Here is a compilation of the ideas I've collected so far (I'm still looking for more):
solar panels for water heating
solar panels for electrical generation
walk to work
bike to work
buy a hybrid
drive a motorcycle or scooter to work
canoe or kayak instead of speedboat
recycle
conserve water - doing so conserves energy
buy the new low energy lightbulbs
get a wind generator
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Yahtzee
Following are some theorems I have developed about Yahtzee after years and years of playing both regular and electronic versions of the game:
1. If you want to get a Yahtzee, you have to roll for Yahtzee.
2. Don't try for straights and full house, they'll take care of themselves.
3. Nothing takes the wind out of a game of Yahtzee, like a bonus Yahtzee.
Now, what could this possibly have to do with TBL. Well, if you get a little philosophical, the Yahtzee rules apply to life. I hadn't done this until receiving an email from Abby last year saying she was applying the Yahtzee theorems to life.
TBL: Think about it.
1. If you want to get a Yahtzee, you have to roll for Yahtzee.
2. Don't try for straights and full house, they'll take care of themselves.
3. Nothing takes the wind out of a game of Yahtzee, like a bonus Yahtzee.
Now, what could this possibly have to do with TBL. Well, if you get a little philosophical, the Yahtzee rules apply to life. I hadn't done this until receiving an email from Abby last year saying she was applying the Yahtzee theorems to life.
TBL: Think about it.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Alternate Forms of Energy
It seems evident that, as a society, we need to reduce our consumption of oil. This, of course, either means use less energy or start looking for other forms of energy. To do it as a country, we need to start by doing it as individuals. Are you thinking about what to do? I am. I haven't done anything, but am spending a lot of time thinking about it. I request that you send me your ideas about what you are thinking about along these lines (either as comments to the blog or as emails to rulseth@itascacc.edu). As soon as I get a few, I will add them to mine and put as a text box on the bottom line blog.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Not finishing an assignment
There are two types of people. Given the following situation:
Your supervisor has assigned you to complete some task by a certain time, say the end of the day Friday. The end of the day Friday comes and the assignment is not finished.
People in one group, afraid of disappointing the supervisor, will do nothing and tell nobody.
People in the other group will contact the supervisor, explain that the task is not done, take responsibility for not completing the task, and give an estimate for when it can be done.
While it is quite obvious which group is the right one to be in, it is easy to fall into the first group.
TBL: DON'T! Professionals communicate to people when expectations are not met and take the appropriate responsibility.
Your supervisor has assigned you to complete some task by a certain time, say the end of the day Friday. The end of the day Friday comes and the assignment is not finished.
People in one group, afraid of disappointing the supervisor, will do nothing and tell nobody.
People in the other group will contact the supervisor, explain that the task is not done, take responsibility for not completing the task, and give an estimate for when it can be done.
While it is quite obvious which group is the right one to be in, it is easy to fall into the first group.
TBL: DON'T! Professionals communicate to people when expectations are not met and take the appropriate responsibility.
Friday, June 22, 2007
And More
The temptation when traveling for work can be to spend days at work and evenings in the hotel. Don't do it. Get out and about and see the sites. Go for a hike, walk in the parks, go see the ocean, visit the monuments....
Tonite we are going out for lobster 20 miles away on the coast. We could get lobster around the corner, but we want to go see the ocean.
TBL: Somebody else is paying your travel expenses, build your life experiences at their expense.
Tonite we are going out for lobster 20 miles away on the coast. We could get lobster around the corner, but we want to go see the ocean.
TBL: Somebody else is paying your travel expenses, build your life experiences at their expense.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
More on Travel
When traveling for work there are a couple of temptations. One is to eat too much. I know lots of folks who are unhappy with their current weight and attribute it directly to too much travel for work. I know that when I am on per diem the temptation is to eat out and eat a lot.
One key is to get to a market and buy some fruit and nuts to snack on during the day, thus minimizing the overeating at the restaurants. A second key is to eat big salads for every other meal. A third key is to hold yourself to dessert only once per trip. I have found these steps to be quite helpful.
