Team Bonding

I was thinking about team bonding activities. I think they are good. Or at least harmless fun. But it seems to me actual team bonding of any significance takes place while really working together. If the team is dysfunctional, disengaged or fractured in their everyday work then I'm not sure white water rafting together is going to fix that. In fact it'll likely annoy people.

By contrast the bonds that form while depending on each other daily, in a myriad of ways, working through long-term problems, meeting deadlines, achieving victories - are real. I hesitate to say this, because I like white water rafting as much as the next person, and who doesn't want a day out of the office once in a while. But I think if a team is functioning well on a daily basis, the energy and connectivness that results makes these sorts of outings less necessary - but probably a lot more fun!

Life Without Risk

When I was 12 I went to Disneyland for the first and only time. I didn't like it that much. Maybe I was a bit too old, but it was hot, the lines were too long, and everything seemed so fake. With the Lake and riding I guess I was used to adventures being a bit more real.

I've been through an adventure or two since then and learned more about the veneer of of reality.

I guess I'm in a bit of a Douglas Copland phase just now. I recently read his first book, Generation X. The title of one of his chapters is "Adventure Without Risk is Disneyland."

Ha! I love it!

Becoming Human

I was thinking something yesterday while I was working out on the treadmill at work. I was thinking that we must believe in something strongly enough to sacrifice for it. And then we must do so. We must sacrifice. Then we become human. Otherwise we are not. We are less than. We remain asleep.

I don't know why it's so, but I think it is.

I also think it's cool we have treadmills at work.

Kiss Medicine

Today Kaylee banged her head roughhousing with Emily. After she cried for a few seconds Kaylee said, "Doctors should give kisses. Because kisses work better than anything they give, right?"

I agreed she was right.

"Doctors should learn how to give kisses," she concluded.

Things My Teachers Told Me

I remember our teachers in Jr. High used to tell us we were the cream of the crop and the leaders of tomorrow.

I remember one teacher in high school said he envied us because we would be there when the "box blew out". I knew, even then, what he meant.

I remember in University we were told that we, our generation, were unique in history, because we were "paradigm straddlers".

What if any of them were right?

New Job

I got a new job!

I work here!