Wednesday, February 28, 2018
On the Street in Lagos
Use Google Maps to navigate along some streets in Lagos, Nigeria and you will count your blessings.
Drucker: Integrity - Humility - Generosity
Pastor Rick Warren talking about the character of Peter Drucker.
Absolutely True
Cultural Offering features a warning from Jake Williams for web developers.
I don't think the developers understand how irritating that practice is and how quickly it can cause people to leave a site.
I don't think the developers understand how irritating that practice is and how quickly it can cause people to leave a site.
The Listening Habit
[Photo by Allef Vinicius at Unsplash]
Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking.
- Bernard Baruch
A New Batch of Random Thoughts
My new book is at Amazon. It contains 701 Random Thoughts, most of which at one point were posted on this blog.
Here are some new thoughts that will have to wait for the next volume:
We could invent an alternative to email in which more thought would be given to sending messages and more time would be permitted for a response. The messages could be called "letters." ~ It was a dark day when "talking points" were invented. ~ There are many organizational codes of conduct that are unwritten (and even denied) but that does not mean that they may be violated with impunity. ~ Whenever you write a particularly good sentence an alarm bell should sound. ~ Develop a relationship mentality, not merely a project-oriented one, or else you may quickly find that you have a dearth of new projects. Why? Because projects come from relationships. ~ When it comes to some forms of consumption, it is easier to abstain entirely than to ration smaller portions. ~ Customers never care about your excuses. ~ Children should be acquainted with a good dictionary, a good encyclopedia, and a good almanac. ~ In a large organization, it is a mistake to assume that anyone is powerless. ~ A key benefit of the study of history is what it can tell us about the future. ~ When describing an important strategy, don't forget to touch the heart of each listener. Give them a greater purpose and not simply logic or assignments.
First Paragraph
This book was born on a cold, drizzly, late spring day when I clambered over the split-rail cedar fence that surrounds my pasture and made my way through wet woods to the modest frame house where Joe Rantz lay dying.
- From The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
- From The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
Quote of the Day
The oft-quoted tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians, passed on from generation to generation, says that, 'When you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount.' However, in government more advanced strategies are often employed, such as:
- Sheldon Rovin, in a draft to Systems Thinking, quoted in Systems Thinking for Curious Managers by Russell L. Ackoff
- Buying a stronger whip.
- Changing riders.
- Appointing a committee to study the horse.
- Arranging to visit other countries to see how other cultures ride horses.
- Lowering the standards so that dead horses can be included.
- Reclassifying the dead horse as living impaired.
- Hiring outside contractors to ride the dead horse.
- Harnessing several dead horses together to increase speed.
- Providing extra funding/training to increase the dead horse's performance.
- Doing a productivity study to see if lighter riders would improve the dead horse's performance.
- Declaring that as the dead horse does not have to feed, it is less costly, carries lower overhead and therefore contributes substantially more to the bottom line of the economy than live horses.
- Rewriting the expected performance requirements for all horses. And, of course...
- Promoting the dead horse to a supervisory position.
- Sheldon Rovin, in a draft to Systems Thinking, quoted in Systems Thinking for Curious Managers by Russell L. Ackoff
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
The Supreme Excellence
[Photo by Olu Eletu at Unsplash]
In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Time
You need time to think. You need time to complete projects. You need time to rest.
You need meaningful time.
Two or three minutes here or there won't be sufficient. A few hours or days might not do the trick. Time is the universal currency and and yet we underestimate its significance. We focus on money and staffing and technology - all of which are important but time is the real ruler and often it is a tyrant.
What do top decision makers need? Time. What do people in the most risky situations need? Time. And that is one of the cruel jokes that time plays on people. Those who need it the most have it the least. They are beset by grasping people who want some of their time.
That's why presidents and heads of large organizations have gatekeepers; smooth-talking filters to keep out those who would squander the decision maker's time.
If you don't have a gatekeeper, then that job is yours.
How good of a gatekeeper are you?
First Paragraph
This seemed a fitting place to die. A place where she had once known every field and tree, every valley, where the rocks had names, where meeting places were described in clandestine languages adults could never understand. A place of gushing mountain streams shining like burnished steel in the summer sun. This was where she'd felt safe. Now even this place felt poisoned, ruined, all beauty and purity choked to death.
