Metrics

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” – William Bruce Cameron (often attributed to Albert Einstein) Long ago, I served on a university strategic planning committee. One of our tasks was to assess the “quality” of the faculty. The problem was how to quantify quality. We decided … Continue reading Metrics →

Shop Class

I was required to take shop class in high school – wood shop, metal shop, and basic mechanical drawing. At the time, I wondered what use it would be to me, because even then there was talk about the coming “knowledge economy.” I had a guidance counsellor who told me that I wouldn’t need to … Continue reading Shop Class →

Everybody’s Got a Job to Do

My college roommate worked as a brick mason’s helper. His job was to mix “mud” (mortar), haul bricks, and in general do all the back-breaking stuff his supervisor told him to do. He vowed to finish his engineering degree and eventually earned a doctorate, so he could work with his mind rather than his back. … Continue reading Everybody’s Got a Job to Do →

The Game

When I was in college, we joked about how we had to learn “what to kiss and when.” Some of my classmates facetiously said their goal in life was to “amass great wealth and power.” Generally, we rejected the notion that college was all about making money and “climbing the ladder.” That was then. But … Continue reading The Game →

It Was Never About the Trumpet

I taught trumpet for more than 42 years. I lost track of the number of private lessons many years ago. After teaching at the same university for 37 years, I was “retired” in a time of “financial exigency.” Three of my music colleagues were likewise “retired” that same year. In my case, the reason given … Continue reading It Was Never About the Trumpet →