Roland Yeomans's Blog, page 119
March 31, 2017
A is for ANSWERS
Why Do The Answers Keep Changing?
When I was in school, they had textbooks with the answers in the back. Did you?
Don't you wish life came with the answers in the back?
Of course, many of the answers given in those textbooks have now been proven wrong.
Life insists on being like that.
In 1666 Isaac Newton proposed his theory of gravitation.
This was one of the greatest intellectual feats of all time.
The theory explained all the observed facts, and made predictions that were later tested
and found to be correct within the accuracy of the instruments being used.
As far as anyone could see, Newton's theory was ``the Truth''.
During the nineteenth century, more accurate instruments were used to test Newton's theory,
these observations uncovered some slight discrepancies.
Albert Einstein proposed his theories of Relativity,
which explained the newly observed facts and made more predictions.
Those predictions have now been tested and found to be correct within the accuracy of the instruments being used.
As far as anyone could see, Einstein's theory was ``the Truth''.
Scientists at the National Institute of Standard and Technology have proven beyond reasonable doubt
that Einstein was wrong
about one of the main principles of quantum mechanics and that "spooky action at a distance" is actually real.
Each month the internet states things like:
"Eggs are bad for you."
Six months later,
"Oh wait, they're actually good for you."
"Pluto is a planet."
Oops, no it is not."
"Ah, yes, it actually is."
( In this year's annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston,
a new definition of planet will state that it is )
And what about morality?
Science does not make moral judgments.
Anyone who tries to draw moral lessons from the laws of nature is on very dangerous ground.
Like Pilate before us, we are left with the question:
"What is Truth?"
Perhaps the world and the universe in which it spins is just too vast for finite minds to comprehend fully.
As Paul from Tarsus wrote:
We see as through a mirror darkly.
"Trust the man who searches for truth. Doubt the man who says he has found it."
- Mark Twain
HOW TO HANDLE MISTAKES AT WORK
“Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?” - Mark Twain
We all make mistakes. It is a part of life.
Handling them in a positive way will have you learn instead of losing even more.
Making a mistake at work in front of those over you and around you certainly is testing.
But you can make an A and not an F on this test if you keep certain things in mind
1.) REMEMBER: EVERYONE IS WATCHING HOW YOU RESPOND TO THIS
Here is an opportunity to show them what you are made of.
Your supervisors will be watching
(not to see if you make another mistake)
but how well you handle this one.
Real leaders, good employees earn their stripes during tough times.
Handle this situation maturely, and you may grow
-- if not in the eyes of your supervisors --
at least in your own eyes.
2.) FORGIVE YOURSELF
Not let yourself off the hook, mind you, but be aware that you are human.
Humans makes mistakes.
Just strive not to be human at work!
Stop fixing the blame and start fixing whatever scenario led to this mistake.
3.) TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT
Do not go on and on.
Be brief; be brave,
and be specific on what things you will do to insure this particular mistake will not happen again.
Even if your supervisor does not respect you for this, you will start feeling better about yourself.
4.) NO THROWING ANYONE UNDER THE BUS EITHER
Even when you are solely to blame for the mistake, it is tempting to say:
"Yeah, but so-and-so does this-or-that."
Whenever people throw mud, some of it sticks to their fingers as well.
Keep your fingers and your conscience clean.
5.) FIX IT YOURSELF
Deal with the consequences of your mistake as much as you can yourself.
Sometimes your mistake dumps more work on your co-workers and supervisor
and you cannot fix as much as you would wish.
Be verbally and truly grieved at the added workload you tossed their way.
Tuck the memory of this added workload you saddled them with
as a goad to prevent you from making similar mistakes.
6.) MODEL THE WAY YOU'D LIKE OTHERS TO RESPOND
Once you own the problem, done all you can to fix it,
and learned a bitter lesson on how to work smarter --
Move on.
If you do that in a mature fashion, the odds are that others will do so, too.
Project a confident approach to each new day.
That approach can be infectious.
Let it go and move on wiser.
Others will be more than happy to turn from you and deal with their own problems.
What Mistakes Have You Made At Work?
What Did You Learn From Them?
I was going to talk about mistakes in our personal lives, but this post has grown long enough!
March 29, 2017
Stephen King's new IT and Reboots
What do you think of this new IT?
Will it scare up enough profits to be worth making?
Will it be entertaining enough to be worth watching?
I prefer awe, wonder, and beauty in my theater movies,
so I am interested in seeing Valerian and the City of A Thousand Planets.
How about you?
What new movies are you interested in seeing these next few months?
Did you know that 120 reboots and sequels are scheduled to be made in the next 2 years?
Ouch!
The Matrix, Scarface, Ace Ventura, Charlie's Angels,
The Fly, The Little Shop of Horrors, Zorro Reborn,
The Legend of Conan, An American Werewolf in London,
Alien Nation, Big Trouble in Little China, The Birds,
Death Wish, Escape From New York, Flight of the Navigator, The Green Hornet
And The Highlander!
(There can be only one indeed!)
The list goes depressingly on.
But it is not the lack of originality that is to blame.
It is hunger for certain profits that is driving these studios.
A known franchise guarantees enough profit to break even in the States
and the possibility for huge profits overseas where the bulk of Hollywood's profits come from these days.
What Do You Think About All These Reboots?
STAYING THE COURSE
“When someone tells me "no,"
it doesn't mean I can't do it,
it simply means I can't do it with them.” - Victor Standish"Stay the course" is a phrase used in the context of a war or battle
meaning to pursue a goal regardless of any obstacles or criticism.
The modern usage of this term was popularized by United States presidents
George W. Bush, George H. W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan.