- From White Rose, Black Forest by Eoin Dempsey
- From White Rose, Black Forest by Eoin Dempsey
Quote of the Day
One of the first admonitions of a good rowing coach, after the fundamentals are over, is "pull your own weight," and the young oarsman does just that when he finds out that the boat goes better when he does. There is certainly a social implication here.
- George Yeoman Pocock
- George Yeoman Pocock
Monday, February 26, 2018
In Place of Retirement
FutureLawyer has the answer. I agree.
Keep moving. Keep thinking. Keep working.
[Photo by Warren Wong at Unsplash]
First Paragraph
On a summer afternoon, a team of engineers and a group of executives at one of America's largest companies met in a classroom deep in the heart of their sprawling executive training facility to discuss their multi-hundred-million-dollar five-year plan for developing a new diesel and natural gas engine. Their goal was to enter a new market space: excitement was running high. The engine, named Series X, had broad applications in many industries, from energy generation to locomotive power.
- From The Startup Way: How Modern Companies Use Entrepreneurial Management to Transform Culture & Drive Long-Term Growth by Eric Ries
"This one didn't have anything. That was the big attraction."
At Cultural Offering: A story about living on a small island off of Maine.
When I read the article, the place seemed appealing but while checking the satellite picture on Google Maps, I began to feel trapped.
When I read the article, the place seemed appealing but while checking the satellite picture on Google Maps, I began to feel trapped.
The Young Steve Jobs
A job application that Steve Jobs completed in 1973 is going to auction.
At that point, he had not acquired his love of detail.
At that point, he had not acquired his love of detail.
If You Were in College Again
If you could travel back in time to your college days, what would you do differently?
My own choice is easy. I would make a habit of getting to know professors by visiting them during their office hours and asking more questions.
Novels for Leaders
A marvelous novel about power and how one of the least likely men, surviving the snake pit of Roman politics, became emperor of Rome.
Its sequel, Claudius The God, is also first-rate.
Quote of the Day
But what do we mean by civilization? We mean, literally, the art of living in cities. But this follows, historically, the rise of agriculture as opposed to the earlier and pastoral type of economy. Without the plow, without the basis of settled cultivation, no city - and therefore no civilization - is even possible.
- C. Northcote Parkinson in East and West
- C. Northcote Parkinson in East and West
Sunday, February 25, 2018
Music for a Sunday Evening
Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the London Symphony Orchestra with Aaron Copland's Symphony no. 3.
Crank it up.
Crank it up.
Saturday, February 24, 2018
The 500 Greatest Rock Songs
Cultural Offering presents his list and since the man knows more about rock songs than I'd ever imagine I shall strongly concur.
BTW: Great photo at his site. It must be from Kurt's college days.
BTW: Great photo at his site. It must be from Kurt's college days.
Weekend Reading
Wally Bock has some weekend leadership reading for all of us.
I especially like the point about first thoughts.
Notebook Turducken
This photo at The Cramped should bring a smile to all notebook and journal fans.
It also gave me a twinge of envy due to their creativity and beauty. My own journals have scrawls that could match a confession note from the gulag.
It also gave me a twinge of envy due to their creativity and beauty. My own journals have scrawls that could match a confession note from the gulag.
How Many Hours Do You Waste?
A Goalcast video by Jordan B. Peterson.
His "12 Rules for Life" is still at the top of the best seller list.
His "12 Rules for Life" is still at the top of the best seller list.
Ten Minutes!
I recall an article in The Wall Street Journal a few years back that revealed the results of a study - yes, there is always a study of some sort - finding that the makers of microwavable food sought to keep their products' cooking times within 10 minutes.
Why?
Because Americans believe that any cooking that takes longer than that is "serious cooking."
We want it now. Ten or eleven minutes of prep time may create a state of famine, rendering us barely able to crawl to the table.
I recently remembered that finding while doing the following:
- Waiting for a small document to download;
- Drumming my fingers while an email message took forever - it seemed like forever - to be sent;
- Staring at a microwave as it heated a cup of tea.
We all have our areas of impatience. For example, I am the soul of patience while in traffic. Delays rarely bother me. Sainthood is in order. On the other hand, waiting on people who are late to a meeting triggers a strong desire to lock the door.
I'm trying to work through that.
What are the "time triggers" in your life?
Three Levels of Trust
The multi-talented Tanmay Vora, who is often recognized as one of the top HR bloggers in India, does a sketchnote of Randy Conley's three levels of trust in relationships.
