to be associated with that most noble tuber, the potato? For millennia, the potato has sustained human civilization by its sacrifice from the mountains of Peru Ireland Idaho
Friends, imagine what it is like to spend your entire life underground, never knowing the joy of a sunrise or the beauty of a sunset, the pleasure of a fresh breeze upon your skin. And then, one day, you are pulled from your place of darkness. At last, a ray of hope, of light! Yet your hopes are dashed as your eyes are gouged out, your skin peeled away, your naked body sliced into long slivers and dropped into a pot of boiling oil.
What is this? This behavior we associate with the Dark Ages of human history! We might expect this from the French, with their “French Fries,” but here? In modern America
And potatoes are only the beginning. Every day, in kitchens across this land, edible roots are massacred by the thousands. From the common carrot to the much maligned rutabaga to the exotic mashua, edible roots suffer in mind-numbing, horrible, indescribable ways.
You think I’m crazy, don’t you? Others have said as much. But deep down you feel their pain, just as I do. Have you not cried at the scream of the onion? The anti-root lobby and their allies among the vicious vegetarians have spread lies for years about chemicals and irritants to try to disguise the true tragedy of the sliced onion. Even strong men tear up at the sight of that maimed root, but it is not because of chemicals, but because of the agony that we feel below the level of feeling at the death of so fine a root.
I know that the truth I speak of is a stretch for many of you. Your mothers told you that eating carrots is good for your eyes. “Finish your potatoes,” she said. “There are starving children in Africa who’d kill for such food!” But did she acknowledge the carnage in her own kitchen? Oh no. Sure, potatoes are a good source of carbohydrates. Sure, carrots might help you see better! I don’t argue with their nutritional value, but that is a moot point. Your baby brother would have been a good source of protein, but did Mom recommend eating little Johnny? I think not. No, the root of the issue (so to speak) is the kind of society you want to live in. Do you want to live in a world where we personify edible roots for fun during the day, giving them to our children to play with, then mince them at night, give them cute names like “tater tots” right before devouring them with blood-like catsup?
Fellow human beings, I appeal to you as brothers and sisters on this planet that we share with so many other worthy living things. If you have any compassion, any shred of humanity in you, the next time you look a potato in the eye, will you see into his soul? The next time an onion crosses your path, will you cry before he is cut? Please, I beg of you. The fact that a root is edible does not mean that it should be eaten. Will you join the cause of PETER? Will you become a Person for the Ethical Treatment of Edible Roots? Will you join me on this crusade? The carrots are crying out. The yams are yelling. The turnips are terrified. Please, the potatoes need you.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Love your polish
I don't polish my shoes very often. My job doesn't require much formal dress, so well-scuffed shoes don't stand out much. Recently I did polish my shoes for a wedding though, and I thought about how powerful and humble shoe polish is. When done right, no one notices the polish. They notice the shoes. Without the polish, though, the shoes are not remarkable at all.
The parallel to the rest of life hit me hard. No one looks good on their own. Everyone has people in their lives who make them look better than they would look by themselves without taking a bit of the glory.*
Who polishes you? An assistant, a spouse, a parent, a friend? Have you given that person the credit and appreciation they deserve? Do it now, because without their polish, we would all be looking mighty scuffed indeed.
*For extra credit, diagram the preceding sentence.
The parallel to the rest of life hit me hard. No one looks good on their own. Everyone has people in their lives who make them look better than they would look by themselves without taking a bit of the glory.*
Who polishes you? An assistant, a spouse, a parent, a friend? Have you given that person the credit and appreciation they deserve? Do it now, because without their polish, we would all be looking mighty scuffed indeed.
*For extra credit, diagram the preceding sentence.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Failure is an option
How often do leaders proclaim that failure is not an option? It is quite motivational to burn bridges, never back down, go down fighting, and all that. How often is it actually true, though?
Perhaps it is a question of definitions. Does an option mean that something is possible? Failure is always a possibility. Success is never assured completely. So those leaders can not mean that failure is not possible, only that it is a possibility we would never choose, encourage, or condone.
Again, inspirational, but how helpful in most of life? After all, if failure is possible (chance of occuring is greater than zero), but not an option (desireability is zero), why would I risk the chance of failure at all? Why not just go home?
