'Nuff Said

“ . . . no one ever considers himself an expert if he really knows his job. A man who knows a job sees so much more to be done than he has done, that he is always pressing forward and never gives up an instant of thought to how good and how efficient he is. Thinking always ahead, thinking always of trying to do more, brings a state of mind in which nothing is impossible. The moment one gets into the “expert” state of mind a great number of things become impossible.
“I refuse to recognize that there are impossibilities. I cannot discover that any one knows enough about anything on this earth definitely to say what is and what is not possible. The right kind of experience, the right kind of technical training, ought to enlarge the mind and reduce the number of impossibilities. It unfortunately does nothing of the kind. Most technical training and the average of that which we call experience, provide a record of previous failures and, instead of these failures being taken for what they are worth, they are taken as absolute bars to progress. If some man, calling himself an authority, says that this or that cannot be done, then a horde of unthinking followers start the chorus: “It can’t be done.””

Henry Ford
My Life and Work

L'art de vivre

As the Christmas holiday approaches and finals have begun to return to the hell from whence they came, I have realized that even with school being over, I am only going to have a few days off for Christmas. And considering that two of those days comprise the weekend, really I only have two free days. My first day off is the 22nd (Saturday) and I have to return to work on the 26th. I realize that my complaining may not be justified as others have much tougher work schedules than myself, and may even have to work on Christmas day itself. What I am trying to explain in this post is that we as Americans take our jobs too seriously. The French have what they call l'art de vivre (the art of living). They don't live to work, they work to live. Every holiday possible, including many we haven't heard of here in the States, will get every employee at least one day off. Tuesday holidays are a good enough reason to take Monday off and make it a four day weekend (faire le pont). Some well-meaning capitalists would be outraged at such an attitude. "Time is money" seems to be the slogan here. But is money so important? Our society has become so infatuated with commercialism and keeping one up on our neighbor that while we are more prosperous than even, we are also working harder than ever in order to afford the lifestyle we have become accustomed to living. I'm not saying it is bad to want to have a good life, but for crying out loud, take some time off and relax a little. How are you going to enjoy your new toys if you are working 24/7. Life's too short not to enjoy it a little. So go out to a movie, take a nap, read a book or kiss a girl (or boy, depending on your gender or sexual orientation). Live your life, not your job!

I Am

I am not overjoyed. I am not sad. I am not eccentric. I don't like birds, bugs or icecream. I don't want sugar in my coffee. I don't have to smile when I'm pleased. I am not sick. I am not well. I'm not here to please you. I am not here to displease you. I've never been to Singapore. I've never killed a man, I've never struck another in anger. I am not a rock. I am not an island. I cannot prevent forest fires. I am not outgoing. I am not your mother. I am not your father. I am not your conscience. I am in love. I am not perfect, and I will not be satisfied until I am.