One key is to get to a market and buy some fruit and nuts to snack on during the day, thus minimizing the overeating at the restaurants. A second key is to eat big salads for every other meal. A third key is to hold yourself to dessert only once per trip. I have found these steps to be quite helpful.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Lots of Flying
Many of us have jobs that require us to travel on airplanes a lot. This can be the most stressful thing if we let it. I am traveling right now. Going through security, waiting in lines, crying babies, delays, and on and on. The key isn't the stressful event, but rather our response to it. If we can manage our response, by staying laid back, life is much easier.
TBL: We can't control the environment, but we can control our response to it.
TBL: We can't control the environment, but we can control our response to it.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Alternate Transportation
With gas prices skyrocketing and CO2 emissions warming the earth have you started to think twice about driving your 20 mpg car to work? I have.
My boss just bought a 150cc motor scooter on ebay (brand new) for $599. It gets 100 mpg and goes 60 mph.
This comment came in on a recent posting:
"To go along with the exercise portion of this posting I would like to encourage everyone to consider an alternate form of transportation to get to work...biking. I used to think it was too far, would take too long, etc, etc, and this is when I lived within a mile or two of work. I now live 7.5 miles from work, bike most days and I love it. It works out conveniently to have an exercise facility 200 yards from my office to clean up. As for the too far, too long, it takes me 30 minutes to ride in to work as opposed to 15 minutes to drive.
Benefits: great excercise, 1 gallon of gas per day (around $600 per year at current prices), a good wakerupper in the morning.
Costs: 15 minutes."
When I go back to work in the fall, I plan to do my best to spend less on gas and get exercise as part of the deal.
TBL: How could you reduce your gas expenditure and increase your fitness?
My boss just bought a 150cc motor scooter on ebay (brand new) for $599. It gets 100 mpg and goes 60 mph.
This comment came in on a recent posting:
"To go along with the exercise portion of this posting I would like to encourage everyone to consider an alternate form of transportation to get to work...biking. I used to think it was too far, would take too long, etc, etc, and this is when I lived within a mile or two of work. I now live 7.5 miles from work, bike most days and I love it. It works out conveniently to have an exercise facility 200 yards from my office to clean up. As for the too far, too long, it takes me 30 minutes to ride in to work as opposed to 15 minutes to drive.
Benefits: great excercise, 1 gallon of gas per day (around $600 per year at current prices), a good wakerupper in the morning.
Costs: 15 minutes."
When I go back to work in the fall, I plan to do my best to spend less on gas and get exercise as part of the deal.
TBL: How could you reduce your gas expenditure and increase your fitness?
Monday, June 18, 2007
TBL is Back
Hey There!
Fishing was fun. Aaron Wenger is the most interesting person I know. To spend 6 days with him is like being on a 144 hour learning binge. We all had fun.
Today's post is about hate. For some reason we all end up with people in our life who we have a reason to dislike so badly it could be called hate. The problem is that by putting ourselves in this position we end up spending tremendous emotional energy on a non-productive venture. Nothing good comes from this. Years go by, we emotionally damage ourselves and the hate dissipates to the point where the reasons seem foolish.
I don't know the solution, but perhaps we should all think about how to spend less energy on this worthless endeavor.
Fishing was fun. Aaron Wenger is the most interesting person I know. To spend 6 days with him is like being on a 144 hour learning binge. We all had fun.
Today's post is about hate. For some reason we all end up with people in our life who we have a reason to dislike so badly it could be called hate. The problem is that by putting ourselves in this position we end up spending tremendous emotional energy on a non-productive venture. Nothing good comes from this. Years go by, we emotionally damage ourselves and the hate dissipates to the point where the reasons seem foolish.
I don't know the solution, but perhaps we should all think about how to spend less energy on this worthless endeavor.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Gone Fishin'
This post is about balance. When asked last night to describe a family trait through the generations, by my daughter for a college paper she is writing, I wrote about work ethic. The people up my family tree worked hard to provide for their families and to get ahead in life.
This is a good trait. People from our part of the country are often known for working hard. You will succeed and advance in your company by being a person who works hard to get the job done and done well.
However, do not confuse working hard with over-working. It is ok to put in some 50 or 60 hour weeks to ensure that a project gets done on time. But do not let that be the normal work week for salaried compensation. If your company has an expectation that you will work far in excess of 40 hours you are working for the wrong company. There is an old quote "nobody asked to have written on their headstone - I wish I would have spent more time at work".
