Learning to let go...

One of the really great things about working at Borland back in the early 90s was the seriousness with which we all pursued goal planning and evaluation. Our annual reviews were closely tied to these activities, and I remember one period when Charles D. and I were way behind in providing our boss with an evaluation of our previous goals and a draft of our upcoming goals, whereupon we both received an email stating that our raises would suffer percentage drops per week until these action items were taken care of (i.e., a 10% raise would become a 9% raise, etc.).

Strangely enough, that was enough incentive for both Charles and me to find time to complete our goals, despite being generally overworked (or so we thought).

The bad side of that coin was becoming addicted to recitations, in our weekly status reports, of every little thing that could conceivably be interpreted as progress toward a goal. This made for lengthy - nay, even weighty - status reports, but it is arguable as to whether they contributed much towards the company's bottom line. Who cares that you actually called so-and-so and left a message? (And if your manager does happen to care, what does that say?)

I mention all of this in connection with just having completed a free-floating "action" within d³, whereupon the program asks whether it ought to delete this masterless action or not. This got me to thinking...

When I worked here in Houston for my current best client as a putative manager, status reports were the order of the week. I was, in effect, continuing what I had done at Borland, documenting in nauseating detail everything that I had done the previous week. I recall that Paul K., a fellow manager, kept needling me from time to time as to the utter stupidity of doing so. (His status reports... heck, I'm not even sure he did status reports... he's that kind of fellow) I, however, remained a True Believer.

Interestingly enough - and isn't it becoming obvious that this is a freewheel post? - when left to my own devices, I don't compile status reports for myself. (I've discussed this, in a way, in several posts where I note how it seems I've only gotten around to evaluating how I've done with respect to my New Year's resolutions somewhere around December, when it is too late to do anything about the one's I've tanked.)

So it would seem that, on the one hand, there isn't much of a percentage in keeping track of everything one has "accomplished." (Is sending back a "Notice of Intent," which merely states that I am interested in working on a particular project, an accomplishment? Clearly not.) On the other, failing to periodically take bearings does not allow one to progress...

It all boils down to judgment, as does anything worthwhile in life. And judgment - well-exercised - will doubtless lead to a solution that involves moderation, and finding a solution that's somewhere between listing "sharpened all my pencils" as an accomplishment on a status report and never stopping to think about goal progress at all.

In any event, as I am not trying to impress a manager - nor will I, methinks, attempt to do so this way in the future - and as there is nothing to be done about the situation until it actually rolls around on that great celestial guitar, I deleted the action. If anything comes of that Notice of Intent, I'm sure I'll know about it.

Time to put the freewheel soapbox away. We now return you to your regular unscheduled life.

Moi, I've got to get down to brass tacks on the translation due Sunday.

Cheers...

What's it all about, Alfie?

From the Art Buchwald column that was to be published following his death, which occurred Wednesday:

I can't cover all the subjects I want to in one final column, but I would just like to say what a great pleasure it has been knowing all of you and being a part of your lives.

Each of you has, in your own way, contributed to my life.

Now, to get down to the business at hand, I have had many choices concerning how I wanted to go. Most of them are very civilized, particularly hospice care. A hospice makes it very easy for you when you decide to go.

What's interesting is that everybody has his or her own opinion as to how you should go out. All my loved ones became very upset because they thought I should brave it out — which meant more dialysis.

But here is the most important thing: This has been my decision. And it's a healthy one.

The person who was the most supportive at the end was my doctor, Mike Newman. Members of my family, while they didn't want me to go, were supportive, too.

But I'm putting it down on paper, so there should be no question the decision was mine.

I chose to spend my final days in a hospice because it sounded like the most painless way to go, and you don't have to take a lot of stuff with you.

For some reason my mind keeps turning to food. I know I have not eaten all the éclairs I always wanted. In recent months, I have found it hard to go past the Cheesecake Factory without at least having a profiterole and a banana split.

I know it's a rather silly thing at this stage of the game to spend so much time on food. But then again, as life went on and there were fewer and fewer things I could eat, I am now punishing myself for having passed up so many good things earlier in the trip.

I think of a song lyric, "What's it all about, Alfie?" I don't know how well I've done while I was here, but I'd like to think some of my printed works will persevere — at least for three years.

I was never a big enough fan to hunt down his writing, but enjoyed much of what I did run across.

Cheers...

Alone in the MSR...

My assignment started at 8 pm, one hour in advance of the scheduled docking of the latest Progress cargo vehicle to the ISS. The MSR was packed with the usual crowd, plus some VIPs who are in town for a meeting.

The docking went well. In fact, "picture perfect" were the words used by the ISS Flight Director in his congratulatory exchange with the Russian MSR lead.

The Russians left abour 30 minutes ago, although the US specialist who was here monitoring the video feed is still around. The night shift will be here in about 45 minutes.

I managed to get about two hours of sleep before coming in to work. Translation earlier in the day was nominal. Now to see if I can squeeze out another few hundred words before the night shift gets here.

Cheers...