Optimism, kindness, knowledge and homogenous
Hal’s Blog- I just read The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. It is a fable in which a fig tree does most of the talking. Four passages in this intriguing book each reflects a new way to think about one of the words in the title. Each takes on new possibilities for me. See what you think.
The Journey and the Adventure
Hal’s Blog- We often speak of life as a journey. “My” journey and “your” journey are far more common than “our” journey.
Acting Out
Hal’s Blog- Stop acting out! I heard this a lot growing up and did not realize until long after childhood that this admonition is tough to observe. Acting means motion. To stop acting out I lose all my kinetic energy. I just read a memoir with insights on acting out for a full career. It is Paul Newman’s book, The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man. Here is what sticks with...
Words that cancel
Hal’s Blog- No, this is not about cancel culture, whatever that means. This blog entry is about how words help or hurt each other. I was prompted to write this after reading today in an ad for a window company that it featured a “Robust Limited Warranty”. Robust lost its meaning when I learned it is limited.
Reporting or Commentating?
Hal’s Blog- Social scientists have long called attention on limits of being objective. Everything gets filtered through the eyes of the observer.
Go to the head of the class
Hal’s Blog- I can ‘t help myself. I am drawn to lists of the best and the worst. The best colleges and universities, The most livable cities. The worst cars. The question this blog entry pushes me to think about are the factors that determine the ranking.
Participant Activation
Hal’s Blog- In 2016 I led an inquiry for NACHC (National Association of Community Health Centers) into just what defined and explained The Great Community Health Center.
How to Pick Um
Hal’s Blog – Interviews are close to worthless in selecting great people. Regardless of the question, the response favors the slick talker.
