Edward Caissie » Musings

Patience

Edward Caissie — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:02:50 +0000

Biding ones time is likely the most common form of patience shown, or in other words patience is the art of waiting; but, what does waiting accomplish for the patient person?

You may often gain a clearer picture of a situation with unseen influences and unknown circumstances becoming apparent after a judicious application of patience.

The patient fisherman waits for just the right moment to set the hook before reeling in their catch. The seasoned farmer practices patience waiting to reap the greatest harvest. A wily adversary will wait patiently for their opponent to make an error and capitalize on it.

… and some would even say:

Revenge is a dish best served cold.
an old French proverb*

*NB: In early literature this proverb is used, usually, to persuade another to forestall vengeance until wisdom can reassert itself although this ideal is lost in more recent occurrences found in literature and the cinema.

Blank Screen

Edward Caissie — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:00:53 +0000

There is always a seed of inspiration in every moment; it is only a matter of realizing its growth potential.

This moment’s inspiration is a blank screen and ten minutes to fill it. A blank screen to match what I am drawing from my mind; and, although I am not using this as a 10 Minute exercise the goal is still the same. I like to write, or ramble as the case may be; and, today it would seem more rambling than writing.

My seedling ideas are suffering from the sleep inducing heat of these lazy August summer days. So, without further ado … zzZZzzz….

Communication

Edward Caissie — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 00:43:00 +0000

Communication is a key to finding what can be unlocked by an idea. Learning how to make the key is almost as important as knowing what lock it fits. Once you have opened a mind to the potential of an idea you are much more able to present it in an understandable fashion.

Consider your audience before you begin. They are the mold you use to make your key. It is much easier open the door to understanding when you hold the key to unlock it in your hand. Once they are open to accepting an idea, you can easily lead them down a path of knowledge and understanding as you are now able to present the information in a manner they are willing to understand.

Communication is not the conveying of an idea; it is the action of creating an atmosphere of interest in the idea.

Stand Up

Edward Caissie — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:10:24 +0000

Sometimes you simply have to stand up and get noticed; take the lead by setting a positive example; and, always strive for improvement.

Recognition goes a long way in gaining support for a goal or idea. Gather together positively influenced support for your plan and others will see there are benefits to its completion.

Deliver on your schedule and meet the known, and sometimes unexpected, results with proof positive the methods you use are the most correct going forward.

Once you have proven your worth and shown you are capable, continue to make gains by improving on what got you to there in the first place. Resting on your laurels does not make for better, it just leaves everything the same as it was before.

Stand up, take the lead, and improve.

Give

Edward Caissie — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 03:38:05 +0000

Reach out before the hand of need is extended to look back and see the outstretched hands of support.

There is no need to wait for someone to ask for help before offering it. Sometimes its just a simple gesture or small kindness but that is often all it takes to give a person the encouragement to continue. If you give of yourself freely, you may be rewarded in kind. If you find yourself in need, look to those you have helped before and see them in turn reaching out to give you aid.

Mallory-Everest Ideas

Edward Caissie — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:21:10 +0000

I have often used Hillary-Everest as a term for describing an idea that may or may not have any redeeming quality or usefulness. After a bit of research, I have found I mistakenly coined the term based on George Mallory‘s famous quote:

Because it’s there.

… although this quote by Sir Edmund Hillary would still support my term:

Nobody climbs mountains for scientific reasons. Science is used to raise money for the expeditions, but you really climb for the hell of it.

I use Hillary-Everest to describe ideas that are more proof of concept than a requirement and I may still use it out of habit; but, it seems a Mallory-Everest idea may be just as, or possibly more, descriptive.

Which would you use?

Everything Has a Price

Edward Caissie — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:13:17 +0000

Everything has a price. Perhaps it can be equated in terms of currency but in most cases the real trade-off or cost is measured in time.

Who can help me now?
What day will it be ready?
Where is it?
When can I have it?
Why is this so difficult?

You may pay for premium services and get help immediately in some cases. If you want to receive something sooner you can go get it yourself. You may need to travel to a place you do not want to go to, but you will achieve your goals sooner if you do. Almost everything gets easier with knowledge and practice … and time.

Of course you can simply throw money at a problem and maybe it will go away, but it will still take time, even if only a moment, to replace those funds.

Everything has a price, it’s just a matter of time.

Inspirational Stress Relief

Edward Caissie — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:34:24 +0000

Sometimes the best intentions are overridden by better intentions. I am not one to practice “retail therapy” but my wife can present a convincing argument when she wants to. I set my work schedule aside to spend some quality time with my wife … and spend some money, too.

It was a very long week and stress levels were building so we, or better said she, decided to get ourselves ready and after some additional online research we headed out to get her a Wacom Intuos 4 tablet to be used in her new theme creation venture. We’ve been looking at these tablets for a while and the large model seemed the best fit.

I also registered a couple of new domain names that may be used for these ideas:

My wife also insisted I get a new monitor as I have not been overly happy with the one I’ve had for some time now. It required too many video setting adjustments when I am truly a proponent of the plug-n-play models of hardware. We looked at a few models and chose the NEC MultiSync EA231WMi Even though I was not happy with my Acer AL2016W, I did add it as a second monitor for my desktop PC.

I may not have accomplished as much work as I wanted to get done yesterday and I admit to being a willing participant; but, we did accomplish something of great value: inspirational stress relief via retail therapy.

Speak Plainly

Edward Caissie — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:12:35 +0000

Antagonisms and sarcastic remarks are often the instigators of misunderstandings and misconstrued ideas. The acknowledgment of these quips can lead to their further misinterpretation and possible validation whereas ignoring them may refute the points trying to be made, neither of which may ultimately add benefit to the argument.

Speak plainly and to the issue at hand; simple language is a more effective communication device than meandering diatribes or implied meanings.

Meet You in the Middle

Edward Caissie — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 21:15:58 +0000

We can agree to disagree … No! That’s simply avoidance, nothing more. It’s not a resolution by any means. It’s simply an acknowledgment of one’s inability, or lack of desire, to find a compromise for the issue at hand.

Be it a debate, an argument, or a heated exchange; one of the easiest methods of reaching a peaceful conclusion is the willingness to find a middle ground. In some cases the middle may be heavily skewed to one side but every party involved will gain a certain satisfaction if they have received even a modicum of a concession to their point.

Finding your middle ground and being able to share it will always gain you ground in the end.