I had a reading assignment this week that blew my mind - figuratively, perhaps, but nonetheless out there! Several different authors, several topics, but they all had in common the nearly frenetic use of colorful words and phrases. They had me running to the dictionary for further clarification of their points, which is never a bad thing. It does somewhat stymie me, though, that they would choose such oddly descriptive phrases for their otherwise mundane topics.
Misogyny - One author used this word, meaning woman hater, no less than six times while explaining gangsta rap. Someone who knows such a big word should probably have a few more in his back pocket Thesaurus from which to choose.
Recombinant phrenology - I loved the whole concept of this one...the recombining (generally genetic) of the pseudoscientific study of mental functions of the brain. But broken down in meaning, I wasn't sure what it had to do with modern PowerPoint presentations.
Simultaneity of multitasking - WOW! Multitasking already assumes that someone does more than one thing at a time, but adding "the simultaneous occurrence" to the beginning definitely kicks it up a notch.
Irrational Logic - My personal favorite. In fact, I adopted it not only for the class assignment but also as a way to explain what goes on most days of my life....
Etymology - my own contribution - the study of words. I love words and tend to use them a lot.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
WORK!?!!
Work is something I have had a hard time understanding for several years now. I truly feel that we should have a 20-year sabbatical from 40 to 60, when our bodies are out of control and our minds are adjusting to that fact. Time to recreate, to enjoy, to reflect upon the experiences of our 20's and 30's. Instead, we step onto a roller coaster that speeds past every precious moment, whether ours or our loved ones, too busy to stop a moment to see the significance of any of it. Lost, it's all lost, in the stresses of the day. And so, with that, I prepare myself for another day of work. Or, as Maynard G. Krebbs might put it, "WORK!?!!"
Monday, September 21, 2009
Technology Bytes!
My brain is not "Plug & Play"! That's all there is to it. Over the years it has performed amazingly - memorizing times tables and Shakespeare, analyzing discounts and percentages while shopping, keeping at the ready obscure tidbits of information for Trivial Pursuit - it has done an impressive job.
But after all this use and abuse, I believe it's about to cry "Uncle"! At any given moment it must handle the bombardment of Facebook, Twitter, Bluetooth, 3-G Highspeed, Skype-mania, MAC vs PC, HD-Blu Ray - all beeping and chirping for attention. Every minute computer and cell phone technology morphs into totally incompatible, incomprehensible "must-have" instruments. We sign our lives away on purchasing equipment with more accessories than Britney Spears, and have resigned ourselves to an incredible learning curve and the loss of all existing data. It's just a given. Has anyone ever accessed the CD-ROM User Guide?
Remember when equipment had manuals, written only in English, with pictures and diagrams of the item in case you were a more visual learner. I swear I could fix pretty much anything on my old Volvo just by reading the Owner's Manual. (Sadly, it didn't cover cracked engine blocks...) I thought technology was supposed to make our lives easier!
But after all this use and abuse, I believe it's about to cry "Uncle"! At any given moment it must handle the bombardment of Facebook, Twitter, Bluetooth, 3-G Highspeed, Skype-mania, MAC vs PC, HD-Blu Ray - all beeping and chirping for attention. Every minute computer and cell phone technology morphs into totally incompatible, incomprehensible "must-have" instruments. We sign our lives away on purchasing equipment with more accessories than Britney Spears, and have resigned ourselves to an incredible learning curve and the loss of all existing data. It's just a given. Has anyone ever accessed the CD-ROM User Guide?
Remember when equipment had manuals, written only in English, with pictures and diagrams of the item in case you were a more visual learner. I swear I could fix pretty much anything on my old Volvo just by reading the Owner's Manual. (Sadly, it didn't cover cracked engine blocks...) I thought technology was supposed to make our lives easier!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
On Holiday
I love that term - and all it implies! The European equivilent of our American Vacation goes so much further, however, to offer respite, provide insight and engage its followers in a non-work mode.
