Dec 31
Lessons of 2006
Posted by editor at 10:23 am in workplace notes

Things I’ve learned in 2006:

1. It may be a highly touted beauty product, but Smith’s Rosebud Salve is really pink vaseline.

2. Bait and Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream is a great book. If you’re feeling alienated in the workplace, read this book. If corporate life isn’t what you expected, read this book. If you live in fear of being laid off, read this book. If you’ve been laid off, read this book. If you’re laying off people, also read this book. I think it’s brilliant. I want Barbara Ehrenreich to come to dinner.

3. World Prayers is a great web site, which I try to visit every day.

4. I seem to make a division between inner spirituality, which I think should operate in the workplace (morals and repsonsibility, silent prayer, meditation) and outer spirituality, which I think has just about no place in the workplace (prayer out loud, Santa, Christmas trees). This surprised me.

5. Discardia is my favorite holiday as I attempt to increase my joy to stuff ratio (joy : stuff) especially in my home office.

6. For years, I did not believe my mother when she said that the Beaver Tail Cactus could throw its spines from it to you as you walked by. It seemed inconceivable.

But, after spending many hours yesterday picking those little buggers (glochids, not spines, Mother) out of my hands and random places on my body, I believe her.

6. The Myth of Meritocracy is hard to give up, but necessary.

7. The Corporation is conscience-free. They operate only for the greater profit, not the greater good. That is, in fact, their primary mission. So when you see something like this, and see that Wal-Mart is investigating solar technology, know that it is a good thing, but only done because it is profitable.

Lessons are still being contemplated. Stay tuned for perhaps more.

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