Random Notes from a Crank

I have to personally thank Jerry Seinfeld and possibly Larry David for introducing the mantra of "Serenity Now" to me. I've been using it a lot lately. A lot.





For his birthday, my son wants the other Star Wars trilogy: episodes 1, 2, & 3. I suspect he'll be disappointed with Jar Jar's presence like I was. Even kids don't like him much.

I've never gotten the name of "Athletics" for a baseball team. I like 'em because they're small market and all that, but that franchise, if I remember correctly, started in Philadelphia, went to Kansas City for a while, then migrated to Oakland, and possibly might be moving again. But Athletics, how boring is that for a mascot? And I dislike the unnecessary apostrophe ("A's") on their hats.

I just want to lay around all day and watch baseball interrupted only by napping and people occasionally bringing me food. On occasion, I'll speak.

A good while back, heck it was over spring break in fact, Mrs. Nasty's Boss asked me if I would look over her daughter's resume because she was applying for an internship. I helped the young lady with the document, and Mrs. Nasty's Boss asked if I want anything for giving her feedback. She said if her daughter got the internship, that she'd get me something. My offhand retort was that I'll take a case of beer. Shortly thereafter, the young lady got the internship. And me, I got a twelve pack of Sam Adams Boston Lager. That's consulting, Delta Delta Style. Quintilian B. Nasty: Will consult for beer...

"Crafting a New World"

I thought I'd pass along an interview with sociologist Richard Sennett I read in Utne magazine today. After reading this conversation, I'm sure I'll buy his book The Craftsman since it fits in with other outside-my-profession-reading I've been doing lately, in particular Mike Rose's excellent The Mind At Work: Valuing the Intelligence of the American Worker and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life. And some of the ideas he puts forth connect with the tenets of the Slow Philosophy and the Slow Food Movement.

In the interview Sennett brings up some points that really hit home to me since I teach writing and how to teach writing. However, I think many folks will find this article interesting because he makes us think about our culture's obsession with speed, our educational systems, and how we [should] take pride in things we make.

I don't wholly buy that craftsmanship is "a basic human impulse to do good work," but I feel "the desire to do a job well for its own sake" is a character trait we need to instill, cultivate, and enhance.

Click HERE if you're interested in reading this fairly short interview.