Here is another, "it is right to work for a living, but not to live for your work".
This being said, I'm going fishing with Ronnie and Aaron. TBL is taking a break until Sunday or Monday. See you then.
TBL: Do what it takes to succeed, but not at the sacrifice of personal and family time.
This is a good trait. People from our part of the country are often known for working hard. You will succeed and advance in your company by being a person who works hard to get the job done and done well.
However, do not confuse working hard with over-working. It is ok to put in some 50 or 60 hour weeks to ensure that a project gets done on time. But do not let that be the normal work week for salaried compensation. If your company has an expectation that you will work far in excess of 40 hours you are working for the wrong company. There is an old quote "nobody asked to have written on their headstone - I wish I would have spent more time at work".
Here is another, "it is right to work for a living, but not to live for your work".
This being said, I'm going fishing with Ronnie and Aaron. TBL is taking a break until Sunday or Monday. See you then.
TBL: Do what it takes to succeed, but not at the sacrifice of personal and family time.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Voicemail
How do you leave a proper voicemail?
1. Speak clearly and not too fast.
2. Greet and then identify yourself.
3. Leave a concise message.
4. Leave your return phone number speaking slowly.
5. Repeat name and phone number.
6. Sign off.
Example:
Hello Amber, this is Ron Ulseth from Itasca Community College.
I am calling to inquire about the cows you have for sale. We are interested in buying a few cows for our engineering program. How many cows are for sale? Do they have a penchant for getting out of the fence? and How much are you asking?
Could you please call me back at 2 1 8 - 3 4 9 - 9 1 5 4?
Again this is Ron Ulseth and my number is 218-349-9154.
Thank you. Goodbye.
TBL: This may sound like common sense, but fewer than 50% of the voicemails I get follow the right etiquette.
1. Speak clearly and not too fast.
2. Greet and then identify yourself.
3. Leave a concise message.
4. Leave your return phone number speaking slowly.
5. Repeat name and phone number.
6. Sign off.
Example:
Hello Amber, this is Ron Ulseth from Itasca Community College.
I am calling to inquire about the cows you have for sale. We are interested in buying a few cows for our engineering program. How many cows are for sale? Do they have a penchant for getting out of the fence? and How much are you asking?
Could you please call me back at 2 1 8 - 3 4 9 - 9 1 5 4?
Again this is Ron Ulseth and my number is 218-349-9154.
Thank you. Goodbye.
TBL: This may sound like common sense, but fewer than 50% of the voicemails I get follow the right etiquette.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
New Professional - I'm bored and I don't know anyone.
Moving to a new place to start a new job is a tough transition in many ways. A big one is what to do when you are not working. One of the most frequent concerns I hear is about the frustration of not knowing anyone and not having anything to fill the void created when homework quit taking up all possible free time.
This is a common part of the transition to a new place. I do have some suggestions. Two in particular are to be active and to be patient.
By active I mean find good ways to fill your time. I would start out by saying you should be spending an hour a day exercising and an hour a day reading for pleasure. These are two activities that when taken in these doses make for an incredible overall quality of life for the duration. If you haven't been a reader, I recommend Harry Potter number one - maybe listen to it on audio to get you into it then buy and begin reading number two. It is how I went from a non-reader to 50+ books per year. For exercise, it can be as simple as walking or joining a gym. Also look for social groups to join. I belong to a kayak club. There are lots of opportunities out there.
By be patient, I mean don't expect each thing you try to have immediate and fulfilling results. It takes time to meet new friends and it will take several tries to find social groups that fit who you are.
TBL: This is a completely different lifestyle than what you have lived before. It will be rewarding, but it takes some getting used to.
This is a common part of the transition to a new place. I do have some suggestions. Two in particular are to be active and to be patient.
By active I mean find good ways to fill your time. I would start out by saying you should be spending an hour a day exercising and an hour a day reading for pleasure. These are two activities that when taken in these doses make for an incredible overall quality of life for the duration. If you haven't been a reader, I recommend Harry Potter number one - maybe listen to it on audio to get you into it then buy and begin reading number two. It is how I went from a non-reader to 50+ books per year. For exercise, it can be as simple as walking or joining a gym. Also look for social groups to join. I belong to a kayak club. There are lots of opportunities out there.