For here in America - in Corporate America at least - the vacation is time taken off from the workplace, as in "vacating". It is not, necessarily, time away from the work itself. Oh no. We have cell phones; we have laptops; and in a big pinch, we ALWAYS have either Kinkos or the hotel fax machine. It's as though we think, in our micromanaged little existence, that everything would fall apart without us. How Egomaniacal!
And it isn't always the workplace that dictates our not-so-down time. "Now leave, and don't worry about us..." our co-workers will say. No, that's OK. I don't trust you enough to walk away without at least one eye on things. A call-in occasionally, especially when the vacation time is lagging a bit or we need to escape from the relatives.
A Holiday on the other hand evokes thoughts of months in the country, or weeks "out of country". Dazzling adventures are set before us, so much so that we've not a moment to think of the workplace and its daily drama. Can you just imagine?
No? I thought not. We Americans weren't conditioned that way. Pity!
For here in America - in Corporate America at least - the vacation is time taken off from the workplace, as in "vacating". It is not, necessarily, time away from the work itself. Oh no. We have cell phones; we have laptops; and in a big pinch, we ALWAYS have either Kinkos or the hotel fax machine. It's as though we think, in our micromanaged little existence, that everything would fall apart without us. How Egomaniacal!
And it isn't always the workplace that dictates our not-so-down time. "Now leave, and don't worry about us..." our co-workers will say. No, that's OK. I don't trust you enough to walk away without at least one eye on things. A call-in occasionally, especially when the vacation time is lagging a bit or we need to escape from the relatives.
A Holiday on the other hand evokes thoughts of months in the country, or weeks "out of country". Dazzling adventures are set before us, so much so that we've not a moment to think of the workplace and its daily drama. Can you just imagine?
No? I thought not. We Americans weren't conditioned that way. Pity!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Researching Ad Infinitum
The below paper on perfectionist attitudes came to me because I know that, far too often, I've been accused of such a trait. I fight it, believe me. Just look around my house and you will see many successful attempts to eliminate perfection in my life (don't let the dresser drawers scare you...)
There are times, however, when I find I cannot turn off the urge to gather it all, get it right and tweak it forever. This past week's research assignment in my online class found me digging in bookshelves, searching the web and clicking on dozens of sites in an effort to do what? Write a preliminary article on the topic I had chosen. Not only did I gather enough information (uncited, by the way) for a 3-volume text on the subject, but I "chased enough rabbits" that I began developing sub-topics and unrelated analyses. Give me a break, Rita!
There are times, however, when I find I cannot turn off the urge to gather it all, get it right and tweak it forever. This past week's research assignment in my online class found me digging in bookshelves, searching the web and clicking on dozens of sites in an effort to do what? Write a preliminary article on the topic I had chosen. Not only did I gather enough information (uncited, by the way) for a 3-volume text on the subject, but I "chased enough rabbits" that I began developing sub-topics and unrelated analyses. Give me a break, Rita!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
From the Archives - In Support of Perfectionists
(From time to time, I'll post thoughts or articles I've written previously...one follows)
Everyone knows one, or maybe has had to work with one. Perfectionists are easy to spot, always burning the midnight oil, stressing over every detail of a situation and holding co-workers up to the same, unattainable standards they expect of themselves. Some take on near obsessive/compulsive tendencies, in their efforts to make everything just right. You may even profess to be one. If so, you are either still in the closet, struggling to survive in this imperfect world, or you have become hardened to the snickers, jokes and ridicule of those who cannot grasp the concept of your mantra, "If it isn’t perfect, it isn’t right." Considering the very real possibility of our ethical, economical and political downfall in this country, perhaps it is time to reconsider that philosophy and demand a higher standard of living.