Novels for Leaders
This is not just a great, and very funny, book about politics. There are leadership lessons to be gleaned in Frank Skeffington's attempt to be re-elected as mayor of Boston. Several film versions of the novel have been made. All are pale reflections of the book.
When in Rome
On a visit to India, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau makes a fashion statement and learns that when in Rome, there are times when you should not do as the Romans do.
Quote of the Day
With some people you only need to point to a remedy; others need to have it rammed into them.
- Seneca
- Seneca
Friday, February 23, 2018
Originals
TED talk: Adam Grant, who writes very interesting books, on the surprising habits of original thinkers.
Bate's Treasure Chest
Nicholas Bate writes books and a blog packed with helpful information. Thinking of writing a novel? Today's post is accompanied by a list that goes way beyond that because he writes about the business of life.
The man never sleeps.
The man never sleeps.
Yes
From the simplest lyric to the most complex novel and densest drama, literature is asking us to pay attention. Pay attention to the frog. Pay attention to the west wind. Pay attention to the boy on the raft, the lady in the tower, the old man on the train. In sum, pay attention to the world and all that dwells therein and thereby learn at last to pay attention to yourself and all that dwells therein.
- Frederick Buechner
Using History to Teach Leadership
The Gettysburg Leadership Institute conducts an intriguing workshop for senior local government managers on-site at the battlefield. An excerpt from the class description:
As part of a walking tour, we will study the impact of the battle on the population of 2,000, which had to provide services for the more than 51,000 casualties as a result of the battle. Over 152,455 men and 550 cannons were positioned in an area encompassing 25 square miles. Additionally, an estimated 569 tons of ammunition was expended and, when the battle had ended, 5,000 dead horses and the other wreckage of war presented a scene of terrible devastation, which will serve as a case study on disaster management.
As part of a walking tour, we will study the impact of the battle on the population of 2,000, which had to provide services for the more than 51,000 casualties as a result of the battle. Over 152,455 men and 550 cannons were positioned in an area encompassing 25 square miles. Additionally, an estimated 569 tons of ammunition was expended and, when the battle had ended, 5,000 dead horses and the other wreckage of war presented a scene of terrible devastation, which will serve as a case study on disaster management.
Random Thoughts: The Book is Out
Over the years, many readers and friends of this blog have asked that the occasional Random Thoughts posts be put into a book.
Those requests have been granted. I'm glad (and relieved) to say the book is out.
It is a hodgepodge of 701 thoughts, including a few that have never appeared on the blog.
The book can be purchased here at Amazon.
Be sure to get plenty of copies for friends, enemies, relatives, business associates, and casual acquaintances.
Quote of the Day
The major problems in the world are the result of the difference between how nature works and the way people think.
- Gregory Bateson
- Gregory Bateson
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Novels for Leaders
A novel that follows its characters through a wide range of America's wars and contrasts the leadership of one officer with the careerism of another.
The Calm
Find a quiet place to plan the next seven days.
Nothing fancy.
Use a large note card or a journal and jot down the tasks.
If you don't go overboard with expectations then when you do more it will be a pleasant surprise.
[Photo by Aaron Burden at Unsplash]
Quote of the Day
Managers who don't know how to measure what they want settle for wanting what they can measure.
- From Systems Thinking for Curious Managers by Russell L. Ackoff
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- From Systems Thinking for Curious Managers by Russell L. Ackoff
-
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
First Paragraph
Like tombstones of forgotten graves, the decayed apartment buildings in the Friedrichstrasse pooled haphazard shadows in the approaching dusk and both men expertly used the cover, walking close to the walls. Although together, they carefully avoided physical contact and there was no conversation.
- From Charlie M by Brian Freemantle
- From Charlie M by Brian Freemantle
"The Poison We Pick"
Andrew Sullivan on the opioid crisis. An excerpt:
More than 2 million Americans are now hooked on some kind of opioid, and drug overdoses — from heroin and fentanyl in particular — claimed more American lives last year than were lost in the entire Vietnam War. Overdose deaths are higher than in the peak year of AIDS and far higher than fatalities from car crashes. The poppy, through its many offshoots, has now been responsible for a decline in life spans in America for two years in a row, a decline that isn’t happening in any other developed nation. According to the best estimates, opioids will kill another 52,000 Americans this year alone — and up to half a million in the next decade.
