Productivity and Disconnecting

This is a couple days old, but I’ve been thinking about it, and have returned to the post several times to check the comments. On Monday (7/6) MPR’s News Cut Blog (Bob Collins) asked whether it was possible to disconnect.

Kennedy says:

Being connected is about being the first informed, not necessarily the most informed. Being connected is about being involved in conversation, not necessarily adding value to the conversation. Being connected is about knowing the current buzz, not necessarily knowing what is important. Being connected is about being in the loop, not necessarily about being important.

Knowledge truly is power, and being the last to know carries a certain stigma. While people complain about being connected, I suspect some feel a touch less valuable when they are not connected and things continue anyway.

Posted by kennedy | July 6, 2009 3:40 PM

And this one by bob:

If your boss expects you to be connected at midnight and you aren't a soldier or a first responder, you've got the wrong boss.

In addition to the disconnect thread, the post asks whether technology made us more productive?

“Are you a more productive person than, say, 10 years ago?”

I’m not sure how to answer that one. The curmudgeon in me would say, “No.” But is that true?

I’m certainly busier now than 10 years ago, but am I more productive? I find myself doing more – but whether technology allows me to do it better, the answer is mixed.

When I entered the workforce mid-1980s, communicating with others was not as easy as sending an email to everyone in an email group – or better yet, selecting “Reply-to-All” and Send. We had to type a memo and make copies on the one copier shared by 13 offices. I recall making copies only for those you felt really needed to have the information – because you had to distribute those copies yourself (delivering by walking around the office, or stuffing envelopes to mail.)

No conclusions - it's just got me thinking.

Crash? Not Yet

I keep expecting to crash. Not yet though.

It’s too early and I’m still enjoying the experience, even with long practices, no free time, lack of sleep, and nervous anticipation of the upcoming performances. I expected to crash earlier – and I’m sure that day will come. Let’s hope it’s not until after the final show, July 18.

Here’s the notorious Shipoopi – which I think I’ve finally mastered – as best I can given the cramped dancing space. We were out of costume – and a little pooped after 4 hours of rehearsal – but they wanted to run it one more time – with a minor change.

M Flipped (is that the verb for filming with a Flip camera?) this last night. The Hobbled Runner is only in front during the adults dance break scene. Note also the Dude at the end – far left (stage right) with girl jumping on his back. He almost falls on his face.

Get your tickets now!

Duke Update

Quick Duke update. He is/was doing great until yesterday when he pooped a beer bottle cap, and threw up two wine corks. The party hound!

Seriously, he's at the Vet for observation today - possible X-Rays. If it hadn't been for recent events, I think we would have laughed it off - but now we are hyper-vigilant. (Though obviously not vigilant enough to keep him out of the trash.)

A Summer for the Turkeys

The latest wildlife spotting on the walking path at work. Turkeys captured with the zoom feature of my BlackBerry - which leaves a little to be desired. It was 60F, cloudy, and windy when I ventured out at noon today. I wore a jacket. Don't recall the last time I wore a jacket in the summer.

Hah - while loading picture, found this one from same day - last year. Looks a little warmer.

Too Early for Tomatoes?

We got tomatoes, yes we do.
We got tomatoes, how ‘bout you?

The Hobbled Wife went crazy this year at the Friend’s School Plant Sale, purchasing numerous plants that she is still – to this day – getting into the ground. She had so many tomato plants that she ran out of space in the regular vegetable garden and planted them in large pots and placed them around the yard. This plant is actually in the front yard – not your normal place for vegetables.

Why is it that edible plants usually are planted in the back yard, and flowers planted in front – really anywhere else for that matter? Anyway – she is breaking all the planting rules this year as she scrounges available real estate for her greenery.



Unrelated photo – we got together with my Mom and brother’s family for a joint birthday celebration yesterday – M and Paul’s youngest. Both turned 12 in the past few weeks.

Rock World Rocks

[Lake Superior after following Gooseberry river from Gooseberry Falls.]

Whirlwhind trip with the Rock World class. Lots of fun - and learning. The weather was great - and so were the kids. In the end it wasn't half bad sharing a room at the Comfort Inn with four 9 year old boys. The chaperones even got to have a night on the town (well 2 hours really) on Thursday evening.

[The Dude and colleagues at Agate Beach.]