If failure is not an option available to me, fear of it will drive me, and I will do nothing. Which is often considered one of the greatest failures of all. Checkmate. Failure wins.
So get moving. Failure loses its power and suddenly is less likely anyway. If it does occur, no loss. Stand up, dust off, learn, and move on. It can not be a big deal because after all, failure was always an option.
Perhaps it is a question of definitions. Does an option mean that something is possible? Failure is always a possibility. Success is never assured completely. So those leaders can not mean that failure is not possible, only that it is a possibility we would never choose, encourage, or condone.
Again, inspirational, but how helpful in most of life? After all, if failure is possible (chance of occuring is greater than zero), but not an option (desireability is zero), why would I risk the chance of failure at all? Why not just go home?
If failure is not an option available to me, fear of it will drive me, and I will do nothing. Which is often considered one of the greatest failures of all. Checkmate. Failure wins.
So get moving. Failure loses its power and suddenly is less likely anyway. If it does occur, no loss. Stand up, dust off, learn, and move on. It can not be a big deal because after all, failure was always an option.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
He who is faithful with little
Jesus once told a parable about a master and servants. Toward the end, he shares this line:
I was reading a book where this was discussed, and I was struck by how counter this is to my own way of thinking, which I think is a reflection of either the nature of man, current culture, or both.
Don't waste time with the small stuff...put me in charge of many things RIGHT NOW!
I have the education. I have the test scores. I've read Drucker and Collins and Lencioni. It is clearly a waste to put me in charge of only my own work, or just my kids, or some other small and (seemingly) insignificant responsibility. Paying your dues is such the Baby Boomer thing to do. We Gen XYZ-ers don't have time for that.
... ... ...
Color me convicted. Maybe there's some merit in demonstrating competence with small things before being entrusted with large ones. Humility is critical for great leadership, and expecting responsibility to be handed to me instead of earning it may indicate a touch of arrogance. Maybe just a little.
Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. (Matthew 25:21)
I was reading a book where this was discussed, and I was struck by how counter this is to my own way of thinking, which I think is a reflection of either the nature of man, current culture, or both.
Don't waste time with the small stuff...put me in charge of many things RIGHT NOW!
I have the education. I have the test scores. I've read Drucker and Collins and Lencioni. It is clearly a waste to put me in charge of only my own work, or just my kids, or some other small and (seemingly) insignificant responsibility. Paying your dues is such the Baby Boomer thing to do. We Gen XYZ-ers don't have time for that.
... ... ...
Color me convicted. Maybe there's some merit in demonstrating competence with small things before being entrusted with large ones. Humility is critical for great leadership, and expecting responsibility to be handed to me instead of earning it may indicate a touch of arrogance. Maybe just a little.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The Wave
I've only encountered this in Lincoln County, Kansas. Perhaps it exists elsewhere, but for me, it indicates that I'm in my ancestral home. If you want to bring a little north-central Kansas to your roadways, here are instructions for The Wave.
- While driving on a two-lane road, rest one hand at 12:00 on the wheel.
- As a vehicle approaches from the other direction, raise one or two fingers as you are close enough to see the other driver's face.
- Return fingers to rest position as soon as the other vehicle passes.
- Do not smile.
- Repeat as often as necessary.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Crisis America
Can we have a problem anymore without it being a crisis? Recently I've read or heard about the following issues in America:
Are we really in this much trouble? Is everything about to collapse on us?
(Editors note: a crisis can be defined as "a condition of instability or danger, as in social, economic, political, or international affairs, leading to a decisive change" and does not necessarily imply a negative result. But still.)
I'm not sure. Maybe. Perhaps the world really is in that much trouble. Perhaps we only talk about the problems that are at crisis-level. Perhaps in the growing cacophony of media, the only way to get noticed is to convince people that your issue is a crisis issue (David's lawn care crisis, anyone?).
Unfortunately, when everything's a crisis, nothing's important. No one has enough time, energy, focus, or money to deal with more than a crisis or two at the same time. It is analogous to trying to fight a war on several fronts at once. Occasionally necessary, but rarely effective or a good idea. At best, we just worry a lot. At worst, we do nothing.
