The Tao of Charles
Teaching
I got a call from the Associate Dean on Monday afternoon. He has some trouble with my tentative teaching schedule.
The school has a limit on instructors teaching in more than three areas or disciplines. My schedule had me teaching in five disciplines, one for each class. I think he counted wrong, I think my Composition II class and my Written Analysis class should count as one discipline.
But, that is just me thinking here.
Still, the Associate Dean knew or should have known about the three discipline rule when he created the teaching schedule. The school’s rule is not new.
I am most bothered by this because it may have an adverse effect on my income. If the Associate Dean reduces my teaching load, then my income goes down. That will make me very unhappy and it will destroy any loyalty to the school that I might have had.
This is not how I learned about leadership. One of my leadership instructors was a United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant. The Gunnery Sergeant said leadership was really quiet simple, all you had to do was to take care of your snuffies [young Marines] and everything else would fall into place for you. I have applied this approach throughout my business career and his teachings have always worked just as he predicted they would work.
The Tao of Charles
The potential loss of teaching assignments can be balanced out as part of the Tao of Charles.
The Tao speaks of balance in the universe and a continuing need to rebalance the universe from time to time, usually when the pendulum has swung too far in one direction. The Tao must balance polar opposites like good and evil, joy and sadness, poverty and wealth, and success and failure.
The decline in income balances out my decline in debts from when I paid my mortgage off.
The decline in my morale from a possible job loss balances out the surge in my morale from the doctor’s announcement that my cancer is in remission.
And, the universe returns to a harmonious balance.
Visitors
We had 616 visitors last week which is a nice number for the blog. We had an unusual shift or surge in foreign visitors last week. 66 percent of the visitors came from overseas with the two largest countries being Singapore and Germany.
Giuliano’s Italian Delicatessen and Number 437
I went to Giuliano’s on Saturday for a sandwich. It had been a while since my last visit.
Giuliano’s has adopted and installed a computer based order entry and tracking system. The system was probably necessary because the counter staff is not the sharpest group of tools in the kitchen. I can tell the new group of counter staffers lacks customer service training; two of them were talking while my completed order languished on the counter.
Oh yes, after going there for almost thirty years and being referred to as “Chuck,” I was now Number 437.
That made me feel so detached and there was a loss or diminution in our relationship as customer and supplier.
Dinner with Merit
Tuesday is usually Dinner with Merit Night. We have been doing this for maybe six months or more.
That was not to happen this Tuesday.
Merit wasn’t working. Another woman was filling in for her. The replacement was on the attractive side in a short and older sort of way. Too bad she was not one for smiling very much. If I remember, I will ask Merit about her when I see Merit next week.
Teaching – Part II
I phoned the Associate Dean this morning before I left for my styling session with Molly. I wanted to know if he had made any progress on my teaching schedule for the next term. The next term starts in a little over a week and I would like to be able to prepare for my classes.
The Associate Dean said that he wracked his brain on my teaching schedule yesterday. Then, he gave up and passed the schedule challenge on to two department chairs, Tweddledee and Tweddledum, to resolve [apologies to Lewis Carroll]. The Associate Dean said that I should get a phone call today from one of them or from him.
I am writing this portion of the blog after 5:00 PM on Wednesday so the phone call ain’t gonna’ happen today.
I don’t have a great deal of confidence in this possible solution. It looks like he is passing the buck to others so I won’t be upset with him and he can still play the “nice guy” role. Unfortunately, I have been part of office politics for too long to not be able to recognize this tactic.
As I said to Doug when we had lunch and more about that later on, I am going to explore other teaching opportunities. Doug asked why. I said I was only acting in my personal best interest which happens to be earning money. Doug then smiled and said, “Ahhhh.”
Hair Cut and Molly the Stylist
I went to the Molly Moon Salon this afternoon to see Molly to have my hair cut. Molly said she was styling my hair.
Never, ever argue with a woman who has a razor in her hand and other sharp instruments.
