Interesting idea today while grading papers, possibly for Expeditionary Leadership book: concepts in conflict, leading to a dilemma.

Pirsig talks about a dilemma as a bull with two horns. In Rhetoric, the writer pursues a logical series of thoughts, steps in a proof, to support or refute either or both of the horns. He describes the hero challenging each horn and, not being satisfied, goes for a third option: go *between* the horns.

The six pillars of character are

- trustworthiness
- respect
- responsibility
- fairness
- caring
- citizenship

Here's a bit from Linux Journal re: pulling embedded video:

Taking My Media Everywhere

Driving in to work at the military academy this morning, I really needed some chapstik. Normally I carry a chapstik and a USB flash drive in my right front pocket. But last night I delivered a lecture in my flight suit, and the stick was still in one of the sleeve pockets. Those sleeve pockets are just perfect for such small objects that need to be close at hand. Unfotunately, I don't wear a flight suit to work any more.

If you're alive in today's world (and believe me, with some people I really wonder), you just can't get away from managing your in-box. Even if you don't work in an office, you still have something known as a mailbox, a perpetual in-box if there ever was one. Stuff comes in, and it all needs to be addressed. How do you keep from getting buried under all the garbage?

That's where TRAF comes in. I can't remember where I first heard about this process, but it works.

Trash It

Here's a little tidbit that recently bit me in the backside. I'm coordinating the 50th year reunion for a group with which I performed in college. So I had the alumni magazine publish my contact information, and invited "all comers". Well, they've started calling.

The problem for me is that I've been putting off building the roster. Other things inevitably came up. Well, now I have no choice. The word is out, the hall is booked, and they're banging on the door. Time to get up from the fire and start working!

Today I experienced the classic flood of cleanup. I decided to take a vacation day, split between two afternoons. And the pent-up Karmic Garbage of several months began to wash away.

You can't carve a statue in one day. The best you can hope for is a nose or maybe a foot. But if you face a multi-week statue carving project with a blank expression, you'll never even get beyond the first tap.