The problems are out there, though. Something needs to be done about most of them. Let's just pick a couple, though. If we are all individually focused and we stop blowing some things out of proportion, maybe The Crisis Crisis can be averted.
- The Water Crisis
- The Climate Crisis
- The Economic Crisis
- The Kids-in-Nature Crisis
- The Education Crisis
- The Health Care Crisis
- The Food Crisis
- The Energy Crisis
Are we really in this much trouble? Is everything about to collapse on us?
(Editors note: a crisis can be defined as "a condition of instability or danger, as in social, economic, political, or international affairs, leading to a decisive change" and does not necessarily imply a negative result. But still.)
I'm not sure. Maybe. Perhaps the world really is in that much trouble. Perhaps we only talk about the problems that are at crisis-level. Perhaps in the growing cacophony of media, the only way to get noticed is to convince people that your issue is a crisis issue (David's lawn care crisis, anyone?).
Unfortunately, when everything's a crisis, nothing's important. No one has enough time, energy, focus, or money to deal with more than a crisis or two at the same time. It is analogous to trying to fight a war on several fronts at once. Occasionally necessary, but rarely effective or a good idea. At best, we just worry a lot. At worst, we do nothing.
The problems are out there, though. Something needs to be done about most of them. Let's just pick a couple, though. If we are all individually focused and we stop blowing some things out of proportion, maybe The Crisis Crisis can be averted.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
I don't care what people think
Do you care what people think? We're not supposed to, right? We're supposed to be our own person, do what we're called to, what's right, regardless of what people think. Caring about what people think is just approval-seeking and putting our success and self-esteem in the hands of others.
The trouble is, I see too many people use this ideal of independence as an excuse for self-centered and heartless behavior. I think it's because the phrase is missing something.
I don't care what people think about me.
Now we're independent. I do what's right without caring what you think about me. If I love you, though, even in the most generic sense, I very much care about what you think. What you think is a large part of who you are, and if I don't care about that, I don't care much about you.
So be independent. Don't worry about what other people think about you. Just care about what they think.
The trouble is, I see too many people use this ideal of independence as an excuse for self-centered and heartless behavior. I think it's because the phrase is missing something.
I don't care what people think about me.
Now we're independent. I do what's right without caring what you think about me. If I love you, though, even in the most generic sense, I very much care about what you think. What you think is a large part of who you are, and if I don't care about that, I don't care much about you.
So be independent. Don't worry about what other people think about you. Just care about what they think.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Acting Poor vs. Being Poor
NPR aired a story about the definition of poverty the other day. It coincided with me thinking about poverty and the difference between acting poor and being poor. I'm not even an amateur sociologist, but this is what I see.
Acting poor is about attitude.
Being poor is about cash.
Not having the cash to meet basic needs makes you poor. Living life as a victim, blaming others and always hoping for a hand-out is acting poor. Being poor is often out of our control (a result of family history, tragedy, macroeconomics, etc.), while the responsibility for acting poor lands squarely on the shoulders of every one of us.
The amazing thing about modern capitalism, and the United States specifically, is that being poor is not necessarily permanent. Acting poor makes it that way. By not acting poor, by taking responsibility for our own choices and working hard, anyone can stop being poor.
I am not naive in this. Ending personal poverty in a week won't happen. A year or a decade may not be enough time. Yet hundreds of thousands of first-generation Americans can testify to the fact that within a generation, a family that doesn't act poor will no longer be poor.
If you're reading this blog, it is unlikely you are poor. It is likely that your grandparents, or their grandparents, were. They didn't act poor, and we should be grateful. We also owe it to them to continue. Work hard, take responsibility. Whatever your income, don't act poor.
Acting poor is about attitude.
Being poor is about cash.
Not having the cash to meet basic needs makes you poor. Living life as a victim, blaming others and always hoping for a hand-out is acting poor. Being poor is often out of our control (a result of family history, tragedy, macroeconomics, etc.), while the responsibility for acting poor lands squarely on the shoulders of every one of us.