Molly did the best job of styling my hair since I was in the United States Marine Corps Reserves and I had my hair cut “high and tight” for drill weekends. I explained to Molly that one reasonably foreseeable consequence of cutting or styling my hair along the lines of what I wanted would likely translate into a 25% to 50% increase in my patronage, depending on how fast my hair grows in the post-chemotherapy environment. A 25% increase in business was something that caught her attention; being the owner, I knew that it would resonate with her.
I asked Doug what he thought of my new hair styling. He thought it looked fine. Doug is a lot like his father and does not use many flamboyant adjectives.
I drove home from South O. C. with the sunroof open and my Lakai baseball cap off. My hair was obviously blown about by the speed induced wind. But, I was able to smooth it into shape by running my fingers through my hair. It looked just it did when I left the Salon.
The next time I get my hair styled, I will ask Molly if I can add her photo to the blog. You and I will just have to wait and see what develops.
Lunch with Doug at The Original Tommy’s Hamburgers in South Orange County
I met Doug at the new Original Tommy’s Hamburgers for lunch today.
I had planned to have a Mega Combo today but changed my mind at the last minute and had a Number 1 Combination with chili cheese fries and medium drink with refills. Doug ordered the same. A Number 1 features a double chili cheeseburger. In spite of being smaller, it was very filling and satisfying.
Doug said he will be coming out to hang out at my flat next week. The stay is largely a business necessity. His cable company will doing maintenance work on the cable system off and on all week long. Doug uses the cable company for his Internet connection. He needs the connection so he can work and naturally earn money.
I am glad that he will be going to the hospital with me on next Friday. I am planning on taking some thank you brownies to the nursing staff of the three groups who took care of me while I was going through my chemotherapy. These aren’t ordinary brownies; they are made with Belgian chocolate, weigh out at about three and a half ounces, and come in a dozen flavors.
I will definitely need some backup.
The Frozen Yogurt & Ice Cream Store
The visit to my acquaintance’s new yogurt and ice cream store had to be delayed until next week. The store is not ready to open; city permits and stuff like that are causing the delay. I can wait a week for some chocolate ice cream.
Be well and stay happy.
I got a call from the Associate Dean on Monday afternoon. He has some trouble with my tentative teaching schedule.
The school has a limit on instructors teaching in more than three areas or disciplines. My schedule had me teaching in five disciplines, one for each class. I think he counted wrong, I think my Composition II class and my Written Analysis class should count as one discipline.
But, that is just me thinking here.
Still, the Associate Dean knew or should have known about the three discipline rule when he created the teaching schedule. The school’s rule is not new.
I am most bothered by this because it may have an adverse effect on my income. If the Associate Dean reduces my teaching load, then my income goes down. That will make me very unhappy and it will destroy any loyalty to the school that I might have had.
This is not how I learned about leadership. One of my leadership instructors was a United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant. The Gunnery Sergeant said leadership was really quiet simple, all you had to do was to take care of your snuffies [young Marines] and everything else would fall into place for you. I have applied this approach throughout my business career and his teachings have always worked just as he predicted they would work.
The Tao of Charles
The potential loss of teaching assignments can be balanced out as part of the Tao of Charles.
The Tao speaks of balance in the universe and a continuing need to rebalance the universe from time to time, usually when the pendulum has swung too far in one direction. The Tao must balance polar opposites like good and evil, joy and sadness, poverty and wealth, and success and failure.
The decline in income balances out my decline in debts from when I paid my mortgage off.
The decline in my morale from a possible job loss balances out the surge in my morale from the doctor’s announcement that my cancer is in remission.
And, the universe returns to a harmonious balance.
Visitors
We had 616 visitors last week which is a nice number for the blog. We had an unusual shift or surge in foreign visitors last week. 66 percent of the visitors came from overseas with the two largest countries being Singapore and Germany.
Giuliano’s Italian Delicatessen and Number 437
I went to Giuliano’s on Saturday for a sandwich. It had been a while since my last visit.
Giuliano’s has adopted and installed a computer based order entry and tracking system. The system was probably necessary because the counter staff is not the sharpest group of tools in the kitchen. I can tell the new group of counter staffers lacks customer service training; two of them were talking while my completed order languished on the counter.
