Blogging about Blogging

My first blog entry was August 27, 2009 (almost 4 years ago).  Now with 785 posts the lethargy begins to set in.  With only 47 entries so far this year (of an available 106 days), my batting average is .443 - not bad for baseball, but horrible for blogging frequency. 

I will occasionally pop upon a "stranded" blog when searching the Internet for information.  It's amazing how many people start blogs only to slow the entries to a stop after the novelty wears off.  My lethargy is a different condition - trying not to repeat stories or my pet peeves and finding that other bloggers have thought of, researched and posted even better observations about stuff long before me.

I can see how the term "writers block" occurs.  However a side benefit of blogging is that it has intensified my interest in details, in etymology, idioms, funny sayings, quotes, precision of words, trivia, philosophy, memories and other peoples stories.  

Yet there are days when seemingly nothing in my blogging interest appears (like today's entry).  But an email from T.F. (alias - Bloody Lamb) kindled the introspection of the world of bloggers  (I'm just one of 156 million as of 2/2011).  Corporate blogging is declining and being replaced by other social media avenues.  Just read this blogger's view on "Is Blogging on Decline in 2013?".  

Well - you know it's bloggers block when all you write about is blogging :)

PS.  Search on the word "blog" (within this blog)  -  32 results
PPS.  Technically I'm not blogging - I'm journaling   see 1/27/2011  Sounds like Blogging

Envy vs Compassion

Capitalism by definition will create a divide of economic benefits.  The argument that is endless is about the nature and extent of that divide.  It extends to how both wealth and income should be distributed (and there is a direct correlation between the two).  How much social inequality is acceptable in wealth and/or income?  As a statistician, the argument then becomes how should wealth or income be distributed?  In a standard normal curve; or some derivative?

If you could socially engineer capitalism, what curve above would you choose and why?  Then how would you legislate policies that re-engineer our existing curve to match the curve you want? 

Regardless of your argument, look inside your emotions to determine if your argument is based on envy or compassion.  Suddenly you realize why tax policy becomes so volatile.

Kilroy Was Here

Just returned from the practice round of the Masters ---   Golf that is (see Blog Nov. 13, 2009).  An immaculate golf course, with a Walt Disney customer service experience, the Augusta country club experience was worth the investment in time and money.  S.Z. (my SVP Cincinnati Partner and a scratch golfer) was my lucky way of having the opportunity to have this experience and now memory.  It was a pleasure to be with him and B.M. his golfing buddy who had previously experienced this in 2009 (great to have guides).  B.H. (another SVP Cincinnati Partner) drove and was my "roommate" in the Columbia hotel that we booked well in advance.

I had some advice from others on "things to do" - have a traditional pimento cheese sandwich, buy a Masters flag, where to sit, etc.  Even re-reading Feinstein's book "The Majors" and reviewing Wikopedia added to the enjoyment of discussing Master's trivia and tradition on the way up and back. 

I was amazed at the Golf shop frenzy.  Luckily I purchased my hat, ball cap, and Master's flag at one of the kiosks on the course (great suggestion by the veteran B.M.), because when I entered the crowded golf shop it was the "Paradox of Choice" and I finally left the shop purchasing nothing more.

After all - just how much did I want to spend to buy the merchandise that would announce to anyone that "I was there".

Handshake

There were nine of us talking about our experiences doing mock interviews with Miami University students.  J.M. related a story of training an international interviewee about the history of the handshake - a gesture of peace (since you can't be holding a weapon while shaking hands).  The cultural differences in handshakes (between opposite sex, who initiates, when done, etc.) are numerous.  Other touch points are meaningful also - grasping with two hands, the shoulder tap with the other hand etc.  Variations in firmness, grasp points and number of shakes can define personality and/or custom. It can be a introductory process, a congratulatory process, or even a close - as in a business deal.

In technology the term handshake denotes a connection between devices - a virtual way to say they are connected.  In the case of the old modem - after the connection is established a squealing noise is emitted by both modems. 

Next time you shake someone's hand - be a geek and squeal.  :)

Profit Envy

In my experience in contract negotiations, price and cost drive the foreground discussion while the background hidden issues (of value and quality) become the detective work of the team.  Both sides are attempting to optimize their economics - create the greatest profit for their side.  Consequently any change in  agreed price will either increase my profits or decrease your profits.  This is why negotiators attempt to find other issues that will add value to your profits.  This means finding attributes that don't "cost me anything (relatively)" that you need  (will add value)  and "will lower your cost or risk". 

What I have found is there are some people in business that have "profit envy".  Regardless of the value they are receiving (and the profits they are accruing), they become more concerned about the profit you are making (and are obsessed with knowing your cost).  This attitude is either driven by their greed to increase their profits, or an obsession with controlling your business (all in the disguise of "let's be fair and share in the benefits").

Yet this same person will not reveal his costs (and therefore his profits).  Consequently his "profit envy" becomes "profit greed" and reverses into your "profit envy" about him.   This vicious circle of wasted discussion extends negotiations endlessly. 

When negotiations focus on "profit envy" they are doomed to failure.  A refocus to value delivered will always save the day.

Story Reruns

I'm sensitive to story reruns even though I enjoy watching good movies (and TV series like Seinfeld) several times.  A sign of aging is forgetting who you have told what story to - which is why I normally watch the person's face carefully and ask "Have I told you this story before".   More times than not, people shake their head and listen intently to a re-run hoping not to offend the story teller.After all, - a person tells the story mainly for themselves - to relish in the memory and share it with a friend.

I like re-listening to stories of others to absorb the details.  If you have already heard the "punch line", you can now spend time understanding the fringes of the theme - the inflections, the emotions of the author, the supporting actors, etc.  Unlike a re-run of a movie, the  re-run story can even change based on the context, the accuracy of the author's memory, and variations in themes. 

This is blog number 781 (and almost the 5th anniversary) and it won't be long before the stories enter re-runs. :)

Human Race

I listened to NPR this morning highlighting Michele Norris's "The Race Card Project".  Using six words distill your thoughts, experiences and observations about race.  The audio program  "When you are mixed race, Just one Box is not enough" was very moving - especially at the end when Dave Kung related his feeling about checking a race box.  "If you were told to chose just one - do you love your mother or your father what would you say? .......  Every time they said check one that's what they were asking me. 

I couldn't resist and submitted my (or should I say Susan's) six words on the web site:

"Check box "other" -  write in "Human Race".


PS.   I can tell my blogs are becoming redundant. See April  9, 2010  "Codes"