The amazing thing about modern capitalism, and the United States specifically, is that being poor is not necessarily permanent. Acting poor makes it that way. By not acting poor, by taking responsibility for our own choices and working hard, anyone can stop being poor.
I am not naive in this. Ending personal poverty in a week won't happen. A year or a decade may not be enough time. Yet hundreds of thousands of first-generation Americans can testify to the fact that within a generation, a family that doesn't act poor will no longer be poor.
If you're reading this blog, it is unlikely you are poor. It is likely that your grandparents, or their grandparents, were. They didn't act poor, and we should be grateful. We also owe it to them to continue. Work hard, take responsibility. Whatever your income, don't act poor.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity
I like maps. They're a fascinating visual display of information, and here's a site with some that I'd never seen before. Enjoy!
www.worldmap.org
www.worldmap.org
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Remarkable Impact
Last weekend, my family celebrated my uncle's 60th birthday. By many common standards, he has led an unremarkable life. He's lived his whole life on a farm in a small town in north-central Kansas. Never married, he has worked as a farmer, a teacher, and a county commissioner. No advanced degrees, no great wealth, and no Wikipedia entry.
Yet my uncle is one of the most remarkable people I know.
Over 100 people were at the birthday party. That's about 2.5% of the population of the county he has invested his life in. If 2.5% doesn't sound like much, consider what percentage of your county would turn out for your birthday party. I know I'd be far from 2.5%.
So what does it mean to be remarkable, then? Is it a job, education, fame, or a bank account? Perhaps those things count somewhat. Perhaps another measure is the impact we have on the people we encounter, and the relationships we form. A mist affects many of the people in my life more than I do. What if I started caring less about my stats, and more about my relationships? Maybe I, too, can aspire to 2.5%.
So Happy Birthday, AlJoe. Thanks for 60 truly remarkable years.
Yet my uncle is one of the most remarkable people I know.
Over 100 people were at the birthday party. That's about 2.5% of the population of the county he has invested his life in. If 2.5% doesn't sound like much, consider what percentage of your county would turn out for your birthday party. I know I'd be far from 2.5%.
So what does it mean to be remarkable, then? Is it a job, education, fame, or a bank account? Perhaps those things count somewhat. Perhaps another measure is the impact we have on the people we encounter, and the relationships we form. A mist affects many of the people in my life more than I do. What if I started caring less about my stats, and more about my relationships? Maybe I, too, can aspire to 2.5%.
So Happy Birthday, AlJoe. Thanks for 60 truly remarkable years.
Too much vs. too little
In my list of potential blog topics, I found this:
Too much vs. too little
Reading it now, I am certain that I had some insight about the power of moderation or the wisdom of choosing when to go all in or hold back. None of that really rings a bell though. I have no idea what I was planning to write about.
In this case, it was clearly too little.
Too much vs. too little
Reading it now, I am certain that I had some insight about the power of moderation or the wisdom of choosing when to go all in or hold back. None of that really rings a bell though. I have no idea what I was planning to write about.
In this case, it was clearly too little.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Validation
Many of you have likely seen this video about the value of validation. It's been going around Facebook and blogs for a while now. I'm sharing it again here because it is both entertaining and inspirational. If you haven't seen it, check it out. If you have, remember to smile today.
http://gooseeducationalmedia.com/Validation/tabid/141/Default.aspx
http://gooseeducationalmedia.com/Validation/tabid/141/Default.aspx
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
The captain has turned on the seat belt sign.
Why do I have to wear my seat belt when the plane is on the ground, but not when it's 10,000 feet in the air? Shouldn't I need to be more secure way up there than down here on terra firma?
Yes and no. It is certainly more secure to be parked at the gate than at cruising altitude. Not much more, though. After all, both places are steady, consistent, reliable, and a bit dull. It's the part between them that gets dicey.
Take-off and landing. Those are the time you want Sully in the cockpit, and not the autopilot. Because transitions are dangerous and scary. Going from the ground to the sky and back again is risky business, and keeping your seat belt buckled is only common sense.
Naturally, there's a life lesson in this. It's easy to sit at the gate and wait. Cruising at a familiar speed does not require guts. Is that what I want to always do, though?
Where do I need to buckle up and take off? What habits need to get off autopilot and be grounded? What about you?