By be patient, I mean don't expect each thing you try to have immediate and fulfilling results. It takes time to meet new friends and it will take several tries to find social groups that fit who you are.
TBL: This is a completely different lifestyle than what you have lived before. It will be rewarding, but it takes some getting used to.
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Creativity
Ours is a profession dependent on our creativity to find solutions and form new ideas. It is interesting then, that creativity is not encouraged in our education.
I did not have any musical experiences in high school, I did not participate in drama, I did not take art past 9th grade. In college I took music appreciation - I did not appreciate it. For most of my life, I have been turned off by the thought of going to an opera, a symphony, a dance show, an art museum,or a play. My appreciation for the performing and visual arts has been pretty non-existent.
Upon self reflection, I would have to say my level of creativity is rather low as well. I tend to grind through all of the possibilities of a problem one by one analytically rather than search creatively - rather than think outside the box.
Over the past several months Aaron Wenger and I have been talking about the importance of creativity in engineering education. He has been trying to convince me that by creating in the arts a student learns the creativity necessary to be a creative engineer. At one point I said - "yeah, good idea, we could get engineering students to do the lighting or sound effects for a play". He said "no you idiot, that is not creative -- we need to get engineering students performing in a play or writing a play".
He is starting to win me over. I've read a lot lately about the brain and how people learn. The connections between creativity in problem solving and creativity in the arts exist.
Tonight and last night, I watched my daughter and two nieces peform in a dance show. The creativity they display is amazing. While watching, I wonder about the connections and how we could make those connections for engineering students.
Incidentally, the Reif Center was near full each night. Many community members were in attendance (not just parents and grandparents of performers). Guess how many engineers or engineering students I saw?
TBL: Appreciation for the arts is important - we should all do it. Participation in the arts would be even more powerful. For the first time in my life, I am wondering how I should try.
I did not have any musical experiences in high school, I did not participate in drama, I did not take art past 9th grade. In college I took music appreciation - I did not appreciate it. For most of my life, I have been turned off by the thought of going to an opera, a symphony, a dance show, an art museum,or a play. My appreciation for the performing and visual arts has been pretty non-existent.
Upon self reflection, I would have to say my level of creativity is rather low as well. I tend to grind through all of the possibilities of a problem one by one analytically rather than search creatively - rather than think outside the box.
Over the past several months Aaron Wenger and I have been talking about the importance of creativity in engineering education. He has been trying to convince me that by creating in the arts a student learns the creativity necessary to be a creative engineer. At one point I said - "yeah, good idea, we could get engineering students to do the lighting or sound effects for a play". He said "no you idiot, that is not creative -- we need to get engineering students performing in a play or writing a play".
He is starting to win me over. I've read a lot lately about the brain and how people learn. The connections between creativity in problem solving and creativity in the arts exist.
Tonight and last night, I watched my daughter and two nieces peform in a dance show. The creativity they display is amazing. While watching, I wonder about the connections and how we could make those connections for engineering students.
Incidentally, the Reif Center was near full each night. Many community members were in attendance (not just parents and grandparents of performers). Guess how many engineers or engineering students I saw?
TBL: Appreciation for the arts is important - we should all do it. Participation in the arts would be even more powerful. For the first time in my life, I am wondering how I should try.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Transitions
Leaving an old job and starting a new one is an emotion packed transition. This is obviously true for the person making the transition, but also for those co-workers left behind.
For the person leaving there is some sadness. If you at all liked your job, it probably had a lot to do with the people who became a part of your life and who are now becoming a part of your past. One key is to keep contact and maintain friendships. Some of my better friends are people who we said goodbye to when leaving the Navy in 1992, but have been able to stay in touch with ever since.
For those left behind with a bit of a void in their lives, they should certainly feel some excitement for the person who is entering a new place with new opportunities and they should take some of the initiative to maintain the contact.
The person who has moved on, and feels some sadness from doing so, also needs to embrace the new and exciting with open arms and no sense of regret. Life is full of change and opportunity.
