My town is replacing water meters (I think all the water meters, but certainly ours). They had records of what kind of water meter they expected—the size of the pipes in and out, etc. The water meter guy got here yesterday, took one look at our meter, and called the foreman. Our water meter didn’t […]
How Do You Prepare? Read More »
I’ve been taking online and in-person workshops for several years now. I took a week-long in-person writing workshop last year and learned a ton. We had writing and technique assignments. Our instructor told us to complete the writing first and then write the techniques. I did the writing and didn’t complete one of the technique
What Does Success in Learning Look Like to You? Read More »
I changed my newsletter for this site, from not-reliable-quarterly to (with any luck) reliable monthly. Why? Because the lack of frequency made it more difficult for me to keep up with the newsletter. That’s not what I want as a writer. I am sure it’s not what you want as a reader. I’ll post the newsletters
Who is the Change For? Read More »
I want to improve at many things: my exercise, my writing, my teaching, just to name three. When I reflect back on my progress—or lack thereof—I ask myself if I’m doing my part. Wanting is not enough. I have to do my part. Sometimes, my part is to show up and do the work. (See
Are You Doing Your Part? Read More »
I start new things all the time. I mostly finish them. Some, I decide to put aside until I am ready or not as busy, so I can manage the risks. I often find that the things I put aside are the audacious ideas. The ideas that are highly risky, or will take some learning,
What’s Your Audacious Idea? Read More »
In the agile community, we have a saying, “Fail fast.” It means we are supposed to feel safe to fail, and that we want to fail fast so we can use that learning to iterate on the requirements. We have opportunities to improve. I like the idea that it’s safe to fail. No one berates
Are You Failing Fast or Learning Early? Read More »
I’m teaching a writing workshop. Writers have all kinds of problems. A common problem is the feeling of Imposter Syndrome. “Who am I to write this? Will anyone believe me? Is it valuable?” Imposter Syndrome arises when you think you’re not capable. Or, that your success arose from luck, not your hard work. There’s a
How Confident Are You? Read More »
I like to cook. I also like to eat. Hmm, maybe I should say that the other way around. I have noticed that some people like to eat but not cook. I like to read recipes and imagine how they would taste. I try new recipes often. Sometimes, the results are less than stellar. Mark’s
Are You Using Recipes or Guidelines & Experiments? Read More »
I went to the grocery store earlier this week. There were no available handicapped spaces. (I know, what a surprise!) I parked in a regular space. I had just enough room to take the rollator out of my car. When I returned to my car, there was a different car next to me. The car was
What Don’t You Say? Read More »
We get caught up in our daily routines. I certainly do. Every so often, I have to ask myself, “Where have I stretched, where have I tried to grow?” One of the reasons I like to go to conferences is that I get a chance to try out ideas on people. What will they think?
How Are You Growing? Read More »