In recent years, perfectionists have gotten a bad rap. They have been admonished by a way of thinking that supports creativity over detail, desire over need, and self over selflessness. While a blend of both philosophies can result in a strong, well-balanced culture, too much of a good thing is generally associated with the demise of a civilization. Let me cite a few examples:
Can the durability of our goods be directly related to the durability of our culture? Most products sold in America hardly last past their warranties. You may still have your grandmother’s old toaster on a shelf, but the shiny one you bought last year just went on the fritz. Within five years, a new automobile will have been to the repair shop approximately two times for adjustments or parts replacement. What became of the slogan, "Ford, Built to Last"? Leasing is becoming a more attractive option than buying, partly because we need to replace our vehicles before the cost of repairs outweighs a monthly car payment. At $20,000+ a pop, that’s a pretty pricey disposable. Yet, the 1956 T-Bird purring down the street during a parade is a masterpiece of outstanding workmanship and sound mechanics...the product of perfectionist thinking.
It has been argued that the durability of the automobile was compromised by the introduction of newer, lightweight materials, designed to enhance both safety and comfort. Sleek, state-of-the-art, computerized features such as automatic windows and seat warmers are hard for the consumer to pass up. If, however, a choice was given between a flawless transmission or climate-controlled temperature gauges, the typical American consumer would continue shopping until both features could be provided for the same price.
Let’s consider the family home. Technology has provided us certain products designed to improve a new home’s efficiency (double-paned windows, lighter and better insulation), quality (strong, lightweight materials) and beauty. Yet many homebuilders cut corners to save a dollar here or an hour there. Quality workmanship has been neglected because builders have become more concerned with the number of units that can fit in a particular space and the speed with which they can be completed and sold. Rather than providing a sound structure that will provide generations of families security from the elements and pleasure within its walls, we blindly accept shifting foundations, unsquared walls and unfinished basements.
Yesterday’s architecture, on the other hand, has withstood both natural elements and manmade disasters. In generations to come, the designs of the Great Pyramid, the Roman Coliseum and many other ancient structures still standing will speak of those civilizations’ exquisite detail and perfectionist attitudes, while our contribution might only be remnants of unidentifiable plastics found while excavating former landfills.
The medical profession should be one area where only true-blue perfectionists need apply. How unfortunate for many of us that this is not the case. The reason for the high cost of malpractice insurance is because it is tapped into so often. Horror stories can be found in the news every day of someone dying after a routine procedure, incorrect diagnoses, botched surgeries, and post-op infections and complications. Yet these atrocities have been relegated to the status quo of healthcare in America. Should we not, instead, be holding the medical profession up to a higher standard of care? I assure you that if it regards my family or me, I would rather take issue with the doctor before a mistake, than to present my complaint to a judge after the fact.
I’m not saying that we all need to develop Type-A personalities, suddenly analyzing the minutia of life. There are many in our society who fill that role "perfectly". We must, however, take the responsibility to value quality control over quantity control. We need to demand better service, better products and better attitudes. If "Inspector 67" takes the time to put a sticker on every article coming off the assembly line, then he or she should be accountable for the condition of that article. We need to raise our children with a sense of global responsibility, rather than hardly making them responsible for themselves. In doing so, we might possibly turn things around and, once again, become a country built on the perfectionist attitudes of our ancestors.
Everyone knows one, or maybe has had to work with one. Perfectionists are easy to spot, always burning the midnight oil, stressing over every detail of a situation and holding co-workers up to the same, unattainable standards they expect of themselves. Some take on near obsessive/compulsive tendencies, in their efforts to make everything just right. You may even profess to be one. If so, you are either still in the closet, struggling to survive in this imperfect world, or you have become hardened to the snickers, jokes and ridicule of those who cannot grasp the concept of your mantra, "If it isn’t perfect, it isn’t right." Considering the very real possibility of our ethical, economical and political downfall in this country, perhaps it is time to reconsider that philosophy and demand a higher standard of living.
