With the news today of the death of Neil Armstrong, my immediate memory was of being in a pit orchestra at Tulane University playing for the show "Annie Get Your Gun" when the news that he walked on the moon was announced. The audience broke into spontaneous and thunderous applause; and then the show continued. Talk about a hard act to follow.
So, where were you and what do you remember about this historic event?
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
Take a Pie Tip from the Oakland A's
The Oakland Athletics have suffered many years of defeat and despair, but this year they are doing much better and are having have fun, too. The instigator is outfielder Josh Reddick or, as he is known by some, “S-PIE-DERMAN.” The reason is that when the A’s win in their last at bat, he puts a whipped cream pie in the face of the person who delivered the significant blow; and recently he has been doing this in a Spiderman costume.
Now it may be that this is a short lived proposition, good for this season and this team only, but you’ve got to admire the spirit behind it. After all, he has to get off the field, into his Spidey costume and secure the pie all in very short order and he does it with flair and panache!
Do you have someone in your organization that might be suited (sorry) for such a role? You know create a spontaneous celebration of an exciting outcome? Perhaps the instigator delivers a balloon; or becomes the Cupcake Crusader; or, well, just about anything.
This seems like an easy way to have fun and celebrate success; a win-win proposition.
And pies to the face are not required!
Fun In Radiation Therapy? Yes!
Here is a fun story from the world of radiation treatment. I kid you not!
After my friend finished his first round of radiation and before he could get up and leave, he was handed a plastic ring and invited, encouraged, commanded to try to toss it over the faucet 10-15 feet to his left and high enough so that success could be imagined.
Well, he tried, and missed. No problem. The techs said this would be the last event for every day of radiation and that they had photographs of people who had won this game not once, or twice, but as many as three times!
Consider the accomplishment here. These folks took a stressful and uncomfortable situation and made the experience for their patients a fun one; and they, too, reaped rewards by encouraging and participating in this play.
Now, it is hard to imagine anything in the workplace necessarily comparing to radiation treatment (unless that is where you work) and if they can find a way to have fun for themselves and their patients I think that raises the bar for the rest of us!
After my friend finished his first round of radiation and before he could get up and leave, he was handed a plastic ring and invited, encouraged, commanded to try to toss it over the faucet 10-15 feet to his left and high enough so that success could be imagined.
Well, he tried, and missed. No problem. The techs said this would be the last event for every day of radiation and that they had photographs of people who had won this game not once, or twice, but as many as three times!
Consider the accomplishment here. These folks took a stressful and uncomfortable situation and made the experience for their patients a fun one; and they, too, reaped rewards by encouraging and participating in this play.
Now, it is hard to imagine anything in the workplace necessarily comparing to radiation treatment (unless that is where you work) and if they can find a way to have fun for themselves and their patients I think that raises the bar for the rest of us!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Do you remember carbon paper? Beloit Mindset List - including 2016!
We have all been at one time or another part of a culture gap. This often manifests itself in one person being cheerfully oblivious to cultural phenomenon essential to someone else. My favorite example from some years ago was "Do you mean Paul McCartney had a band before Wings?" And if you don't understand any of those references, well, there you have it writ large.
I recently came across two neat examples of ways to mark some of these differences in fun ways.
The first comes from The New York Times and asks "Do You Remember Carbon Paper?"
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/03/opinion/sunday/answers-to-the-carbon-paper-exam.html
The second is the Beloit College Mindset List about characteristics of incoming freshman and served as a reminder to teachinbg faculty to stay away from dated references (like Paul McCartney, Wings and The Beatles!).
http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/2015/
Big News: The newest Beloit Mindset List is now available at:
http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/2016
Think of these as you interact with students, yes, but also younger (or older) employees, co-workers, colleagues, etc. Then, think about things in your profession that people just starting out might have no idea about and see if you can come up with your list. Sounds like fun to me, yeah! yeah! yeah!
I recently came across two neat examples of ways to mark some of these differences in fun ways.
The first comes from The New York Times and asks "Do You Remember Carbon Paper?"
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/03/opinion/sunday/answers-to-the-carbon-paper-exam.html
The second is the Beloit College Mindset List about characteristics of incoming freshman and served as a reminder to teachinbg faculty to stay away from dated references (like Paul McCartney, Wings and The Beatles!).
http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/2015/
Big News: The newest Beloit Mindset List is now available at:
http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/2016
Think of these as you interact with students, yes, but also younger (or older) employees, co-workers, colleagues, etc. Then, think about things in your profession that people just starting out might have no idea about and see if you can come up with your list. Sounds like fun to me, yeah! yeah! yeah!
NASA KNOWS HOW TO HAVE FUN
A good friend sent me this terrific YouTube video of the NASA folks celebrating the successful touchdown of Curiosity on Mars. And how are you celebrating your successes these days? Celebrations don't have to be this extravagant but adding a little wit and humor can spice up any happy occasion!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QFvNhsWMU0c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QFvNhsWMU0c
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