We visited a number or rocky sites - and I came away with a better appreciation of the geology of the State and region. I was also very impressed at the level of knowledge the kids brought to the subject. These kids really knew their rocks.

[Jay Cooke State Park.]

My apologies for lack of detail - or cute vignettes about spending time with sqirrely 9 year olds. Perhaps I'm too tired to recount it all. I was away from the computer for 3 days - and I didn't miss it. It's hard to sit down to blog now. I often think that if I didn't have a job where I was paid to sit in front of a compter all day that I would never have taken up an interest in the internet - or blogs for that matter. I'd probably have been one of those old farts you have to call to remind them to check their email already!

[Dude and friends at Moose Lake Gravel Pit near Moose Lake State Park.]

How Hot Is It?

You know it’s hot when the outdoor dining area is closed due to “inclement weather” – and it’s a clear and sunny day outside!

With another humid day in the mid 90s on tap, it’s truly summer in MN – with excessive heat warnings for much of the state.

Not looking forward to 3 hours of the Shipoopi Dance this evening, 6:30 – 9:30 in an un-air-conditioned school.

My only nag about the musical is that I wish I had been informed of the extent of dance skill/ability required of Shipoopi dancers. After all, I was picked only because they needed more adult males in the scene – I not cast for this scene at the initial try-outs. I feel I'm in over-my-head - and the thought of 3 hours in a non air-conditioned building tonight makes my stomach turn. I need to blow off some steam and I'd love to just start whining out loud at home – but if I did that the Dude would just follow my lead and go off the deep end.

Oh well – perhaps 3 days away from it all will help – or not. I am one of the chaperones on the Dude’s Summer Academy “Rock World” class field trip “up north”. We leave tomorrow morning at 7:15 a.m. and return Friday noon. We will be hitting several state parks and the Soudan Underground Mine. That’s two nights in a Comfort Inn – I will have 4 kids in my room. We arm wrestle for the cot.

It will be fun to get away – but you never know when can happen when you are chaperone – and we will be missing two nights of Music Man.

I’m exhausted. The Hobbled Wife assures me this is just the mid rehearsal-performance blues – when it seems like the cast and crew will never pull it together in time for opening night. I hope so.

[The Stars - Harold, Marian, Winthrop, adn Amaryllis - don't those costumes look hot?]

Cabin Weekend

Father's Day - and the very long days of Summer Soltice - spent at the cabin. The Dude found a turtle on Saturday during an epic (1+ hour) canoe trip. We took it back to the cabin, named it Jesse, and kept it until Sunday afternoon when we returned it to its home. It was very big of him to let it go - he was quite adament on bringing it home to Roseville. The Hobbled Wife's logic prevailed and he agreed to release it.



Every year we take pictures of the kids - usually M, sometimes both - in the Daisys out back of the cabin. Here is one of this year's photo and another shot of everyone trying to set up the shot.



Here's an earlier Daisy photo - last year (??)

A Speaking Part

[The "band" rehearsing Minuet in G. Dude in yellow T-Shirt with flute.]

Well – it’s certainly not a “role” but I’ve been assigned a few words – and I do mean a few words. If you are familiar with the Music Man, it’s the 4th of July ceremonies, and Harold Hill begins stirring up the crowd prior to the 76 Trombones song/dance scene.

Harold: I heard there’s a pool table in town.

Me: Yeah, that’s what I heard!

That’s it – 5 words. Notice the exclamation point (!) – that means I get to yell my lines – so it should be a bit more dramatic.

I neglected to update after Monday’s Shipoopi dancing scene. Long story short – better than I imagined – but I’m no Fred Astaire. For the record, I was not originally cast as a Shipoopi dancer – I was only brought in after-the-fact for gender balance (they needed more adult men). With that in mind, we should all adjust our expectations accordingly.

Monday night’s practice – the second time for the Shipoopi dance scene – went well. At least no one got hurt. We danced with a partner. Yikes – I don’t think I’ve danced with anyone in 10 years – when was the last wedding I attended? The steps weren’t too difficult, but when dancing with a partner there is always the risk of stepping on your partner’s feet. Luckily I did not do that. It may have helped that I was paired with a real dancer.

Jeez – the qualifications of some of these folks put me to shame. I just hope I don’t fall off the stage or sing (noticeably) off-key.