As you may have guessed, I am close to this topic right now. Today, one of my friends moved on and there is a void in my life. A void somewhat tempered by some pride for the professional she has become and the confidence I have in her ability to succeed at the highest level.
Good Luck Alisha. We miss you already.
For the person leaving there is some sadness. If you at all liked your job, it probably had a lot to do with the people who became a part of your life and who are now becoming a part of your past. One key is to keep contact and maintain friendships. Some of my better friends are people who we said goodbye to when leaving the Navy in 1992, but have been able to stay in touch with ever since.
For those left behind with a bit of a void in their lives, they should certainly feel some excitement for the person who is entering a new place with new opportunities and they should take some of the initiative to maintain the contact.
The person who has moved on, and feels some sadness from doing so, also needs to embrace the new and exciting with open arms and no sense of regret. Life is full of change and opportunity.
As you may have guessed, I am close to this topic right now. Today, one of my friends moved on and there is a void in my life. A void somewhat tempered by some pride for the professional she has become and the confidence I have in her ability to succeed at the highest level.
Good Luck Alisha. We miss you already.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Innovative Engineering Academy
Tonight we held the second dinner gathering for engineers who work in northern Minnesota. We met at Valentini's in Chisholm. The purpose of our group is to provide a social and professional network. The socialization definitely happened and I noticed many professional interactions taking place as well. A key element is people getting to know people from a doing business standpoint or for potential new job contacts. We had a guest speaker, Rodney VanBaalen - ICC Engr grad, who is the general manager of Rockwell Automation IPS and four participants got up to talk more about themselves and their companies. The only downer was the weather turned bad so the 50 people who had RSVP'd turned into 32 actually attending. Our next meeting will be on August 8th. Everyone is invited.
This week I have been working with two colleagues on a concept we call the Innovative Engineering Academy. It is a model for a radical new approach to engineering education. I tried explaining it to the group tonight and my message bombed so I want to try again here.
Engineering education is behind the times. Research has been available for 10 years showing that lectures are one of the poorest methods to enable learning. Additionally, 6-7 years ago a document describing the attributes engineers need to attain to be effective was published. It is called Engineer 2020. The ABET criteria call for an engineer that is quite different from the engineer we are currently graduating. Despite these facts, very little has changed in the way engineering education happens. If you were to look back and analyze the effectiveness of the time you spent in class or compare the skills you need to be successful in your job with the skills you attained in college, I think you would agree. We believe there is a better way. This week we created a new website that describes our proposed model. I invite anyone interested in this topic to visit our site:
http://engineeringacademy.typepad.com
The site is new and still a little rough around the edges, but anyone reading our pages will get a flavor for the ideas. In one sentence, we propose an education without courses and without grades. If that isn't radical, I don't know what is.
Will this ever happen? Who knows. Should this happen? Absolutely and I hope that you will take a few minutes to send me your comments.
TBL: With all of the advances in everything around us, including the psychology of how our brain learns, why is college education still following the model established over 200 years ago?
This week I have been working with two colleagues on a concept we call the Innovative Engineering Academy. It is a model for a radical new approach to engineering education. I tried explaining it to the group tonight and my message bombed so I want to try again here.
Engineering education is behind the times. Research has been available for 10 years showing that lectures are one of the poorest methods to enable learning. Additionally, 6-7 years ago a document describing the attributes engineers need to attain to be effective was published. It is called Engineer 2020. The ABET criteria call for an engineer that is quite different from the engineer we are currently graduating. Despite these facts, very little has changed in the way engineering education happens. If you were to look back and analyze the effectiveness of the time you spent in class or compare the skills you need to be successful in your job with the skills you attained in college, I think you would agree. We believe there is a better way. This week we created a new website that describes our proposed model. I invite anyone interested in this topic to visit our site:
http://engineeringacademy.typepad.com
The site is new and still a little rough around the edges, but anyone reading our pages will get a flavor for the ideas. In one sentence, we propose an education without courses and without grades. If that isn't radical, I don't know what is.
Will this ever happen? Who knows. Should this happen? Absolutely and I hope that you will take a few minutes to send me your comments.
TBL: With all of the advances in everything around us, including the psychology of how our brain learns, why is college education still following the model established over 200 years ago?
