I have written a few times about the decline of Western Civilization, I mean the decline of customer service. It's an uphill battle. Companies create silos so that one part of the organization works independently of another part (even though the customer's wellbeing is tied to a unified approach). Representatives either connect you to another division or simply state: "That's not my problem," leaving the consumer to fend for themselves. Knowing that I cannot win by debating store managers in the cereal aisle I have decided to make it easy. Here is one simple rule that would improve customer service immediately...
The kids are not afraid to ask questions, but the adults feel an absolute need to provide answers... Rather than say, "I don't know; let's find out," parents feel like they have to make something up to seem smart. We really need to embrace not knowing it all.
Kathleen McLean, former Director, Exploratorium
Father Knows Best?, Washington Post
I'm not afraid to say "I don't know" when my daughters ask the tough questions. Despite the typical timing of these important queries (like when my eldest asked "What's a virgin?" as I was merging onto a busy L.A. freeway), I go for the truth. After all, isn't "telling it like it is" one of the legacies we baby boomers have embraced?
My 10½ year old has just completed the fifth grade, and with it that special unit on human sexuality. But those aren't where the hard questions come from in our family. If only. Last month she came home and proudly showed me a Web page she and her friends had made on their own. Not only had she coded the page but she had embedded a Flash game into it as well. The floodgates had opened.
Surveying her work, I noticed some major problems in her code. In addition, she had hotlinked to someone else's Flash game. Hotlinking is a big no-no in the ethics of the Web and it was clear she had reached a critical stage in her development (you might remember I've had a couple interactions with people who have hotlinked to my images). It was time to step in to make sure she got a proper upbringing.
Kids today are learning PowerPoint in the fourth grade and are expected to use the Web to research their school projects by the fifth. Yes, folks-without-children, it's quite a different world. My eldest had been asking for her own Web site for a year. But I've hesitated, waiting for her to grow into the responsibilities that come with being a good netizen. She had just been rewarded for her maturity with her own email address (to correspond with approved friends only). But was I ready to move her into a higher geek realm? As usual my control over the situation was totally dictated by her meteoric quest for knowledge.
Worker's Comp / 20.05.2007
A Cubicle With a View
Window Washers Outside My Former Office Window Our offices recently moved and I no longer have a coveted window on the world outside. But before I left I got the opportunity to document my view and take this portrait. I saw and almost saw quite a bit out that window. In September 2005 I just missed seeing the Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, as he popped in to the Starbucks across the street. A caffeine blast is always a good idea after a meeting with Bush the Second. But, over the years I did get to witness countless medical emergencies at Pepco's (DC's power...
News Outta My Control / 12.05.2007
The Queen: Up Close and Personal
My camera's paltry zoom got me this close to the Queen. Click image to see an enlargement. On a whim, I decided to visit the Queen the other day. My coworker, Cathy, and I walked over to the World War II Memorial on the National Mall during lunch, where Queen Elizabeth would be paying her respects on the anniversary of VE Day. I've had a few encounters with celebrities over the years. There's the Hollywood variety: I waited on crooner Bobby Darin and action star Charles Bronson when I worked at an L.A. department store during college. And my brief time...
Fairly Odd Parents-Present, Idiosyncratic Celebrations / 07.05.2007
Mother’s Day: My Gift is a Loaded Question
If you've seen this bag, let me know. My wife will love it, especially if it will hold a few bottles of wine! As I sit by the subway door each morning on my commute to work I am rewarded with "first look rights" of people and their possessions as they enter the train. You never know what treasures you will find (objects or their owners). This morning I spied this wonderful Question Mark attaché the minute it came on board. "Wow," I thought, "that would be a perfect Mother's Day gift for my wife. Perfect. Just her style." I mean,...
Monday morning commutes, by almost unanimous vote, are reserved for quiet transitions from the weekend to the work week ahead. So when riding the subway this morning I and those around me were jarred by a gentleman bellowing into his mobile: Jim, we need to re-key the locks today. But I don't know if we should have one lock or two on the front door. And, if two, should they use the same key? He went on to discuss the merits of both with what must have been his contractor while the man next to me turned and said "It's always so...
I didn't hear of Monday's tragedy at Virginia Tech until 9:30 that night. I had just plopped down my suitcase in my NYC hotel room after a long, flight-delayed ride from San Francisco. As I unpacked I watched the TV as teachers and students were eulogized and I began to remember my many years as a college teacher. As I watched Cho Seung-Hui's English professor, Lucinda Roy, recount both her concern and inability to take action after reading Cho's writing, similar memories of my own experiences with my students began to resurface. Suddenly, I remembered John.
Professional Auteurism, Worker's Comp / 07.04.2007
My Own Wheel of Fortune
You know your job is secure when you make it on Wheel of Fortune. Click the image above to start. (Quicktime, 5.5 MB)
Last night: the end of a very busy week. I'm preparing for my first back-to-back business trip (DC-SF-NY-DC) to give a talk and attend some meetings. So I've been in pre-flight high gear the entire week, making sure all my projects are where they need to be before my long hiatus. You know how it is, you want everything in order before taking off.
I'm tired as I sit down for a bit of decompression before dinner. Of course, the best antidote: the mindless Wheel of Fortune. Pat Sajak and Vanna White can make you forget just about anything.
All is going well until the third toss-up. Category: occupation. View the video, then we'll talk...
News Outta My Control / 20.03.2007
Macintosh/Obama Remix
If you are a Mac fan you will remember its auspicious introduction: the 1984 Ridley Scott television commercial (updated in 2004 to include the ubiquitous iPod earbuds). Some anonymous Barack Obama supporters (or are they --a little Dem infighting couldn't hurt the Republicans) have remixed the ad to show Hillary Clinton as "Big Brother," I mean "Big Sister." No matter who you support for President, you gotta hand it to these underground videographers: a creative and thought-provoking remix. Up next: Hillary "supporters" remix Gone with the Wind (is nothing sacred?). Down and dirty. Let the games begin! [ Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton,...
Artistic Tendencies / 18.03.2007
To Be an Artist in Washington
I've just posted a short piece on being an artist at the nexus of global power: Washington, DC, on the Multimediale Festival blog. Multimediale is a four day social/political multimedia arts festival taking place here in DC next month. Take a look, post your thoughts, and if you're going to be in the Washington area come April 20, join us! [ Washington, DC, Multimediale, Art ] ...