Yes and no. It is certainly more secure to be parked at the gate than at cruising altitude. Not much more, though. After all, both places are steady, consistent, reliable, and a bit dull. It's the part between them that gets dicey.
Take-off and landing. Those are the time you want Sully in the cockpit, and not the autopilot. Because transitions are dangerous and scary. Going from the ground to the sky and back again is risky business, and keeping your seat belt buckled is only common sense.
Naturally, there's a life lesson in this. It's easy to sit at the gate and wait. Cruising at a familiar speed does not require guts. Is that what I want to always do, though?
Where do I need to buckle up and take off? What habits need to get off autopilot and be grounded? What about you?
Monday, September 07, 2009
What's up with the title?
Over the last several years, four life goals have been developing in my mind. They are rarely demonstrated fully in my life, but I still desire to pursue them, and they form the title of this blog. In order, they are to...
Learn continuously - I love learning. I've spent a lot of time in formal schooling, read voraciously (on- and off-line), and am finding few subjects that I have no interest in. I want to be learning new knowledge and skills until the day I die. This is the first of the four goals, because I believe ongoing learning is the foundation that the others can be built on.
Love extravagantly - While learning is all well and good, people have eternal value. I want to care for people in a way that's over-the-top generous. This may be the goal that I am poorest at putting into practice. Only by emotionally investing in others can the next two goals have any meaning.
Lead courageously - Most people are scared, myself included. We all need courageous leaders to call us out of our fear and on with life. I want to be one of those leaders, both for myself and for those that I am loving extravagantly.
Live abundantly - We have a short time here on earth, and I want to make the most of it. This goal is the result of the first three. By learning, loving, and leading, life will be full and this last goal is easily achieved.
So here's to stretch goals, and to learning, loving, leading, and living.
Learn continuously - I love learning. I've spent a lot of time in formal schooling, read voraciously (on- and off-line), and am finding few subjects that I have no interest in. I want to be learning new knowledge and skills until the day I die. This is the first of the four goals, because I believe ongoing learning is the foundation that the others can be built on.
Love extravagantly - While learning is all well and good, people have eternal value. I want to care for people in a way that's over-the-top generous. This may be the goal that I am poorest at putting into practice. Only by emotionally investing in others can the next two goals have any meaning.
Lead courageously - Most people are scared, myself included. We all need courageous leaders to call us out of our fear and on with life. I want to be one of those leaders, both for myself and for those that I am loving extravagantly.
Live abundantly - We have a short time here on earth, and I want to make the most of it. This goal is the result of the first three. By learning, loving, and leading, life will be full and this last goal is easily achieved.
So here's to stretch goals, and to learning, loving, leading, and living.
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Why am I blogging?
It's not like I don't have enough to do. I have a job, a wife, three small kids, and more books on my list than I know what to do with. So why would I spend time writing a blog? Because I think I have to.
When I took the StrengthsFinder assessment, two of my top five strengths came out input-related (Learning and Input), and two thinking-related (Analytical and Intellection). There is not a thing about output in there. Like most tests of this type, it doesn't describe me completely, but it does reveal some truth about how I work. I'm happy to listen and read and think, but doing anything beyond that holds little interest for me.
However, just like lakes without outlets lose freshness over time (Great Salt Lake, Dead Sea), constant mental input without output leads to stagnation.
So this blog is my output. Its purpose is not to add value to the world (though that would be a nice bonus), or provide readers with interesting content (though feedback is appreciated), but simply to improve my own thinking by forcing some output to balance the input.
I did have to overcome some reluctance to do this. I'm not comfortable putting my thoughts out in the world (remember the lack of output-related strengths?), but it now seems necessary. So far, so good. Now, will you join me? What do you need to do that's not comfortable? Get started, let me know, and good luck.
PS - For the two people wondering the fifth strength was: Responsibility.
When I took the StrengthsFinder assessment, two of my top five strengths came out input-related (Learning and Input), and two thinking-related (Analytical and Intellection). There is not a thing about output in there. Like most tests of this type, it doesn't describe me completely, but it does reveal some truth about how I work. I'm happy to listen and read and think, but doing anything beyond that holds little interest for me.
