Miracles never cease. Today it was cloudy and cool with occasional showers. The high temp was around 76. I cannot remember experiencing this kind of weather in Abilene in September. I think they are getting a needed blessing after experiencing 100+ days for much of August.
Ann and I arrived last evening and expect to leave next Thursday. On our trip out, our van acquired a disturbing noise in the left front wheel. No need to worry though, a trip to the local Ford dealer and a sum of money for a new front hub resolved the noise.
If you follow Ann’s blog, you will know that she has been diagnosed with celiac disease. This has precipitated some major life style changes for her, and to some extent, for me. I have been amazed at the complexity and stringent requirements for treatment. She is doing well and we have received a lot of assistance from people who have experience and knowledge about living with celiac disease. She has been most encouraged to find out that chocolate is OK.
I not been posting a lot lately. I think it is just temporary funk. There are a number of subjects that have been on my mind and would be worthy of some comment but I’m having trouble pulling the trigger. I plan to attend some of the lectures at ACU next week. Perhaps that experience will stimulate some posting.
I have started reading Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations. It is stimulating and appears to have some very interesting ideas about managing organizations and new technology. I found this quote worthy of some pondering:
Running an organization is difficult in and of itself, no matter what its goals. every transaction it undertakes – every contract, every agreement, every meeting – requires it to expend some limited resource; time, attention or money. Because of these transaction costs, some sources of value are too costly to take advantage of. As a result, no institution can put all of its energies into pursuing its mission; it must expend considerable effort on maintaining discipline and structure, to simply keep itself viable. Self-preservation of the institution becomes job number one, while the stated goal is relegated to number two or lower, no matter what the mission statement says. The problem inherent in managing those transaction costs are one of the basic constraints shaping institutions of all kinds.
I agree completely. What I’m excited about is understanding how this can be addressed. More to come. Hopefully.