Staying the course in pursuit of whatever dream possesses us is not easy.
If it were easy, it would not be the right dream.
HOW TO STAY THE COURSE?
Renew your vision of what you are working to accomplish regularly.
Do something every single day to move in the direction of your desired achievement or goal.
If you find yourself drifting away from your course, analyze what is going on.
When you fail, as we all do, place yourself back on the path with no self-recriminations.
(That first step after a fall is the most important.)
"The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night."
--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
How Do You Stay On Course Yourself?
March 28, 2017
New SPIDERMAN: HOMECOMING Trailer
What do you think of it?
It's great to see Michael Keaton in this movie.
You know it is not just actresses who get picked for fewer roles as they age.
Anyone who's watched BIRDMAN knows what a great actor Michael is.
Surely, there must be roles for accomplished actors out there no matter their age.
Are we telling our older citizens that they no longer count,
that they no longer have anything to contribute in life?
What do you think of Iron Man in this movie?
Doesn't he have the best lines in this trailer?
Sony is planning to do a spin-off movie universe of Spidey
devoid of Tom Holland and with no connection to the MCU.
Do you think Sony is shooting itself in the corporate foot again?
Tell me what you think.
STAR WARS BETRAYED us!
Last December 2nd, STAR WARS BETRAYED US!
What storytelling, right?
Without a single word, this trailer caught you up and wouldn't let go.
Do you play video games? I do not.
But I might be tempted to play this one!
What about you?
What a little more?
March 26, 2017
"La La Land" Song Wrriters Save Flash!
Do You Cringe When Your Favorite TV Show Does A Musical Episode?
Grey's Anatomy anyone?
But The Flash (with guest star Supergirl) had a winner of a musical episode for many reasons.
1) The Finale Song "Running Home To You" was penned by La La Land Song writers.
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
2) "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" star and creator, Rachel Bloom wrote the upbeat "Super Friends" number.
3) Covers mixed with new material to blend in seamlessly with the musical.
4) It actually moved the plots of both shows forward and was NOT a filler episode.
AND MOST IMPORTANT
5) THE CAST COULD REALLY SING!
Flash (Grant Gustin) and Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) and Music Meister (Darren Criss) are all Glee alumni!
Jessie Martin (Joe West) starred in the musical, Rent, and Carlo Valdes (Cisco) was in the musical, Once.
John Barrowman and Victor Garber are both Broadway vets
And they knocked a Guys and Dolls cover out of the park.
Jeremy Jordan starred in Disney's Newsies the Broadway Musical!
When you have talent, songs, and writing like this, how could you go wrong!
March 25, 2017
BLOGGING HAS SERVED US DIVORCE PAPERS
WHY?
The usual reasons:
1.) The Love has gone --
2.) The other party has grown into someone(thing) different.
Once we blogged for COMMUNITY
Now, we blog for SEARCH ENGINES
Remember how thrilled you were when you got your first comments on your blog?
How you joined bloghops to meet others, posted their blog buttons on your sidebar?
How you emailed special blogging friends?
You got to know those friends from their comments and their newsy posts on their blogs.
Then, they started to DRIFT AWAY from your blog, your received comments.
In the blogverse, it's gotten like that cliche in Western Movies:
It's quiet out there ... too quiet.
The community has dissipated to other outlets of SOCIAL MEDIA or other concerns.
Specifically to Facebook ...
where it is hard to get blog notice without paying extra for it ...
and not even then sometimes!
The demise of Google+ has relegated many of us to the shadows, forgotten in dim memories.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Know that good writing is true writing.
Endure:
Do not be a weather-vane spinning crazily about, buffeted by the winds of the current fads.
Stay True to Ourselves.
Write posts that please us --
Seasons change, but we grow from surviving their storms.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
IS BLOGGING IN THE I.C.U.?
HAS BLOGGING GROWN AWAY FROM US?
DO WE CHANGE OR STAY THE COURSE?
March 24, 2017
A TO Z ...Has It Gotten Too Big?
In 1954, Warner Brothers made the Sci-Fi film, THEM!
about irradiated ants growing to enormous size and threatening the United States.
Of course, this couldn't happen ...
Since ants' legs are hollow,
the poor creatures wouldn't be able to support their increased weight.
Which leads me to this post's question:
Has the A TO Z CHALLENGE gotten too big to support itself?
The Linky list has become too large and cumbersome with fewer staff to monitor it.
I understand!
The number of people participating last year
nearly equaled the population of some 3rd World countries!
So now we will go to each day's A to Z post on the home web page and post our blog address.
Then, we go to FB and then to Twitter with the hashtag #AtoZReveal on Twitter to share.
WHEW!
That's a few more hoops to jump through than last year ...
... and me with less time than last year, too!
I've noticed many of my Blogging Friends are not participating this year.
Social Media is already a time-leech without feeding it further, right?
So What Do You Think About This?
March 23, 2017
WHY WE LOVE PUPPIES
Buy a pup and your money will buy love unflinching.
Rudyard Kipling
Yesterday was National Puppy Day
The little guy above seems to sense I missed his day.
But like puppies everywhere, he forgives me.
After all, their large foreheads and big, round eyes are reminiscent of human babies.
A puppy may be of a breed that unsettles us, but that does not matter.
Our hearts melt at the sight of the little guy.
March 23rd was set aside in 2006 by author Collen Paige ...
and adopted by other groups since.
The idea is to focus attention on puppies in need of adoption
and on the abuses found in puppy mills ...
But also to celebrate these little furry heart-warmers.
Do You Have Any Fond Memories of a Particular Puppy in Your Life?
Tell Us About It and Make Our Day Brighter.