More than 2 million Americans are now hooked on some kind of opioid, and drug overdoses — from heroin and fentanyl in particular — claimed more American lives last year than were lost in the entire Vietnam War. Overdose deaths are higher than in the peak year of AIDS and far higher than fatalities from car crashes. The poppy, through its many offshoots, has now been responsible for a decline in life spans in America for two years in a row, a decline that isn’t happening in any other developed nation. According to the best estimates, opioids will kill another 52,000 Americans this year alone — and up to half a million in the next decade.
Rest in Peace
My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world.
- The Reverend Billy Graham
- The Reverend Billy Graham
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Embrace the Boredom
It is likely that some many of the most important things you do this day or this week will be boring.
You won't be following a dream or indulging in a passion. You will be doing something that needs to be done.
And your ability to do that will determine whether or not you can eventually follow a dream or indulge in a passion.
You won't be following a dream or indulging in a passion. You will be doing something that needs to be done.
And your ability to do that will determine whether or not you can eventually follow a dream or indulge in a passion.
Novels for Leaders
Tolstoy's classic is one which, because of its size, many people plan to read someday, perhaps, when they get around to it. Don't procrastinate. Although the depiction of General Kutuzov's strategy against the invading Napoleon is valuable in itself, the real value for leaders (and anyone for that matter) will be found in the novel's sharp insights on human nature.
Mr. Time Management
As chairman and chief executive officer of a global alliance of auto companies—including Groupe Renault, Nissan Motor Co., and Mitsubishi Motors Corp., all three of which he also leads as chairman or chairman/CEO—his travel schedule begins to fill up six months to a year in advance. A typical month for him consists of a week in France, a week in Japan, and the remaining two weeks split among the U.S., Morocco, Russia, India, or any of the other countries where his companies have factories or executive offices.
Read the rest of Bloomberg Businessweek's article: "If Davos Were a Person, It Would Be Carlos Ghosn."
Read the rest of Bloomberg Businessweek's article: "If Davos Were a Person, It Would Be Carlos Ghosn."
First Paragraph
Although he was one of the most famous men in the world, Henry Peel was a will-o'-the-wisp. Paparazzi could not plague him because they didn't know what he looked like. Hardly anyone did. The only known photograph of him was the one on his student ID at Caltech. He was fifteen years old when the picture was taken. The image was blurred. He never posed for a yearbook picture because, working alone during the summer between his junior and senior years, he solved the problem of the room temperature superconductor and shortly thereafter dropped out of college. Not long after that he patented a feasible design for a fusion reactor. His discoveries earned him a large fortune before he was twenty-five. As time went by, he perfected other inventions that had been regarded as unachievable and made more money - a lot more. Forbes magazine, estimating that he was richer than all the billionaires on its annual list of the filthy rich, called him a trillionaire. He was the only one in the world.
- From Ark: A Novel by Charles McCarry
- From Ark: A Novel by Charles McCarry
Monday, February 19, 2018
Silicon Valley and the City of the Future
In The Daily Beast, Joel Kotkin paints a disturbing picture of urban designs that could jettison the concept of privacy.
"I was wrong"
Major General Grant
My dear General
I do not remember that you and I ever met personally. I write this now as a grateful acknowledgment for the almost inestimable service you have done the country. I wish to say a word further. When you first reached the vicinity of Vicksburg, I thought you should do, what you finally did -- march the troops across the neck, run the batteries with the transports, and thus go below; and I never had any faith, except a general hope that you knew better than I, that the Yazoo Pass expedition, and the like, could succeed. When you got below, and took Port-Gibson, Grand Gulf, and vicinity, I thought you should go down the river and join Gen. Banks; and when you turned Northward East of the Big Black, I feared it was a mistake. I now wish to make the personal acknowledgment that you were right, and I was wrong.
Yours very truly
A. Lincoln
[The above is taken from Abraham Lincoln Online]
My dear General
I do not remember that you and I ever met personally. I write this now as a grateful acknowledgment for the almost inestimable service you have done the country. I wish to say a word further. When you first reached the vicinity of Vicksburg, I thought you should do, what you finally did -- march the troops across the neck, run the batteries with the transports, and thus go below; and I never had any faith, except a general hope that you knew better than I, that the Yazoo Pass expedition, and the like, could succeed. When you got below, and took Port-Gibson, Grand Gulf, and vicinity, I thought you should go down the river and join Gen. Banks; and when you turned Northward East of the Big Black, I feared it was a mistake. I now wish to make the personal acknowledgment that you were right, and I was wrong.
