communication. community. cognition.
Philosophy
Bricklayers are not Architects
Jul 19th
o116
I wanted to wait until all the Lebron hoopla calmed down, because this isn’t a rant about sports. In fact, the NBA has very little interest for me these days, but I do pay enough attention to sports headlines to have seen this:
Heat Signs Zydrunas Ilgauskas
MIAMI, July 17- The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed free agent center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
During the 2009-10 season, Ilgauskas averaged 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 20.9 minutes, while shooting 44.3 percent from the field in 64 games (six starts). He recorded double-figure points on 19 occassions and four double-digit rebound games.
Curiously enough, Ilgauskas was a teammate of Lebron’s in Cleveland.
Lebron James was once known as one of the best basketball players never to win a championship, prior to his entrance in the public consciousness as one of the most egocentric athletes in history. He goes to Miami as a free agent, along with other highly-sought free agents Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. The three are often thought of as cooking this together, but you get the feeling that Ilgauskas is coming along because a title isn’t enough for Lebron James; he wants a legacy as a team-builder. More >
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
High Definition
“The only thing worse than letting someone define you is letting them deify you.”
When Should You Aim?
Jun 25th
Fire. Ready. Aim.
It’s a common enough phrase, and it describes the manner in which people or organizations jump before knowing where they will land. It describes those instances where there was no strategy or thought into a goal before one starts an activity.
We make fun of those people, and the silly mistakes they make. But consider this story: More >
Are you slapping skin or are you dancing?
Jun 22nd
Did you see this viral video? The drummer who is in the wrong band? If not, then watch it, because there is a lesson here.
You may want to click into it about a minute or so, and then things will be more apparent. While the rest of the band is performing ZZ Top’s Sharp-Dressed Man (in a pedestrian manner, no less), the drummer is just playing.
The song is not that complicated, three chords and a cloud of dust. But the drummer is taking it to a different place entirely, because his focus isn’t on slapping the skins.
The Master Sought a Master
If you get an opportunity, check out the documentary “Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage.” VH-1 will air it Saturday night, June 26 at 9p.m. Eastern. I had a chance to see it in the theater a couple of weeks ago, and it is highly entertaining even if you don’t like the band. But in particular, watch for the segment with drummer Neil Peart and his drumming guru, Freddy Gruber. More >
What Bacon Can Teach You About Teamwork
Jun 17th
(Note: If you happen to see a giant strip of bacon on this post, then you likely arrived through http://ike4.me/bacon or some other Twitter/Facebook/Stumbleupon link. You can remove it by clicking the title of the post, underneath the bacon-y goodness. Or, if that doesn’t work, click here.)
The mere fact there is an internet toy that slaps a slab of bacon over a website is proof that bacon is popular. The Google search for “Bacon makes every recipe better” returns more than 2-million hits. There are Maple Bacon Cupcakes, and Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies.
But what is it about bacon that makes everything else taste better? I asked the crowd, and got a lot of responses.
QUESTION: In your opinion, what is it about bacon that makes it complement so many other foods?
@ikepigott
Ike Pigott
I summarize them here, or you can just jump down to the bottom and read for yourself.
So, what can we learn from the Oracle of Bacon?
Be Fat-like
Not obese, or lazy, or unappealing. But perform the same functions for your team that fat does for the body.
Fat is necessary for the proper absorption of certain vitamins (which is why it tastes good to us – from an evolutionary standpoint, those with defective fat-hating taste buds were less-inclined to get those vitamins!)
Fat also stores energy, which can be provide a much-needed boost.
Be Salty
Not that we want you talking like a sailor, but you can be salt-like in your relationships.
Those described as “Salt of the Earth” are humble, simple and direct. They don’t pretend to be more than they are. Be common enough to blend in, but important enough that if you are absent, you are missed.
And be present in the right amounts. Too much salt can be deadly.
Be Smoky
Bacon I found in our break room, during the writing of this post
The “smoke” we’re talking about is really just the application of heat to fat. Smoke is the release of those appetizing amino acids, which entices and creates expectations.
Being airborne, smoke precedes, and effectively sells the benefit to come. Smoke advertises the best qualities, and does so by reaching out beyond the plate to draw product to the palate.
Most importantly, smoke is a product of change. The fat, when subjected to heat, transforms into something with different properties and value. Be flexible when things get hot.
Umami
What the heck is umami? And why does it have such a strange name?
Umami is a Japanese word that describes a level of savoriness that doesn’t exist with the other identified flavors. We know salty, bitter, sweet and sour. Yet those words don’t capture the essence of foods like meats and cheeses, or mushrooms.
One aspect of umami is that the receptors are not just in the mouth. The presence of the umami-inducing chemicals can also be detected in the stomach! Additionally, umami triggers a slightly different brain response, including the release of seratonin.
So, how can you be more umamish? Be exotic, and touch people where they don’t expect.
Be Inspirational
No, bacon doesn’t necessarily inspire in an overt way. But I really liked this response from @jeffdonald:
@ikepigott I think it is b/c the other foods are just so honored to be on the same plate as the bacon that they really bring their A-game.
@jeffdonald
Jeff Donald
When you bring your best every time, you inspire others to do so as well. Good teams have role players who make those around them better. Champions have players who make those around them want to be better than they’ve ever been.
So – who would you say is your bacon?
Responses:
@ikepigott it's that salty, smoky taste. personal best: wrapping streaky bacon round hake medallions, fried #ilovebacon
@marioOlckers
Mario Olckers
@ikepigott The salt and fat, complements so many other foods. The "bacon candy" was a stretch but I am sure it has a market somewhere.
@VacationInAshCo
Ashtabula County CVB
@ikepigott salt, chewiness, smokiness, sometimes a hint of sweet & UMAMI ! Because it is smoked, it intensifies everything it touches.
@ErikaEmody
Erika Emody
@ikepigott I think it is b/c the other foods are just so honored to be on the same plate as the bacon that they really bring their A-game.
@jeffdonald
Jeff Donald
@Jon_Lewis @eatbhm @ikepigott According to the Sweetpotato Queens' Cookbook, bacon goes with nearly everything. Lol http://myloc.me/8kfE1
@bizlawyertexas
Lee Keller King
So who is your bacon? Answer in the comments.
Death, Complexity, and Your Next Job
Jun 11th
Audio post. Transcript coming later.
Death Complexity and Your Next JobPodcast: Play in new window | Download
Pray for Complication
“Life is a complication. But Death is a pretty steep price to pay for Permanent Simplicity.”