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Here is a comment from Jill:
"The best compliment I ever received when I first started my career, "I am so surprised you are not one of those cocky new grads who feel they are entitled to everything."
Please no matter what you do your very first years of work is tell people how much you deserve ____ (more money, bigger projects, lead roles, etc). No one deserves anything you have to earn it!"
I have to agree with her. The biggest mistake any engineer makes early in their career is to act like we are better or more deserving than those around us. Especially the technicians and blue collar workers. The fact of the matter is that we are not. They know more about the plant or process or whatever than we do because they have been working on it for 10, 20, or 30 years. These important people will make our lives miserable if we come across the wrong way. In fact, many of them will have a chip on their shoulder about us right away because of their experience with prior "cocky" young engineers.
The best thing to do is ask them lots of questions. People like to talk about their work. The more you ask about what they know and the more you ask them for advice, the quicker you will be accepted and thus respected.
TBL: Earning the respect of your co-workers is one of the best ways to make work a place you enjoy. Losing their respect by coming across as deserving or better will make work a place you dread.
Thanks Jill!!
"The best compliment I ever received when I first started my career, "I am so surprised you are not one of those cocky new grads who feel they are entitled to everything."
Please no matter what you do your very first years of work is tell people how much you deserve ____ (more money, bigger projects, lead roles, etc). No one deserves anything you have to earn it!"
I have to agree with her. The biggest mistake any engineer makes early in their career is to act like we are better or more deserving than those around us. Especially the technicians and blue collar workers. The fact of the matter is that we are not. They know more about the plant or process or whatever than we do because they have been working on it for 10, 20, or 30 years. These important people will make our lives miserable if we come across the wrong way. In fact, many of them will have a chip on their shoulder about us right away because of their experience with prior "cocky" young engineers.
The best thing to do is ask them lots of questions. People like to talk about their work. The more you ask about what they know and the more you ask them for advice, the quicker you will be accepted and thus respected.
TBL: Earning the respect of your co-workers is one of the best ways to make work a place you enjoy. Losing their respect by coming across as deserving or better will make work a place you dread.
Thanks Jill!!
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Telephone etiquette:
I am still thinking about those people in their first few days on the job. But I guess this applies to us all. So when it comes to answering the phone, the best thing to do is answer using your name. Perhaps your company has a standard phone answering protocol. If so, use it. If not, come up with something like this:
"ICC Engineering. This is Ron Ulseth."
More importantly from an etiquette standpoint is when you are making the call. After all the person calling you probably knew that you would be the person answering. When you call them, they are unaware. So when calling someone, try this:
Phone is anwered - "Hello. This is Ron Ulseth calling, is Brad Steinbrecher in?" or similarly "Hello. Is Brad Steinbrecher in?, this is Ron Ulseth calling."
TBL: Learning to be a professional includes lots of lessons. The fewer learned the hard way, the better.
P.S. Here was the protocol for my first job - don't laugh:
"Navy Nuclear Power School, Enlisted Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow Division, this line is non-secure, Ensign Ulseth speaking, may I help you sir or ma'am?"
Yup.
I am still thinking about those people in their first few days on the job. But I guess this applies to us all. So when it comes to answering the phone, the best thing to do is answer using your name. Perhaps your company has a standard phone answering protocol. If so, use it. If not, come up with something like this:
"ICC Engineering. This is Ron Ulseth."
More importantly from an etiquette standpoint is when you are making the call. After all the person calling you probably knew that you would be the person answering. When you call them, they are unaware. So when calling someone, try this:
Phone is anwered - "Hello. This is Ron Ulseth calling, is Brad Steinbrecher in?" or similarly "Hello. Is Brad Steinbrecher in?, this is Ron Ulseth calling."
TBL: Learning to be a professional includes lots of lessons. The fewer learned the hard way, the better.
P.S. Here was the protocol for my first job - don't laugh:
"Navy Nuclear Power School, Enlisted Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow Division, this line is non-secure, Ensign Ulseth speaking, may I help you sir or ma'am?"
Yup.