Yours very truly
A. Lincoln
[The above is taken from Abraham Lincoln Online]
Biographies of Leaders
The tendency to jump from George Washington to Thomas Jefferson overlooks a man who was a leader almost in spite of himself.
David McCullough's biography of Adams provides a fascinating view at an astute political thinker who attracted followers through competence and integrity.
It is not only a book to read but to re-read.
The Inauguration of George Washington
As depicted in the series based on the David McCullough biography of John Adams.
And here is the trailer for that series.
It is Presidents Day
Do something presidential. No, wait. Make that something nice that's also presidential.
Sunday, February 18, 2018
The Weekly Roll
The Roll
- Althouse
- Anderson Layman's Blog
- Art Contrarian
- Christina Sommers
- Cultural Offering
- David Kanigan
- Dr. Helen
- Eclecticity Light
- FutureLawyer
- Instapundit
- Jason Riley
- Jim Stroup
- Joel Engel
- Jonathan Haidt
- Matthew Lang
- Mitigating Chaos
- Niall Ferguson
- Nicholas Bate
- Patrick Rhone
- Political Calculations
- Scott Adams Blog
- SCOTUS Blog
- SquawkPoint
- Stephen Landry
- Tanmay Vora
- The Cramped
- The Hammock Papers
- The Sovereign Professional
- Wally Bock
- Werner Twertzog
Saturday, February 17, 2018
Quick Look
The trailer for the restored version of "The Third Man."
It is described as the best British film ever made.
I think it may well be the best film ever made, period.
It is described as the best British film ever made.
I think it may well be the best film ever made, period.
No Magic Shower
One of the arguments for being very wary of dicey corporate practices overseas is that however much executives may argue that they are simply "doing as the Romans do," at some point those same executives will be returning home. They won't emerge from a magic shower that washes away their questionable foreign conduct. Those loose ethical attitudes may linger.
I find a similar problem with what is currently going on at many college campuses. Students who have shown an eagerness to suppress free speech are future teachers, HR officers, lawyers, and judges.
As with the business executives, we should not assume that they will go through a transformation. The number who do not may seriously affect the future of our society.
I find a similar problem with what is currently going on at many college campuses. Students who have shown an eagerness to suppress free speech are future teachers, HR officers, lawyers, and judges.
As with the business executives, we should not assume that they will go through a transformation. The number who do not may seriously affect the future of our society.
Novels for Leaders
It would be impossible to compile a list of novels for leaders without including this classic by Michael Shaara. I read it years ago and a vivid memory is the impact of the fact that when the forces of the North and the South met, both sides usually were commanded by men who knew one another. They either had been at West Point at the same time or had served together during the war with Mexico. That meant they knew the personality and temperament of their opponent and often had a grasp on that person's likely approach.
Check it out.
First Paragraph
Mellas stood beneath the gray monsoon clouds on the narrow strip of cleared ground between the edge of the jungle and the relative safety of the perimeter wire. He tried to focus on counting the other thirteen Marines of the patrol as they emerged single file from the jungle, but exhaustion made focusing difficult. He also tried, unsuccessfully, to shut out the smell of the shit, which sloshed in the water that half-filled the open latrine pits above him on the other side of the wire. Rain dropped from the lip of his helmet, fell past his eyes, and spattered onto the satiny olive cloth that held the armor plating of his cumbersome new flak jacket. The dark green T-shirt and boxer shorts that his mother had dyed for him just three weeks ago clung to his skin, heavy and clammy beneath his camouflage utility jacket and trousers. He knew there would be leeches clinging to his legs, arms, back, and chest beneath his wet clothes, even though he couldn't feel them now. It was the way with leeches, he mused. They were so small and thin before they started sucking your blood that you rarely felt them unless they fell on you from a tree, and you never felt them piercing your skin. There was some sort of natural anesthetic in their saliva. You would discover them later, swollen with blood, sticking out from your skin like little pregnant bellies.
- From Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Marlantes
- From Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Marlantes
Friday, February 16, 2018
Black Ice
The Hammock Papers, usually a place of serenity, has video and sound of a person skating on thin ice.
