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Some Random Thoughts

19 July 05

In the last few weeks, I've continued to struggle getting through my large pile of work sitting on both my desk at work and the one at home, so articles here have been sparse. I've been trying to write up more tutorials on the Apache Lenya Wiki site, especially a couple of recent ones on Kupu customization for Lenya, so hopefully these will be of help to some people.

As I mentioned, quite a lot has been happening for me in the world of web development. I don't want to bore you with the details, but over time, I've come up with some observations that I figured I would share.

I don't know if it just happens to be in the field that I am in or just in my current circumstances, but I'm beginning to find more and more that people are starting to forget the importance of thanks, appreciation, and a drive to better themselves and others. Now, I'm the first to say that I don't do work to get thanks. I tend to be my harshest critic, as I believe most people are. But of course, thanks is appreciated every once in a while.

Thanks and appreciation go hand in hand, I think, with thanks being the public acknowledgement of appreciation. Certainly, if you appreciate something that someone has done, does, or will do for you, it's only polite to make your appeciation known by telling that individual or individuals, "Thanks." Such a simple word, but oh so powerful.

In the fast-paced economy that has now enveloped the United States, we work more and spend time with family, friends, and God less. Of course, I'm a hypocrite when I say this. Over the past couple of months, I have come home from work, eaten dinner, relaxed a few minutes, and headed back to the computer for more work. As a matter of fact, I'm so engrossed by the work I am doing that lately I've started forgetting things I have known for a long time, or things that happened just minutes before. Perfectly good example: while driving to a mall I have visited several times, I realized that I didn't know where I was going and forget how to get there. I never did find it and opted to head back home instead when it grew dark. This may be common for those reaching middle-age and above, but I'm 25 people. Now that's scary.

What scares me is when you smile at someone and the person is taken off-guard because it doesn't happen that often. I always make it a point to say hello, smile, and ask how our toll operators on the Ohio Turnpike are doing, and I am almost always greeted back with a smile or some other kind gesture. Imagine if we could do that all the time, as if it were unnatural if we didn't?

Here's a challenge to everyone: think about someone that has helped you recently, or someone you meet daily but never really converse with, and say hello with a smile. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

And lastly, a drive to improve yourself and others. I was always taught by my parents, my Sunday School teachers, my Pastor, and family that we should always strive to better ourselves. This can come in multiple forms obviously: spiritually, financially, educationally, etc. What irks me the most is when there are individuals who are willing to take chances to help improve themselves or a situation and then others simply criticize and put them down without even giving them a chance. You know what I say? Shame on you if that's you. Let's all get out of Negativeland and start encouraging people to try new things and better themselves.

And there's a time for criticism, but if it's healthy and doesn't mock or make fun of a person. There's a difference between benevolent and brutal honesty. Benevolent honesty is saying that you have a concern about something. Brutal honesty is saying that "that idea is really stupid". Please know what the difference is, please? We're all flawed in several ways - no one is perfect. Whenever you beat up on someone for coming up with a new idea, especially when they are doing it to better themselves or others, you are hurting yourself as much as you are hurting them.

OK, so that's all. Please, everyone, stop thinking about work all the time - it's really not worth it. Realize that everyone you meet is a person too that is probably fighting their own internal battles, and you should be sensitive to that. And please, smile, and acknowledge your appreciation of someone by telling them thanks every once in a while.