Monday, June 4, 2007
ICC Engineering Reunion:
Thursday June 28th 7-10 PM at ICC in the engineering building. This is an open house for former students of Aaron Wenger. Aaron will be in attendance and he cannot attend Friday night. I encourage all of Aaron's former students from both ICC and HCC to attend. We hope to have a cash bar set up and have plenty of opportunity to visit.
Friday June 29th 8 PM to ?. Again we will be in the engineering building and again have a cash bar and snacks. There will be a program at 9:00 PM. This event follows the ICC All-Class reunion. Everyone is encouraged to attend both the ICC events and the engineering events. The timing of the engineering events is such that those who live 3+ hours away can still drive up after work and take part. We are expecting a big turn out. Please come.
Here is the link to the ICC All-Class reunion:
http://www.iccfoundation.org/alumni.html
See you there!
Thursday June 28th 7-10 PM at ICC in the engineering building. This is an open house for former students of Aaron Wenger. Aaron will be in attendance and he cannot attend Friday night. I encourage all of Aaron's former students from both ICC and HCC to attend. We hope to have a cash bar set up and have plenty of opportunity to visit.
Friday June 29th 8 PM to ?. Again we will be in the engineering building and again have a cash bar and snacks. There will be a program at 9:00 PM. This event follows the ICC All-Class reunion. Everyone is encouraged to attend both the ICC events and the engineering events. The timing of the engineering events is such that those who live 3+ hours away can still drive up after work and take part. We are expecting a big turn out. Please come.
Here is the link to the ICC All-Class reunion:
http://www.iccfoundation.org/alumni.html
See you there!
Here is a comment on the motivation topic from a few days ago. It is worthy of repeating here on the front page. Thanks Rich.
I had a co-worker whose motivation level gradually dropped, his job performance suffered, and he eventually was placed into a position where he had to quit. Unfortunate, since he had great potential.
I've found a few things that have helped me when I start to lose the excitement:
1) Take some time to focus on activities outside of work for a while. Get involved in volunteer work, refocus on your family life, pick up an old hobby, or start a new one. Doing this will fill some of the needs that your job just can't fulfill, and you'll likely find that it takes much less to motivate you to get to work every day.
2) Find a way to break out of the routine within your job and recapture the excitement. For me, this has often come through "skunk-works" projects. Every workplace has at least a few things that are just waiting to get done, but nobody has the time or the expertise to tackle. Find one that interests you, and see what progress you can make during your spare time. Caveats to this approach are: a) Be sure that you do not take time away from your assigned duties for the side project. b) You should confirm with your supervisor that they're ok with you taking on a side project (bosses usually don't like surprises, plus, they're likely to be aware of any land-mines you're likely to hit).
I had a co-worker whose motivation level gradually dropped, his job performance suffered, and he eventually was placed into a position where he had to quit. Unfortunate, since he had great potential.
I've found a few things that have helped me when I start to lose the excitement:
1) Take some time to focus on activities outside of work for a while. Get involved in volunteer work, refocus on your family life, pick up an old hobby, or start a new one. Doing this will fill some of the needs that your job just can't fulfill, and you'll likely find that it takes much less to motivate you to get to work every day.
2) Find a way to break out of the routine within your job and recapture the excitement. For me, this has often come through "skunk-works" projects. Every workplace has at least a few things that are just waiting to get done, but nobody has the time or the expertise to tackle. Find one that interests you, and see what progress you can make during your spare time. Caveats to this approach are: a) Be sure that you do not take time away from your assigned duties for the side project. b) You should confirm with your supervisor that they're ok with you taking on a side project (bosses usually don't like surprises, plus, they're likely to be aware of any land-mines you're likely to hit).
Sunday, June 3, 2007
First day of work.
Tomorrow (Monday) is the first day of the beginning of the engineering career for many new engineering graduates. First of all, congratulations! You have had this point be the focus for many years and it is finally here. Now there is a new focus - becoming a valuable part of your new company.
This is a scary new undertaking. The first scary part is that there is a whole new set of rules. And you don't know most of them yet! How do you address your boss? Do you call her Janet? or Ms. Jensen? Where do you sit at the conference table for your first team meeting? Is it ok to ask for help? Sure - but how much without being too dependent? Over the next few months I encourage you to either email me or post anonymous questions. This can be a great forum for getting answers during this transition.