The sound is spooky and you may find your tension rising as the skater glides along.
The sound is spooky and you may find your tension rising as the skater glides along.
As We Approach the Presidents Day Weekend
The excitement builds.
In many homes, the fans of Warren G. Harding are retrieving decorations from the attic. In others, Buchanan and Carter advocates do likewise. The Andrew Johnson Fan Clubs normally meet in bars, sipping beer and bemoaning the evils of impeachment. William Henry Harrison followers, whose slogan is "Quality, Not Quantity," volunteer in medical clinics.
Nixon devotees don dress shoes, brood, and wander the beach.
All of that is well and good but let's go back to separate holidays for Washington and Lincoln.
FutureLawyer Enters an iPhone Store
If the reality TV people had any sense, they'd head for south Florida and begin a series about a lawyer with a solo practice who also is a poet and a tech wizard with parrots in his lobby and a disdain for Apple products. The first episode could involve a purchase of an iPhone. Hilarity ensues.
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Fear and Intuition
Here is a video of Gavin de Becker, author of "The Gift of Fear," talking about paying attention to intuition.
De Becker runs a personal security firm in California; one which provides protection for many celebrity clients.
I've been recommending his book for years and have pressured family members into reading it.
De Becker runs a personal security firm in California; one which provides protection for many celebrity clients.
I've been recommending his book for years and have pressured family members into reading it.
A Taste of Why "The Civil War" series by Ken Burns is Great
Shelby Foote on the South's chances in the Civil War.
Here's a clip on his view of the importance of the war.
Here's a clip on his view of the importance of the war.
Candid Conversation
"What did you tell them?"
"I told them we wanted to hear the truth and that they should be absolutely candid about any problems that are facing us either now or in the near future."
"Did they believe you?"
"I hope so because they will be crucial players in turning the place around."
"Would you say they were open?"
"They talked quite a bit."
"But were they open?"
"I'm not sure. One conversation isn't enough. We need to earn their trust."
"I told them we wanted to hear the truth and that they should be absolutely candid about any problems that are facing us either now or in the near future."
"Did they believe you?"
"I hope so because they will be crucial players in turning the place around."
"Would you say they were open?"
"They talked quite a bit."
"But were they open?"
"I'm not sure. One conversation isn't enough. We need to earn their trust."
Quote of the Day
Economics has gained the title Queen of the Social Sciences by choosing solved political problems as its domain.
- Abba Lerner
- Abba Lerner
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Peterson of "The 12 Rules for Life"
Cultural Offering notes the Psychology Today interview with Jordan Peterson.
Dr. Peterson's thought-provoking book is a best-seller and deservedly so.
Dr. Peterson's thought-provoking book is a best-seller and deservedly so.
Poetry for Wooing
Christopher Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love."
But then reality steps in with Sir Walter Raleigh's "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd."
[Update: My apology for the earlier spelling error. Unforgivable.]
Organizing Computer Files
Ah, the joy of organizing computer files.
I have been remiss in sorting the worthless from the important although the good news is I can quickly spot the difference between the two. The entire exercise is a lesson in humility. "Why did I ever think File X was important enough to save?"
It is also a reminder to name files in such a way that their subject is easy to ascertain. Anything too specific or too broad can be mysterious and mystery is not good with files.
The real joy comes not from finding some forgotten work of brilliance - that has yet to occur - but from deleting masses of those suckers. [A machine gun sound effect would add to the pleasure.]
"If in doubt, throw it out" is the mantra of office re-organization wizards and it works well with files. I am toying with the idea of creating a File Limbo, in which those close to salvation could linger, but I fear that could be a dodge.
The culling continues.
I have been remiss in sorting the worthless from the important although the good news is I can quickly spot the difference between the two. The entire exercise is a lesson in humility. "Why did I ever think File X was important enough to save?"
It is also a reminder to name files in such a way that their subject is easy to ascertain. Anything too specific or too broad can be mysterious and mystery is not good with files.
The real joy comes not from finding some forgotten work of brilliance - that has yet to occur - but from deleting masses of those suckers. [A machine gun sound effect would add to the pleasure.]
"If in doubt, throw it out" is the mantra of office re-organization wizards and it works well with files. I am toying with the idea of creating a File Limbo, in which those close to salvation could linger, but I fear that could be a dodge.
The culling continues.
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