Regarding the first point: You can’t tell that you’re syncopating if you can’t tell that you’re “playing in the holes” between the beats. As when, for example, there just isn’t any air between the notes (e.g, Bach’s running 16ths). Or in other words, I can’t syncopate until you shut up for a moment–because just a moment is all you need.

Another way of looking at your second point, the management problem: One of my mentors says, “How can you know that you’ve gotten what you wanted if you don’t know what you want?”

And for what it’s worth… I’m only one teacher, but I AM trying to teach them to think…

Its great to see someone is teaching TRIZ in New Mexico. I am a Level 3 TRIZ expert living and working here in Albuquerque. Would love to see what you are going to teach.

Tim Mezel

There are lots of more appropriate introductory textbooks on Bayesian statistics and decision analysis. Some of these (like Jaynes) require a fair amount of mathematics background while others focus more on the philosophical issues. I happen to like David Williams’ book, “Weighing the Odds”.

I all too often default to “no” as a matter of convenience and your post has made me think that I need to work on that.

I think there is a lot of societal pressure to be an “expert.” We depend on these “experts” for trial evidence, scientific data, documentaries, etc..

I don’t think it always stems from hubris (or perhaps the hubris is a direct result of low self-esteem). A certain close relative feels she needs to be an expert on everything, but it is clear when we’ve reached a topic outside her “expertise” because she changes the subject. I can see that there are people who feel the need to convince the rest of the world that they are learned. But those who really truly know, I think, don’t have to broadcast it. If one looks at the wisest teachers, there most often seems to be a humility that accompanies it.

But on the upside, my inbox is EMPTY and my mind is calm.

I’m not sure it is that surprising that the majority of your projects are work-related, I would say, however, that 144 is a lot. Some questions you might ask are: are these projects outwardly or inwardly imposed? I have to ask myself that A LOT.

I didn’t do the tickler folder system (partially because we don’t have room to allocate another file drawer for me) but I do use my calendar a lot more than I used to. I find the hardest part is actually forcing myself to write everything down. Especially the small stuff that I was so used to keeping track of in my head. But wow…when I write it down and know that it is safely stored in my PDA, it really reduces the anxiety I wasn’t even aware I had.