In recent years, perfectionists have gotten a bad rap. They have been admonished by a way of thinking that supports creativity over detail, desire over need, and self over selflessness. While a blend of both philosophies can result in a strong, well-balanced culture, too much of a good thing is generally associated with the demise of a civilization. Let me cite a few examples:
- The Garden of Eden
- Fall of the Roman Empire
- The Fall of Enron
Can the durability of our goods be directly related to the durability of our culture? Most products sold in America hardly last past their warranties. You may still have your grandmother’s old toaster on a shelf, but the shiny one you bought last year just went on the fritz. Within five years, a new automobile will have been to the repair shop approximately two times for adjustments or parts replacement. What became of the slogan, "Ford, Built to Last"? Leasing is becoming a more attractive option than buying, partly because we need to replace our vehicles before the cost of repairs outweighs a monthly car payment. At $20,000+ a pop, that’s a pretty pricey disposable. Yet, the 1956 T-Bird purring down the street during a parade is a masterpiece of outstanding workmanship and sound mechanics...the product of perfectionist thinking.
It has been argued that the durability of the automobile was compromised by the introduction of newer, lightweight materials, designed to enhance both safety and comfort. Sleek, state-of-the-art, computerized features such as automatic windows and seat warmers are hard for the consumer to pass up. If, however, a choice was given between a flawless transmission or climate-controlled temperature gauges, the typical American consumer would continue shopping until both features could be provided for the same price.
Let’s consider the family home. Technology has provided us certain products designed to improve a new home’s efficiency (double-paned windows, lighter and better insulation), quality (strong, lightweight materials) and beauty. Yet many homebuilders cut corners to save a dollar here or an hour there. Quality workmanship has been neglected because builders have become more concerned with the number of units that can fit in a particular space and the speed with which they can be completed and sold. Rather than providing a sound structure that will provide generations of families security from the elements and pleasure within its walls, we blindly accept shifting foundations, unsquared walls and unfinished basements.
Yesterday’s architecture, on the other hand, has withstood both natural elements and manmade disasters. In generations to come, the designs of the Great Pyramid, the Roman Coliseum and many other ancient structures still standing will speak of those civilizations’ exquisite detail and perfectionist attitudes, while our contribution might only be remnants of unidentifiable plastics found while excavating former landfills.
The medical profession should be one area where only true-blue perfectionists need apply. How unfortunate for many of us that this is not the case. The reason for the high cost of malpractice insurance is because it is tapped into so often. Horror stories can be found in the news every day of someone dying after a routine procedure, incorrect diagnoses, botched surgeries, and post-op infections and complications. Yet these atrocities have been relegated to the status quo of healthcare in America. Should we not, instead, be holding the medical profession up to a higher standard of care? I assure you that if it regards my family or me, I would rather take issue with the doctor before a mistake, than to present my complaint to a judge after the fact.
I’m not saying that we all need to develop Type-A personalities, suddenly analyzing the minutia of life. There are many in our society who fill that role "perfectly". We must, however, take the responsibility to value quality control over quantity control. We need to demand better service, better products and better attitudes. If "Inspector 67" takes the time to put a sticker on every article coming off the assembly line, then he or she should be accountable for the condition of that article. We need to raise our children with a sense of global responsibility, rather than hardly making them responsible for themselves. In doing so, we might possibly turn things around and, once again, become a country built on the perfectionist attitudes of our ancestors.
Friday, September 11, 2009
September Eleventh
It sneaks up on you, doesn't it? One minute you're thinking of all the things you have to do today, of the weekend approaching, of what to have for breakfast, and then you spot the day. You remember the time. You go back to where you were that day.
My son Phillip and I were talking, and it is the first tragedy of note that he remembers (he was almost 15). He had, of course, heard all about Columbine two years earlier, and coupled with this, his young world was rocked! I remember him sitting on his bed one morning, days later, very upset because he had heard someone say that it had taken five years to plan this. He said that someone was probably planning something right now that would happen in the future. The age of innocence gets younger and younger...
Over-stimulating our Kids
I've always blamed Sesame Street for overstimulating our kids, but once I got to thinking about it, we children of the '60s (and '70s) have done that to them from birth. Remember when the big deal was to have big black and white shapes all around the baby's room, or bright colors, to stimulate and engage? Then Sesame Street hyperactivity took over for us until our children moved on to video games, txting, and MySpace with its flashing over-informing nature. Even news programs like CNN that have a picture, a picture in a picture, a crawl and a spike or zoom feature perpetuate the absorption of too much data at any given time.
