January 6, 2004

There were 4 posts published on January 6, 2004 (this is page 1 of 1).

Enough with this “next level” stuff

I read a press release today where the CEO was talking about taking his company “to the next level.” I think the phrase is easily in the Top Ten Most Overused Phrases list.

There is no such thing as the “next level.” It implies some sort of finite boundary between where something is and where something could be. Truth is, there is no magic word which can teleport something to “the next level.” People, companies, and things get to this so-called next level through one thing and one thing only: work. They WORK to get there.

Those silly words serve to distract the focus from the work that is needed to actually get some place. It reinforces that ficticious, invisible barrier blocking a goal.

I’d love to see it disappear entirely from business vernacular (and take “touch base” with it).

FBI “Almanac” Bulletin

I found a copy of the FBI Bulletin warning of suspicious almanac readers. It’s from Cryptome, one of my favorite websites.

Check out this section:
Investigation has revealed that terrorist operatives may rely on almanacs to assist with target selection and pre-operational planning. Almanacs, available both in print and online, provide comprehensive information on a variety of topics, including government, geography, vital statistics, the economy, health matters, science and technology, weather trends, and tourism. Information commonly found in almanacs that may be exploited for terrorist use includes profiles of U.S. cities and states and information on geographic and structural features such as waterways, bridges, dams, reservoirs, tunnels, buildings, and landmarks. This information is often accompanied by photographs and maps.

Now, substitute “internet” for “almanac.” See where this might be going?

I Need A Weather Station For My Desk

The office environment has been a see-saw of extremes. Yesterday, the office was baking, with temperatures reaching 78 degrees. My mind was in a funk, it was so stuffy. Today, we’ve swung to the other extreme, with a chilly 65 degrees. Whee.

I was ready to taunt those foolish people who wore shorts yesterday, as I knew a front would be passing through which would lay waste to our warm weather. It turned out that they were the most comfortable in the oven we call an office. Today, the smart people are wearing coats.

Tell me again why don’t I work from home?

Writing topic brewing

I’ve got an important topic which has been brewing in my head. I could have written about it weeks ago but for some strange reason, I couldn’t seem to fit it into blog format.

As I drove to work this morning, I thought the topic might make the basis of a novel. I’d been thinking over the holidays that I’d like to expand my writing professionally by writing a book. Being married to an editor has given me a window into the work involved in publishing. Still, if its something I feel compelled to write and it is a story that needs to be told, I don’t see how I can go wrong. If no one reads it but me, it will have been worth my while.

I’ll try to summarize my thoughts in a later post, once I focus on what I’m really trying to say.

Sorry for the teaser. I’m really bad about that, huh?
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