gaping void

With no time or inspiration for my own creativity today, I thought I’d just point to someone else’s rantings. But I can’t pick! Which of these best fits the mood of the day?

• Quatrefoil’s Just because I don’t have a baby doesn’t mean I’m not tired, a heartfelt whinge from someone who’s chosen to produce something other than spawn. Go girl!
• Richard Watts’ call to arms in defence of Aussie English — which I’d certainly respond to at length if I had the energy.
• The Gaping Void cartoon immediately below.

As background, I should mention that Sydney had 50mm of rain last night, it’s cold, there’s now a slight leak in the office ceiling and I’m tired.

Hugh MacLeod has written a great little piece pointing out that bravado about “Failure is not an option” is just stupid. I also like some of the comments from readers:

• “Failure is not an option” people are invariably the ones least willing to deliver the intellectual and physical juice to lessen the probability of failure.
• “Failure is not an option” people are invariably the same people who said, two paragraphs earlier, that they want bold, risk-taking approaches.

Failure is always an option, which of course you want to avoid, But if failure is inevitable, then fail fast — and then adapt.

Thanks, as always, to Gaping Void for the insight.

Every Monday morning I struggle to make sense of running a small business. It’s not just that weekends are always too short to properly re-charge. It’s mapping out the week ahead and seeing how busy it’ll be. Again. How there’s things I’d like to change — but where’s the time? We’re already flat out working for clients the way we do now, and there’s no time left to implement the changes.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you’ve ever worked in a business bigger than 15 people, you’ll known that this diagram is absolutely correct.

Thank you, Gaping Void, for another brilliant observation. What a great way to start the working year!