Figuring out a career was a lot easier than figuring out what to do with the rest of my life. After 10 years in D.C., I think I’m finally getting there.
Category Archives: musings
Work lessons from a decade at the same job
How have I been at the same job for 10 years? Here are some lessons I hope I’ve learned.
Everyone has a last day at work
I realized last year that I’m in the top 10% in terms of longevity at my company. I literally was able to name every person who has been there longer (that list has since shrunk by one). I think about that fairly often. I was also reminded recently about how many people have come throughContinue reading “Everyone has a last day at work”
Celebrating Andy Murray
Andy Murray is a winner in almost every way imaginable. He’s young, wealthy, successful, famous and, for two weeks each year, a symbol of national pride for two nations (Scotland and greater Britain). He’s also the fourth-best player in an era where the three better players could arguably be the three best ever. This makesContinue reading “Celebrating Andy Murray”
My quintessential Jorge Posada memory
A classic Posada moment: Part of the triumph, but a supporting player. (Photo: Keith Allison) Jorge Posada is not the first catcher I grew up watching. Far from it. I saw Mike Stanley have a few out-of-the-blue years of strong offense for the New York Yankees. I would go to one or two Orioles gamesContinue reading “My quintessential Jorge Posada memory”
Dead retail stores of our lives
I read a story today on Forbes’ website arguing that Best Buy, through a combination of the Internet (e.g. Amazon), poor customer service, poor internal inventory and logistics and a general societal shift away from bricks-and-mortar retailers, is slowly headed toward a rapid fall. I’ve thought for a couple of years now that Best BuyContinue reading “Dead retail stores of our lives”
United Concordia doesn’t understand the phrase "open season"
I take the Metro to work each day in Washington, D.C., and as I ascend toward ground level at the Verizon Center, I’ve been passing an advertisement for United Concordia about the savings you can get from its dental plans. Presumably, it’s also open-enrollment season. Thus, you’d think, there could be a way to useContinue reading “United Concordia doesn’t understand the phrase "open season"”
Society’s quality-control problem with editing
Depleted newsrooms are every day illustrating what a lack of copy editing does — a slow sapping of quality and quality control. It doesn’t mean no news is gathered or that the language is destroyed, but the effect might be more insidious. Only the most able-eyed and loudest notice, and their noise is often dismissedContinue reading “Society’s quality-control problem with editing”
The online news media on 9/11 and 10 years later
The now-defunct Rocky Mountain News (Denver), on Sept. 11, 2001 The Internet was already making its presence known to media in 2001, even if it was still not on the minds of most. Print and television were still raking in outrageous profits despite signs of trouble, and after all, AOL Instant Messenger was as advancedContinue reading “The online news media on 9/11 and 10 years later”
Why news personalization has flopped with users, media
Photo by samplediz Theories on the Internet’s effect on news consumption generally follow one of two themes. The first is that it frees users to find the news of interest and consequence for them — personalized news — without the constrictions of time, editor-gatekeepers and journalistic agendas. The second is that the Internet is aContinue reading “Why news personalization has flopped with users, media”
James daSilva 