All posts by Jim

“Murphy’s Law”

Murphy's Law desk calendar

From my “Murphy’s Law” desk calendar archives thanks to Aunt Evelyn, Uncle Pipey, and cousin Nancy:

Cohn’s First Law: In any bureaucracy, paperwork increases as you spend more and more time reporting on the less and less you do.

Goofy guy’s experience with Cohn’s First Law: Then eventually, you are reporting on nothing since your are doing nothing but paperwork, and that’s okay because no one reads your paperwork but then holds meetings to reduce paperwork in which you have to keep minutes and provide to all in paperwork (and now on the computer) for the paperwork  you are attempting to reduce but never will since you are now doing nothing but paperwork.

Example: In the 1970’s, the Navy came out with a force-wide program to reduce reports. A large committee was formed and assigned the task. They met and met and met and decided they needed to know the extent of the problem. So the first radio message they sent to the entire fleet was for each command to submit a report with a list of all the reports they were required to submit. As i recall, not one report was eliminated, thus resulting reporting all the reports plus one. 

“Murphy’s Law”

Murphy's Law desk calendar

From my “Murphy’s Law” desk calendar archives thanks to Aunt Evelyn, Uncle Pipey, and cousin Nancy:

Perkins’ Postulate: The bigger they are, the harder they hit.

Goofy guy’s reaction to Perkins’ Postulate: i was not aware of Perkins’ Postulate until Garland Gudger, at 245, caught me, at 135,  going in the opposite direction at full speed during a Castle Heights football practice. They say i did a 540 degree flip, landing on my back. Perkins was correct. 

Letting Go

A Pocket of Resistance

It’s different, this letting go thing.

i mean, i’m 75, three-quarters of a century old. Today.

It’s time to do what i think i should do for the rest of my life. Part of that is letting go.

For example, this was originally a long, long post detailing a whole bunch of stuff that i think is important, why i think it’s important and with long-winded explanations. This was supposed to be my epilogue on reaching what i consider officially old age. It kept growing. i finally recognized it would not have much impact, only allow me to blow off steam and feel good about me. This is pretty close to, excuse the French, bullshit. i tossed it.

A whole bunch of people my age spend a lot of time grousing about how much better they are than the younger generations because of the way they, the older ones like me, grew up. Balderdash. After all, who raised those who grew up later: the grousers. And the world is a whole lot different now, not better or worse unless we make it. Our time doesn’t apply.

And folks of all ages are out witch hunting, Victorian style, policing what we say, how we act, finding everything wrong with everyone else, both sides, drawing lines in the sand because everyone knows they are right, everyone else is wrong, winner take all, no quarter, change everything to benefit ME.

That’s why, by the way, i use lower case for “i.” If i were to capitalize a pronoun it would be “You” or “Us.”

In elementary school, i was taught the Communists believed the ends justified the means and we believed in the ends could not justify the means. We were taught to do it right. That is the one thing we should have maintained, but didn’t.

i’m just sort of tired of it all. You can have it. i don’t want it.

So folks, it’s my time to let go. i am not likely to make it to the century mark. My physical and mental skills are declining. So i’m gonna write what i want to write and do what i want to do as long as i can do it, and hopefully give some people some things to think about in a positive way.

After all, i can do what i want to do. i’ve been around three-quarters of a century. i deserve that for myself.

Happy Birthday, old man.

“Murphy’s Law”

Murphy's Law desk calendar

From my “Murphy’s Law” desk calendar archives thanks to Aunt Evelyn, Uncle Pipey, and cousin Nancy:

Harrison’s Postulate: For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.

Goofy guy’s extension of Harrison’s Postulate:  And for every criticism, someone quits taking action and only criticizes: a current rampant plague.

“Murphy’s Law”

Murphy's Law desk calendar

From my “Murphy’s Law” desk calendar archives thanks to Aunt Evelyn, Uncle Pipey, and cousin Nancy:

Gottlieb’s Rule: The boss who attempts to impress employees with his knowledge of intricate details has lost sight of his objective.

Goofy guy’s appraisal of for  Gottlieb’s Rule:  Murphy and Gottlieb found a leadership principle embedded in their laws…and unfortunately, i have met a few of those bosses who pride themselves in intricate detail.