Now for the first few answers: If you feel comfortable, ask her how you should address her. If not, just pay attention to how your co-workers do it. In fact that is the best piece of advice I can give - be very attentive to your surroundings. Notice what other people do and notice how it is perceived by the rest of the work community. Being very aware can be the best way to learn both what is acceptable and what is not.
First conference - don't sit down at the head of the table - it is not your spot. Kind of wait until everyone else is sitting down and hopefully someone else will tell you where to sit.
Handshakes. You will meet lots of new people and shake lots of hands. Have a firm grip and look the people in the eye. Be confident of who you are and come across as genuinely being happy to meet people and be a new part of this team.
Ok. Enough already. More over the next few days.
Here are a few miscellaneous jottings:
*Bart and I had a great time in Los Angeles. We learned a lot about new methods for teaching Intro to Engineering.
*My daughter Liz graduated from high school on Friday night. I am very proud of who she has become and the positive approach she is taking as she embarks on a new life. Liz will report to basic training for the Air National Guard later this month and will start at St. Olaf in the Fall.
*Yesterday, Angie and I joined former ICCers, Rick and Crystal Smith and Laura Elsenpeter at Sara Smith's marriage to Dan Pankonin. It was a beautiful ceremony on the shores of Lake Superior. Sara gave a heartfelt speech that was classic Sara. I am proud to be considered her friend and of the professional she has become.
This coming Thursday, June 7th is the second dinner meeting of the engineers working in Northeastern Minnesota. We are meeting at Valentini's in Chisholm at 5:30. The cost is $17. All engineers, interns, and alumni are invited. If you are interested in coming and haven't already responded, RSVP to me by Tuesday morning.
ICC Engineering Reunion is coming up on June 28th and June 29th. Read tomorrows TBL for more information.
Tomorrow (Monday) is the first day of the beginning of the engineering career for many new engineering graduates. First of all, congratulations! You have had this point be the focus for many years and it is finally here. Now there is a new focus - becoming a valuable part of your new company.
This is a scary new undertaking. The first scary part is that there is a whole new set of rules. And you don't know most of them yet! How do you address your boss? Do you call her Janet? or Ms. Jensen? Where do you sit at the conference table for your first team meeting? Is it ok to ask for help? Sure - but how much without being too dependent? Over the next few months I encourage you to either email me or post anonymous questions. This can be a great forum for getting answers during this transition.
Now for the first few answers: If you feel comfortable, ask her how you should address her. If not, just pay attention to how your co-workers do it. In fact that is the best piece of advice I can give - be very attentive to your surroundings. Notice what other people do and notice how it is perceived by the rest of the work community. Being very aware can be the best way to learn both what is acceptable and what is not.
First conference - don't sit down at the head of the table - it is not your spot. Kind of wait until everyone else is sitting down and hopefully someone else will tell you where to sit.
Handshakes. You will meet lots of new people and shake lots of hands. Have a firm grip and look the people in the eye. Be confident of who you are and come across as genuinely being happy to meet people and be a new part of this team.
Ok. Enough already. More over the next few days.
Here are a few miscellaneous jottings:
*Bart and I had a great time in Los Angeles. We learned a lot about new methods for teaching Intro to Engineering.
*My daughter Liz graduated from high school on Friday night. I am very proud of who she has become and the positive approach she is taking as she embarks on a new life. Liz will report to basic training for the Air National Guard later this month and will start at St. Olaf in the Fall.
*Yesterday, Angie and I joined former ICCers, Rick and Crystal Smith and Laura Elsenpeter at Sara Smith's marriage to Dan Pankonin. It was a beautiful ceremony on the shores of Lake Superior. Sara gave a heartfelt speech that was classic Sara. I am proud to be considered her friend and of the professional she has become.
This coming Thursday, June 7th is the second dinner meeting of the engineers working in Northeastern Minnesota. We are meeting at Valentini's in Chisholm at 5:30. The cost is $17. All engineers, interns, and alumni are invited. If you are interested in coming and haven't already responded, RSVP to me by Tuesday morning.
ICC Engineering Reunion is coming up on June 28th and June 29th. Read tomorrows TBL for more information.
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