There was an incident in third grade. The teacher called my mother. I was caught red-handed. I made a small mistake on a worksheet. I didn’t like how it looked. So, I tore up the paper, threw it in the trash, and asked for a new worksheet. Twice. Three times. So, mom and I had … Continue reading Perfectionism
Tag: fairness
War of the Words
Once upon a time, I had a guest speaker in one of my classes who made the following point. He told us he worked with interns who would say things like, “I know what I want to write, but I just don’t know how to put it into words.” His response was, “Then you really … Continue reading War of the Words
A Child’s-Eye View
When I was in elementary school, my parents gave me several “How and Why Wonder Books.” These books introduced the fundamentals of weather, stars, rocks and minerals, insects, reptiles, birds, rockets and missiles, flight, and many other topics. I was fascinated by the book, “Atomic Energy.” So much so that a couple of years later … Continue reading A Child’s-Eye View
Good Council
(Overheard at the regular centenary meeting of the gods.) In attendance: Adonai – God of humans Cephalos – God of octopuses Cetaceus – God of dolphins Ornithos – God of birds Pachydus – God of elephants Adonai: I hereby call this meeting to order. I know each of you have concerns. Who would like to … Continue reading Good Council
Efficiency 2.0
Efficiency as an area of expertise did not exist until the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The quest for greater efficiency is therefore a product of the industrial revolution. I’m not convinced the concept even applies to anything beyond assembly lines, shipping, and certain types of office work. In my last post, I questioned … Continue reading Efficiency 2.0
Do Not Harm
I’m grateful to Domenic Spera for being a good mentor to me. My first year in grad school was also his first year as a faculty member at Indiana University. I was privileged to be assigned to his Jazz Ensemble, and I benefitted from his teaching more than I realized at the time. I’ve written … Continue reading Do Not Harm
MurrayWorks 