However, just like lakes without outlets lose freshness over time (Great Salt Lake, Dead Sea), constant mental input without output leads to stagnation.
So this blog is my output. Its purpose is not to add value to the world (though that would be a nice bonus), or provide readers with interesting content (though feedback is appreciated), but simply to improve my own thinking by forcing some output to balance the input.
I did have to overcome some reluctance to do this. I'm not comfortable putting my thoughts out in the world (remember the lack of output-related strengths?), but it now seems necessary. So far, so good. Now, will you join me? What do you need to do that's not comfortable? Get started, let me know, and good luck.
PS - For the two people wondering the fifth strength was: Responsibility.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Love the wok
A couple months ago, my wonderful family bought me a wok for my birthday. I've been wanting one for a while, though once it arrived, I wasn't really sure what to do with it. How do you cook in a bowl?
The answer is found, like most, in my local public library. I checked out a handful of wok cookbooks, and have used recipes from most of them, but the one that stands out is The Breath of a Wok by Young and Richardson.
Part manual, part history, part travelogue, part cookbook, Breath covers a wide range of wok technique and lore with impressive photography. It went well beyond recipes and made me want to build a custom wok stove and fire it with dried rice stalks.
Realistically, I'm loving my Target wok on my gas-fired stove. We've done some Kung Pao chicken, garlic and snow peas, and some Italian-Chinese wok fusion pasta. All good stuff, tasty and fun.
So I now have two favorite pans, the cast iron skillet and the carbon steel wok. It's good to have variety, I suppose.
The answer is found, like most, in my local public library. I checked out a handful of wok cookbooks, and have used recipes from most of them, but the one that stands out is The Breath of a Wok by Young and Richardson.
Realistically, I'm loving my Target wok on my gas-fired stove. We've done some Kung Pao chicken, garlic and snow peas, and some Italian-Chinese wok fusion pasta. All good stuff, tasty and fun.
So I now have two favorite pans, the cast iron skillet and the carbon steel wok. It's good to have variety, I suppose.
Friday, September 04, 2009
Pyramid report writing
Report writing is an important activity in any large organization where projects span space and time. I was told once that the work doesn't exist until it's been documented. Trouble is, not very many people do it well. Without claiming any particular insight, I did receive one piece of advice from a senior coworker once on how to structure reports.
Most reports can be viewed in three sections of equal importance and unequal detail. The two pyramids below show the three sections in terms of Detail and Readers.
Most reports can be viewed in three sections of equal importance and unequal detail. The two pyramids below show the three sections in terms of Detail and Readers.
- Section 1 - Usually called the executive summary, it's the only part that most people are going to read. Put your key points, but don't worry about detail. Most people just don't really care.
- Section 2 - The body of your report contains some detail. Describe what's going on so that a peer can know enough to agree with your conclusions. A few people will read this, mostly folks that you specifically ask to.
- Section 3 - Appendices. This is where all the detail goes. The only person who will ever read this besides you is the sucker who has to pick up the project again in 3 years and doesn't want to start from scratch.
I realized that once I started writing like this, my reports got better and faster. Better because I put the right level of detail in the right places so readers didn't have to wade through trivia to find what they wanted. Faster because there's less need to make sure the entire report is linguistically perfect. In the end, everybody's happier.
Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
The Goose - good for the gander, too.
I'm into learning stuff. One big group of stuff I like to learn about is personal leadership/productivity/improvement, and there's no shortage of books out there feed that need. So many, in fact, that there's no way I can read them all, or even a small fraction of them. Which is why The Goose is so fantastic.
They read books, summarize them, extract key nuggets (Golden Eggs) and send you an email every Tuesday with the information nicely written up. Since a lot of books contain no more than one or two original, useful ideas (if that), this saves a whole lot of time.
Check them out. You'll be glad you did.
They read books, summarize them, extract key nuggets (Golden Eggs) and send you an email every Tuesday with the information nicely written up. Since a lot of books contain no more than one or two original, useful ideas (if that), this saves a whole lot of time.
