A space for observation, discovery, and growth
I Have Something for You for the New Year. I ask for TWO gifts from you.
Well, we are deep in the holiday season, so perhaps a couple of gift exchanges might be in order. It is also the end of the year (and the end of the first six months of this blog’s existence), and so a good time to reflect a bit on what we are doing with Agents of Reason.
A Gift of Time
I very much appreciate the feedback many of you have shared over the past few months.
The past few days have provided us a fascinating mixed bag of news, studies, and oddities. Let’s go surfing among the stories. These are fun.
It’s Friday, folks. How about some lighter reading for a change of pace? I have found several stories that satisfied my soul, piqued my curiosity, and/or tickled my funny bone. As we move into a prime holiday week, have some fun. I hope you enjoy these as much as I have.
Criminal Justice Reform Bill
One serious news item to lead us off. The long delayed Criminal Justice Reform Bill is about to become the law of the land.
Will the Connective Text be “&”or “Vs.”?
I am watching for the installation of the incoming 116th US Congress with great anticipation. Also, with a mix of great hopes and no small amount of trepidation. The potential for the country going forward is great. The risks are not miniscule.
As one looks at the roster of incoming new members, there is much to celebrate. The diversity, motivations, and life-experiences coming on line are impressive to say the least. We are gaining more of just about everything we need. More women, more veterans,
Are We Commemorating These Things Correctly? Perhaps Not.
Like a great number of people, I am marking a birthday this month. (Time now for the obligatory What? Again? Already? comment). As such passages do, this one has caused me to reflect a bit on birthdays; what they mean, and what we do with them. Let’s take a brief look.
About Birthdays
First of all, it is a bit odd when you think about it that most such events congratulate the person who was born. While our day of birth is important to us each and all,
Sometimes We Make Decisions More Difficult Than They Need Be
I am always interested in how people make decisions. Not so much the decisions themselves, but how they prepare themselves mentally. What processes they use to come to a decision. It is often a tortuous and cumbersome thing to behold. This is unfortunate. Life is full of decision points. We would do well to give some thought about how we make decisions.
Over a lifetime of decisions large and small, I have come to use a “template” for decision making. It eliminates much of the angst and gnashing of teeth associated with decision making.
Join the discussion at: Make a Decision! Bill’s Guide to Better Decisions
Let’s Stop Saying “I never knew that!” About Someone We Just Lost
I do not wish to dampen anyone’s holiday spirits today but know that we are about to reflect on the loss of those close to us. But take heart! This is actually an upbeat discussion. You will like where we are at the end of this posting.
We recently had the bitter-sweet experience in a memorial service for an old friend. Bitter, of course, because of the loss. Sweet for all the wonderful, funny recollections brought forth. This was typical of such Unitarian Universalists gatherings.
Join the discussion at: I Would Like to Have Your Eulogy Now, Please
There is a phenomenon in both the physical sciences and in human interaction known as the tipping point. In common language, such a thing may be referred to as “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” a “point of no return,” or “the last straw.”
That such things exist, in nature and in human society, is widely recognized. It is often easy to see exactly where that point was in post event analysis. Ah, but seeing it as it comes over the horizon – that is much harder. Discerning the tipping point is a fascinating process.
Join the discussion at: Tipping Points: Science, Surprise, and Power
A Plea for Getting it Right the First Time
Four Tales of Woe
I have had occasion over the last few days to attend two ceremonies and two meetings. Two involved ceremonial candle lightings. One required mounting a plaque The fourth entailed showing slides from a computer.
Four very different activities. All four failed to execute in small but unfortunate ways. The organizers for each were likely a bit embarrassed. This posting is not to embarrass anyone further (some involved in one or more of these events may read this blog).
Republicans in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Elsewhere Have Shown What They Think of Voters
Most of us have heard that in Michigan and Wisconsin lame duck sessions are doing evil work. They are building poison pills for the November elections. Let’s be clear about what is going on, what’s the history, and who should stand against such piracy. The answer to that last question may not be what you think.
What is Going On?
The voters in these and other states came out in record numbers and made their choices clear.
Some leaders and followers have it backwards.
Leadership and Loyalty
The study of leadership has been a life-long passion of mine. I have watched it in terrible crucibles and in beautiful opportunities. I have strived to practice what I have learned. There are, of course, many types of leaders. But about loyalty, there seems to be only two mindsets from which leaders may choose.
Loyalty is an important quality within an organization and among its members. In military organizations, it is often a matter of life and death. But even in less dangerous environments,
