Makers and Managers

Oh, to be able to get back into the "maker" mentality...

"When you're operating on the maker's schedule, meetings are a disaster. A single meeting can blow a whole afternoon, by breaking it into two pieces each too small to do anything hard in. Plus you have to remember to go to the meeting. That's no problem for someone on the manager's schedule. There's always something coming on the next hour; the only question is what. But when someone on the maker's schedule has a meeting, they have to think about it."

http://www.paulgraham.com/makersschedule.html

Complacency at sea...

""Complacency continues to be a major factor in many of the accidents investigated by the MAIB. The word 'complacency' is used by the MAIB, not to imply smugness or self-satisfaction, but to reflect the natural human consequence resulting from familiarity with a task or operation." From a report in Britain that too few Sailors are aboard ships...

We'd never let that happen to the US Navy...would we?

Danger, Chester Nimitz...

I don't know who wrote this...but it's been reprinted at "I like the cut of his jib"...

"Navy leaders have a responsibility to make sure that their subordinates are challenged, rewarded, promoted and moved on to more demanding and more senior assignments in the most thoughtful and deliberate manner possible.."

This line is one of the most abused in the Navy. Many of today's "heavy lifting" staff jobs are hard and heavy because of poor leadership, poor planning, and wishful thinking...wrapped up in vacillation.

Ugh.

Wedding Entrance

It's not particularly, technically, well done. But they sure had fun.

American Girl Day at the US Navy museum!

Looks like P, V, and L will be there...and I get to go too...

Saturday, June 27, 2009
11:00am - 3:00pm:U.S. Navy Museum805 Kidder Breese Street, SEWashington, DC
Meet Valerie Tripp, author of many American Girl series! (booksigning from 11-1)
Enter to win a Molly McIntire Doll!
Prizes for those who dress like their favorite character!
Dolls are encouraged to come join in the fun!
Hands-on activities highlighting the era of:
Felicity MerrimanAddy WalkerSamantha ParkingtonKit KittredgeMolly McIntire
RSVPs are requested to ensure enough materials for all participants. Please call (202) 433-6826 or (202) 433-0280.

More details here

Defending the legacy

My friend at Information Dissemination has a post on CNO Gary Roughead speaking strategy.
"There are some who would say small patrol boat showing a small coastal Navy how to conduct a fisheries patrol is the best form of engagement, but consider what we have done with our African Partnership Station, where we took a little bit larger ship, an amphibious ship, where we could still go off and work with that coastal nation. "
Galrahn is excited because the mothership concept gets lots of play in the discussion. Which is good.
But then we have the counter of last week's Navy Times article that says Roughead wants to significantly reduce the number of amphibious ships. And those ships are the only ships that can really do the mothership role.

But...in the end, my problem with CNO's comments is that I am hearing what Seth Grodin is referring to here: "Sometimes we spend more time than we should defending the old thing, instead of working to take advantage of the new thing. I bet you can list a dozen "critical" industries that will be as relevant to life in 2020 as Singer is to our world today."

EPCOT - Disney Day 2

OK - more on the Disney Trip.

On the second day we went to EPCOT. We had reservations for the breakfast in Norway (Akershus) and were also able to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours - the only reason to get up early with toddlers who usually sleep in. We were at the park when it opened early and had ridden three major attractions (Soarin', Test Track and something else) before the rest of the populace was allowed in. Very, very cool.

Then a late breakfast (11am) with the Princesses at Akershus, a run through the Living Seas and then back to the room for a nap. Which V was very good about. L, not so much. More on that in a bit.

Then, back to EPCOT for dinner, wander the worlds, take a few pictures and watch the fireworks. Then carry L from the fireworks where she fell asleep (no nap, rememeber) to the monorail, then wait for the second bus (first was full) , then walk the half mile to Shade of Green. With a kid over my shoulder. Oh, well...that's what Abu is for, right?

And...in the Living Seas we sat through "Turtle Talk with Crush". The most amazing thing I have ever seen. To difficult to explain...just go see it!