Check them out. You'll be glad you did.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Burning Picassos
I ran across this article the other day with a challenging title.
http://scitizen.com/stories/future-energies/2009/08/Burning-Picassos-for-Heat/
The author equates using nuclear energy to power tar sands extraction to burning fine art for heat. Stupid oil companies, who would ever do something like that?
People who are very cold in an art museum.
If you have a need for one thing and an abundance of another, who wouldn't trade the excess to meet the need? That is exactly where we find ourselves in the energy world. We need transportation fuel (which currently equals oil), and we have (or can have) plenty of electricity from nuclear plants. So the logical choice is to trade the nuclear power for the oil, no matter what the efficiency losses are.
Liquid hydrocarbons (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, etc.) are the most convenient and energy-dense fuels that we have available today. It's easy to talk about changing to electric cars, but a lot harder to do. As long as we value the convenience and low cost of our liquid-powered cars more than pure energy efficiency (and who really thinks about that first thing in the morning?), the oil companies will be happy to make the trade-off of Picassos for heat.
http://scitizen.com/stories/future-energies/2009/08/Burning-Picassos-for-Heat/
The author equates using nuclear energy to power tar sands extraction to burning fine art for heat. Stupid oil companies, who would ever do something like that?
People who are very cold in an art museum.
If you have a need for one thing and an abundance of another, who wouldn't trade the excess to meet the need? That is exactly where we find ourselves in the energy world. We need transportation fuel (which currently equals oil), and we have (or can have) plenty of electricity from nuclear plants. So the logical choice is to trade the nuclear power for the oil, no matter what the efficiency losses are.
Liquid hydrocarbons (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, etc.) are the most convenient and energy-dense fuels that we have available today. It's easy to talk about changing to electric cars, but a lot harder to do. As long as we value the convenience and low cost of our liquid-powered cars more than pure energy efficiency (and who really thinks about that first thing in the morning?), the oil companies will be happy to make the trade-off of Picassos for heat.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
The price we pay
Everything has a price, or more accurately, a cost. Do you ever think about that? I rarely do, and it often gets me into trouble, particularly when the costs come at different times, so one thing seems way cheaper than another.
Easy example: credit cards.
Buy now, pay later. The cost of the item hasn't changed from cash, it's just shifted in time plus there's the very real potential additional cost (interest, late charges, etc.) and the hidden cost of processing.
Harder example: fast food.
Eat now, get fat later. A little less clear here. I can pay now in money (fast food is cheap, alternatives being more expensive), inconvenience (my fridge doesn't have a drive-through) and sacrifice (fast food is yummy).
Hardest example: time.
It's running out. It doesn't matter what you're buying or eating, time is ticking away at about 60 seconds per minute, and the end is nearer now than it's ever been. So what choice will I make now? Blog, play with kids, read, play Wesnoth, watch a movie, call a friend? Some of those things are easy. Some take effort. So writing a thoughtful blog post seems more expensive than watching TV. But...
The cost is not only the effort involved. It is also the loss of being able to do anything else with that time...ever. In economics, that's sometimes called an opportunity cost. And while my choice to watch TV right now isn't a big deal, making that choice again and again means that I've given up many hours of learning, thinking, praying, serving, loving, and living. That can get really expensive.
I am by nature a lazy man. But when I think about the full price I pay...maybe I will get off the couch.
Easy example: credit cards.
Buy now, pay later. The cost of the item hasn't changed from cash, it's just shifted in time plus there's the very real potential additional cost (interest, late charges, etc.) and the hidden cost of processing.
Harder example: fast food.
Eat now, get fat later. A little less clear here. I can pay now in money (fast food is cheap, alternatives being more expensive
Hardest example: time.
It's running out. It doesn't matter what you're buying or eating, time is ticking away at about 60 seconds per minute, and the end is nearer now than it's ever been. So what choice will I make now? Blog, play with kids, read, play Wesnoth
The cost is not only the effort involved. It is also the loss of being able to do anything else with that time...ever. In economics, that's sometimes called an opportunity cost. And while my choice to watch TV right now isn't a big deal, making that choice again and again means that I've given up many hours of learning, thinking, praying, serving, loving, and living. That can get really expensive.
I am by nature a lazy man. But when I think about the full price I pay...maybe I will get off the couch.
