I came across a truly positive person once and I challenged their overtly optimistic outlook. I framed it as curiosity but retrospectively it was a way to justify my own negativity. You see if I felt I could get this person to become like me it would validate my 'practical' outlook. A quote from the … Continue reading Persecuting the Pollyanna →

In their great problem solving book (pig wrestling) the authors talk about how framing the problem is very important. Say for example you run a magazine and the sales have steadily fallen in the last 3 months, you might frame this as a sales issue. So you hold a 'spot the difference' meeting where you … Continue reading Framing the pig →

Aren't accents mad? A distance as little as 5 miles can mean vastly different pronunciations. We have a centralized source of referencing for spelling (see the Oxford dictionary) which the majority of English speakers abide by. But phonetically we're all over the place! And if I'm to hazard a guess as to why. I reckon … Continue reading Accent madness →

Outdoor pools in Spain don't make you wear head caps.Indoor pools in Ireland do.I imagine it's the same technology regulating the pool but everyone knows it's not chill vibes to enforce it.

I posit a cafe's most important clients are those addicted to Instagram. Because it's free advertising every time they post. And what's more, it comes from a reliable source so it feels like a recommendation rather than disingenuous promotion.

A colleague keeps looking at my screen, what do I do?Let them.If you're not slacking off, you've got nothing to hide.If you're slacking off then stop.

A little less work for the same pay is a good deal.In fact it's a raise!The problem with this tempting proposition is the slippery slope that leads to 'coasting'.A state whereby you do the bare minimum just to get by.Whilst this approach might sound good it robs you of the satisfaction of a hard day's … Continue reading Less work for same pay →

When Gorseth isn't in the room and his story is relevant and you're not bad mouthing him I totally get telling his story. But when the protagonist is in the room, within earshot and listening to their story being told by someone else, then I, an audience member, want to hear them tell it, not … Continue reading Telling Gorseth’s story →

I think to lament the absence of a noble larger cause in a job is to be overly critical. If that is the only downside, then your cup overfloweth. If the pay is good, the perks are nice, the people are friendly and the work isn't stressful then it's good enough. There's no such thing … Continue reading Fulfillment and paychecks →

Gorseth is enjoying his Sunday morning. He's just finished his cereal and pancakes and now he's puzzling. Jigsaw puzzling to be exact and he registers a feeling of content with his life. Hold on that feeling. What's that sliding into the corner of his mind? An awful slippery dangerous thought there could be a better … Continue reading Gorseth’s Sunday →