Thursday Rambles - What am I up to recently?

 I am still going into the office three days a week.  I really wish the subway system would enforce the mask mandate on public transit.  I try to ride off the peak of the peak of rush, and generally can get away from the crowds.  

I had three writing projects to complete for the office.  A set of materials for an ethics training, an article on a relatively new federal dataset, and a book review.  I was able to express my anger in the ethics materials at some of the senselessness I see, a better society starts with each person doing the right thing.  The defense of "I was only following orders" didn't win at Nuremberg, it doesn't fly today.  The dataset is little known, and has incredible value.  The book was well written, understandable by a person who is not an expert.  

A new staff person, in another project at work, asked me what I liked best about my job (I have been there a dozen years.) I was surprised by my first thought.  I get paid to explore ideas and think deep thoughts.  I have a lot of freedom to develop ideas, to learn, and to share that with others.  I can retire from this job and know that I did something of value. At times over the years I have wondered if I should have become a house painter.  At the end of the day a painter can look at what they have done and clearly see what difference they have made. That is harder to do with what I do, I seldom know if anyone listens or reads, and if they do, does it change anything. Once in a while I get feedback.  I bumped into a member of senior management recently, who told me how what I have written has helped their family with a difficult issue.   

I produce and present a lot of online training.  I was a pioneer in the field of online training 16-17 years ago.  The organization that I was consulting for had a contract with Microsoft for a webinar platform, that allowed up to 50 people online at a time, as I recall they were paying $1,500 a month for that (it might have been more.) My how things have changed, we have a contract for video calls, that includes a webinar platform with up to 500 seats, for $25 a month.  

Presenting a webinar, is talking into the void.  On most of the webinar platforms the presenter can't see the audience. Feedback is limited to polls and questions.  The speaker can't feed off the energy of the audience, the speaker must push the energy from within.  I do a lot of solo shows, presenting alone takes the most work.  I did two this month with a co-presenter, it is easier.  I hope it is better.  I look forward to in-person training again.  

Having finished my year of walking in the swamp, and having started back to the office, I have changed my walking and photography.  Fewer birds, more street scenes.  I am also carrying a compact camera in my office bag, and using it.  I worry that I am walking less, I went to the gym and walked on the treadmill one hot afternoon recently. 

The community center at the condo is in the middle of a total remodel.  The interior was entirely removed, holes cut in the floor (installing an elevator and proper stairway to a lower level that was only accessible down a spiral staircase, or via a back service door.) The restaurant and bar are being expanded, the market right sized, the meeting space made more user friendly, and offices and meeting rooms consolidated. The enclosure around it, and ceiling over the indoor pool are being replaced. The work was much needed.  The building had all of the charm of a mental hospital from the 1970's.  It should reopen early in 2022.  Oh, and the bowling alley was replaced, we have a private bowling alley. 

Stay cool, till next time,