Gee, and we thought it was the sugar!
The not-so-funny thing is that our overstimulated children have a problem going to a boring, stifling classroom with a teacher instructing them to sit in their seats, or sit in a reading circle or sit...anywhere! So it seems if we spent so much time getting our children to think a thousand thoughts a second, the solution to this would be to find a way to continue the child's learning in much the same way. Big video screens flashing times tables with big yellow birds or purple dinos rewarding each progression. But no, that wouldn't be school then, would it? School is rigid, is rules, is dictated by some Charlie Brown grownup determined to keep the classroom under control. (Do I hear Pink Floyd?) It wouldn't be prudent to consider anything other than under-stimulating the bodies in an effort to train the mind. (Did you notice I said "train", not "engage"?) So a label was given to those children who were unable to quickly (and quietly) calm their spirited natures - Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder - or ADHD to us parents who had to say it a lot. And once you have a label, the pharmaceuticals must come up with a CURE. Oh yeah, now we're talking. But you don't want to get me started. That's a blog for another day. Suffice it to say that we either need to change how we develop our young ones or the school system needs to change its dynamic. Any wagers on who will win?
Gee, and we thought it was the sugar!
The not-so-funny thing is that our overstimulated children have a problem going to a boring, stifling classroom with a teacher instructing them to sit in their seats, or sit in a reading circle or sit...anywhere! So it seems if we spent so much time getting our children to think a thousand thoughts a second, the solution to this would be to find a way to continue the child's learning in much the same way. Big video screens flashing times tables with big yellow birds or purple dinos rewarding each progression. But no, that wouldn't be school then, would it? School is rigid, is rules, is dictated by some Charlie Brown grownup determined to keep the classroom under control. (Do I hear Pink Floyd?) It wouldn't be prudent to consider anything other than under-stimulating the bodies in an effort to train the mind. (Did you notice I said "train", not "engage"?) So a label was given to those children who were unable to quickly (and quietly) calm their spirited natures - Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder - or ADHD to us parents who had to say it a lot. And once you have a label, the pharmaceuticals must come up with a CURE. Oh yeah, now we're talking. But you don't want to get me started. That's a blog for another day. Suffice it to say that we either need to change how we develop our young ones or the school system needs to change its dynamic. Any wagers on who will win?
Thursday, September 3, 2009
The Busy-ness of Autumn
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Do you ever get the feeling that time speeds up after the lazy summer? It's as though Mother Nature went on holiday during the hot July and early August days then suddenly remembered that she needs to harvest, seed, shake out her leaves and prepare for the winter. The mornings are cool and crisp, evenings grow dark sooner, and there just isn't enough time in the day to complete all there is to do.
Working for MDA, autumn has always been a busy time. There is, of course, the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon to consider. For 29 years, I've been a part of this worthwhile organization. The month of August is filled with activities and plans for the event, and then in September there is wrap up and deadlines and reports galore. There is also budgeting for the new year - offices, activities, growth and cutbacks....
For many, the start of school increases the excitement, activity and stress of the season. Some are preparing their children for school; others may be attending themselves. School zones, busses stopping, children darting in and out - it isn't a day at the beach, that's for sure.
But that's OK - for depending on where you might live, autumn is a brief season. Hot one day, chilly the next, it is merely a bridge between long summer days and longer winter nights. If it chooses to decorate itself in bright, crunching leaves, dried sunflowers and pompous pumpkins, so be it!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
On Blogging...
I suppose I was born to blog. In an age when everything is instant (messaging, On Demand, breakfast), I've felt more comfortable with the up-at-all-hours, emailing/writing/savoring of words and phrases at my leisure. Txt'ng is tuf wn U try 2 spl evry wd rit. Webster and I don't understand! With a blog, my mind can extend itself to the keyboard with little concern that the reader (have I a reader?) will yawn and wander away.
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