Oh yes, after going there for almost thirty years and being referred to as “Chuck,” I was now Number 437.
That made me feel so detached and there was a loss or diminution in our relationship as customer and supplier.
Dinner with Merit
Tuesday is usually Dinner with Merit Night. We have been doing this for maybe six months or more.
That was not to happen this Tuesday.
Merit wasn’t working. Another woman was filling in for her. The replacement was on the attractive side in a short and older sort of way. Too bad she was not one for smiling very much. If I remember, I will ask Merit about her when I see Merit next week.
Teaching – Part II
I phoned the Associate Dean this morning before I left for my styling session with Molly. I wanted to know if he had made any progress on my teaching schedule for the next term. The next term starts in a little over a week and I would like to be able to prepare for my classes.
The Associate Dean said that he wracked his brain on my teaching schedule yesterday. Then, he gave up and passed the schedule challenge on to two department chairs, Tweddledee and Tweddledum, to resolve [apologies to Lewis Carroll]. The Associate Dean said that I should get a phone call today from one of them or from him.
I am writing this portion of the blog after 5:00 PM on Wednesday so the phone call ain’t gonna’ happen today.
I don’t have a great deal of confidence in this possible solution. It looks like he is passing the buck to others so I won’t be upset with him and he can still play the “nice guy” role. Unfortunately, I have been part of office politics for too long to not be able to recognize this tactic.
As I said to Doug when we had lunch and more about that later on, I am going to explore other teaching opportunities. Doug asked why. I said I was only acting in my personal best interest which happens to be earning money. Doug then smiled and said, “Ahhhh.”
Hair Cut and Molly the Stylist
I went to the Molly Moon Salon this afternoon to see Molly to have my hair cut. Molly said she was styling my hair.
Never, ever argue with a woman who has a razor in her hand and other sharp instruments.
Molly did the best job of styling my hair since I was in the United States Marine Corps Reserves and I had my hair cut “high and tight” for drill weekends. I explained to Molly that one reasonably foreseeable consequence of cutting or styling my hair along the lines of what I wanted would likely translate into a 25% to 50% increase in my patronage, depending on how fast my hair grows in the post-chemotherapy environment. A 25% increase in business was something that caught her attention; being the owner, I knew that it would resonate with her.
I asked Doug what he thought of my new hair styling. He thought it looked fine. Doug is a lot like his father and does not use many flamboyant adjectives.
I drove home from South O. C. with the sunroof open and my Lakai baseball cap off. My hair was obviously blown about by the speed induced wind. But, I was able to smooth it into shape by running my fingers through my hair. It looked just it did when I left the Salon.
The next time I get my hair styled, I will ask Molly if I can add her photo to the blog. You and I will just have to wait and see what develops.
Lunch with Doug at The Original Tommy’s Hamburgers in South Orange County
I met Doug at the new Original Tommy’s Hamburgers for lunch today.
I had planned to have a Mega Combo today but changed my mind at the last minute and had a Number 1 Combination with chili cheese fries and medium drink with refills. Doug ordered the same. A Number 1 features a double chili cheeseburger. In spite of being smaller, it was very filling and satisfying.
Doug said he will be coming out to hang out at my flat next week. The stay is largely a business necessity. His cable company will doing maintenance work on the cable system off and on all week long. Doug uses the cable company for his Internet connection. He needs the connection so he can work and naturally earn money.
I am glad that he will be going to the hospital with me on next Friday. I am planning on taking some thank you brownies to the nursing staff of the three groups who took care of me while I was going through my chemotherapy. These aren’t ordinary brownies; they are made with Belgian chocolate, weigh out at about three and a half ounces, and come in a dozen flavors.
I will definitely need some backup.
The Frozen Yogurt & Ice Cream Store
The visit to my acquaintance’s new yogurt and ice cream store had to be delayed until next week. The store is not ready to open; city permits and stuff like that are causing the delay. I can wait a week for some chocolate ice cream.
Be well and stay happy.
posted by Chuck Reinhardt at 5:50 PM
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