Have you ever known someone who is just a natural whiz at doing anything of a do-it-yourself nature? He or she is the type who can build a shed, repair a leaky faucet, use a chainsaw to cut down a tree, change a car’s flat… Read More »No, That Is Not Me
I became a manager in 1989 after almost twenty years spent in various jobs and organizations as a mission worker. Somehow, I thought that as one moved up the ladder, the quality of your peers and interactions with them were somehow on a plane elevated… Read More »A Great Disappointment
Everyone has dreams – goals or objectives that they hope to achieve. Many dreams are difficult to attain, such as losing fifty pounds or writing a book. But those goals can be realized with enough determination and perseverance. It is possible to reach those dreams… Read More »Is It A Dream or a Fantasy?
Have you ever believed something about yourself for a long time and then found out it wasn’t true? It’s surprising, right? In certain instances, it can be painful, too. I recently was presented with one of those surprises. Something I had believed about myself since… Read More »Are You Sure That’s Still True?
As a librarian, I feel fortunate to have spent the past 39 years working at the Library of Congress – the nation’s library. And I am convinced that I got my foot in the door by separating myself from the crowd. How did I accomplish… Read More »Stand Out from the Crowd
I made a list of all the bosses I have had since I began my working life over fifty years ago. It was fun and illuminating for me to pull it together. There are twenty-eight names on the list. Some have had a great impact… Read More »Know Your Boss
I was very fortunate to begin my librarian career as a participant in the 1983-1984 Library of Congress Intern Program. It was a twenty-week immersion in the workings of the world’s largest library. There were eleven of us interns, six individuals chosen from the Library’s… Read More »Confirm That Assignment
“If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it.” – Herodotus It’s estimated that the average American puts in 90,000 hours working during a lifetime. That… Read More »Fun at Work
It’s a rite of passage in the United States for teenagers to learn to drive, get a driver’s license, then obtain their own vehicle if at all possible and as soon as possible. At any time, then, the roads are full of inexperienced drivers who… Read More »Is the Road Clear?
In 1971, Philadelphia opened Veterans Stadium, a multi-purpose facility primarily built to house the football Eagles and baseball Phillies. For the Phillies in particular, it was a much-needed upgrade. Their previous home, Connie Mack Stadium, was outdated, small and in a neighborhood that had become… Read More »Clemente, Sanguillen and Taveras