Thursday Rambles: What is Rattling Around in my Brain Recently

I received word recently that the contract that funds about half of my job, has been renewed for a new up to five year term.  This likely means that I will remain gainfully employed until my intended retirement date, and someone will have relatively secure funding for a decent amount of time after I leave.  This is good.  

I learned recently that the father of a friend of mine died.  He was in his 80's, had been living with progressive dementia for several years.  He died in his sleep, at home, cared for by family.  The family is rather devastated by the loss.  He was apparently the kind of person you hope will live forever, that you just can't imagine not surviving. (He lived far across the country and I never met him.) It takes time, it takes work to understand, and process the death of a loved one.  I hope my friend makes it through.  He will, but he will be changed by this. 

Pickling season is over, the pickling cucumbers and fresh dill are both absent from the market this week.  I made five or six batches this year, about a kilo each.  I will finish the last of them soon.  (I keep them fresh, unprocessed, not canned, so they need to be eaten within a month or so.) Until next year.  

I have discovered a local artisanal butcher who makes the most amazing bacon and sausages.  The Fermented Pig is at my local farmers market on Saturday mornings.  The bacon is some of the best I have ever had.  

I don't get it.  If I do an online search for bacon, for the next few days I get advertising for pig products online, in social media, on my blog.  Something very specific.  Yet retailers that I have a long term relationship with, continue to send me advertising for things I will never buy.  Macy's sends me a dozen emails a week, most of them featuring womens clothing.  What don't they get? I have bought furniture and mens clothing from Macys, I have a Macys account so they know exactly what I have ever bought from them. NEVER womens clothing.  In this day and age of tracking my every click online, they should know what I am interested in, and what I am not interested in.  Sending me advertising for things I will never buy is a frustrating waste of time and money. Oh well, that is what the delete key is for.  But if Macy's wants to avoid being deleted from the American landscape, they really need to figure out how to target marketing to consumers that result in impulse buys.  Impulse buys are the where the incremental margin is at in retail.  Amazon is better at targeted marketing, based on browsing and buying history. And Uncle Jeff (oh I wish!) has more money than some countries. 

I spent the better part of an hour talking with a guy who is operating colleges inside prisons.  He said it is not just about learning, college changes the person.  Many discover that they are much more capable than they ever thought. They learn how to think, how to understand, how to question and look for answers, what sources are reliable and what are leading them down the wrong path.  His life story is long and complicated, what he has done for others is life changing. He has taken bad circumstances and made a difference in the lives of others. An hour I won't forget.  Never overlook the capacity for good in others.  

At Showtime

30 Minutes Past Show Time 

Lastly, and I know this is a long ramble this week, 

Getting it wrong and Making it Right

We went to opening night for the National Symphony Orchestra, at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts last Saturday.  After cancelling most of the 2020 season, the Center announced a few months ago that they would reopen this fall, requiring patrons to be fully vaccinated and to wear face masks at all times inside the building.  We showing up, were asked by an usher if we were Covid Verified, drawing a confused look, he asked if we had been through the line and gotten our purple wristband.  We hadn't.  We were lucky, it only took us about 15 minutes to get to the front of the line, show our vaccination cards, photo ID, and be handed a wrist band, so we could then go stand in line to get into the concert hall.  By the time we made it to the front of the line, the line had tripled in length.  The Center only had about 5 people to check in about 2,000 ticket holders.  At curtain time, only about 20% of the seats were filled.  Without announcement, the start of the show was delayed 30 minutes while the check in line was processed.  I was upset because I was in my seat for 45 minutes before the show started with no announcements.  I am old school, the show always starts on time. The Center had really messed this up with poor direction and far too little staff.  The following day, before we finished composing our letter of disappointment, an email arrived. It wasn't an apology, but an admission that the Center had messed up on their first big night back, and promising vouchers for an extra performance without charge.  It was good to see them take the lead. They messed up, and are doing their best to make it right.  Bravo!