Entries from November 2008 ↓

Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt. –William Shakespeare

On December 20th, I am scheduled to test for a 1st dan black belt in karate. As the date approaches, I’m recalling how I used to feel every semester in college as finals approached — a strange mixture of anticipation and dread. I’m eager to prove myself worthy of the honor, yet wondering if I’m truly up to the task.

Logically, I know that I wouldn’t be invited to test if my Sensei didn’t think I was ready for this challenge or worthy of the rank. And I’m confident that I know the material and can perform well. But there’s still the little splinter of self-doubt that has burrowed into me, causing a bothersome worry out of proportion to its size. A single heckler plainly heard over a large audience.

When in doubt, sing loud! –Robert Merrill

So, how do I pluck the splinter and quell the doubt? All I can do is to keep training and honing my skills, while trying to keep perspective on how far I have progressed instead of dwelling on my weaknesses and shortcomings. In other words, focus on the journey traveled instead of the remaining distance. I’ve heard it expressed as “not thinking in the gap”. When assessing your progress towards goals, focus on your progress and accomplishments instead of obsessing over the gap between your current capability and the idealized goal. Because by the simple striving for the goal, I have progressed mightily and greatly increased my capability.

Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do. — Pope John XXIII

Today, I ran across this list of poorly chosen domain names and I’m still laughing about it. I would normally attribute the source of this list, but a quick search reveals that it has been plagiarized many, many times. So, what’s one more? Instead, I present it verbatim.

All of these are companies that didn’t spend quite enough time considering how their online names might appear – and be misread…

1. Who Represents is where you can find the name of the agent that represents any celebrity. Their Web site is
   www.whorepresents.com
2. Experts Exchange is a knowledge base where programmers can exchange Advice and views at
   www.expertsexchange.com
3. Looking for a pen? Look no further than Pen Island at
   www.penisland.net
4. Need a therapist? Try Therapist Finder at
   www.therapistfinder.com
5. There’s the Italian Power Generator company,
   www.powergenitalia.com
6. And don’t forget the Mole Station Native Nursery in New South Wales,
   www.molestationnursery.com
7. If you’re looking for IP computer software, there’s always
   www.ipanywhere.com
8. The First Cumming Methodist Church Web site is
   www.cummingfirst.com
9. And the designers at Speed of Art await you at their wacky Web site,
   www.speedofart.com

As I drive around town, I am struck by the large amount of election sign clutter on the roadways. Everywhere I look, there is an election sign littering the landscape. I think of all the raw materials, energy, and time wasted on manufacturing, distributing, and placement of this litter; it’s enough to make Al Gore cry…or maybe not.

When I arrive home and check my mailbox, it’s stuffed full of election material. I wouldn’t mind this printed material so much if it contained thoughtful and detailed treatises of a candidate’s platform, views, and plans. Instead my mailbox is stuffed with election fluff: postcards, flyers, and brochures; none of which have a single useful bit of information other than to shout the candidate’s name. Again, what a tremendous waste of materials and energy for something that will go straight into a landfill.

And it’s not just physical signs and literature. Every day my voicemail is cluttered with recorded election messages. What’s the use of a “do not call” telemarketer law when the caller is a computer playing a recorded message? How is it that election campaigns are allowed to skirt the “do not call” lists? Is the American electorate so shallow as to be truly influenced by a 20 second recording?

I am so glad today is election day so that the phone calls and junk mail will end. Unfortunately, I will still have to see roadside election signs for weeks to come. I know that campaigns are supposed to clean up after an election, but I somehow suspect that they’re lacking in motivation and manpower after an election. I’ve noticed that some of signs are cleaned up, but I’m guessing that over half the signs are left to rot on the roadside.

I’m certain there’s an insightful symbolism between the wasteful clutter and our frenzied election process, but I’m too tired to articulate it at the moment.