My paternal grandmother would be 100 years old today, if she were still alive. She died in July 1991, when I was 18. Her name was Janette, so we grandchildren called her Janmother. Janmother was an outstanding high school student but never went to college. She married just after turning 20, and at times she … Continue reading My grandmother got a few things done.
work
You think YOUR job sucks?!
Hey, I'm not about to claim my job is worse than yours. That correction fluid misadventure was about as bad as it gets. I really like my job, actually, and often notice how lucky I am to be able to use the restroom, drink coffee, get online, or receive a personal phone call anytime. Lots … Continue reading You think YOUR job sucks?!
Bullying: an article I wrote, and three I don’t have to write
Although I am discussing my work here, the point of view is my own, and this is not an official statement of the Pittsburgh Youth Study. As the data manager of a long-term research study, I recently helped to write this academic paper: Bullying Perpetration and Victimization as Predictors of Delinquency and Depression in the … Continue reading Bullying: an article I wrote, and three I don’t have to write
Important tip for Liquid Paper users
If you need to use a lot of Liquid Paper (or other brand of white-out or correction fluid) in a short time, particularly if it is the variety that says FAST DRY on the label, you will soon find that it is all gummy and impossible to spread and it seems like there isn't any … Continue reading Important tip for Liquid Paper users
Client Service Notes
Here's another thing I saved from my long-ago job at an invention-marketing company: A letter I distributed to the client service representatives on my last day. These were the long-suffering people who spoke with the inventors by phone and did their very best to speak to these people as if they were sane and reasonable. … Continue reading Client Service Notes
Perceived Stress Scale
Although I am discussing my work here, the point of view is my own, and this is not an official statement of the Pittsburgh Youth Study. I recently helped write a book about the research study for which I am the data manager. We analyzed data collected from 1,009 boys over 13 years, and we … Continue reading Perceived Stress Scale
Early Encounters with Variables
I'm a research data manager: I spend my days working on various levels of the process of converting people's responses to questions into numbers in the computer. It's not the career I expected, and it's not a career most people immediately understand (the scene at my high school reunion: "So Jason is a police officer, … Continue reading Early Encounters with Variables
Thoughts on Birth-month Research
New research on why people born in winter are less successful suggests that it may have nothing to do with birth timing. They found that winter babies are more likely to have young, less educated, single mothers--and all of those things are known to be correlated with lower academic and economic success. This makes me think … Continue reading Thoughts on Birth-month Research
7 Things I’m NOT Good At
Regular readers of this non-blog may be getting the impression that I'm an exceptionally competent person who is good at all kinds of things, packed with brilliant ideas, and highly successful at using every minute effectively. This is not true. The Earthling's Handbook is supposed to be a guide to doing things right if you … Continue reading 7 Things I’m NOT Good At
Donating Dish Detergent
Do you ever want to help an organization, but feel like you can't spare enough money to make a real difference? Are you an environmentalist, wishing that everybody would switch to plant-based cleaners to help conserve our irreplaceable petroleum, but feeling like nobody ever listens to your ravings about how great these cleaners are? Buy a bottle of … Continue reading Donating Dish Detergent
An unscheduled Take Your Child to Work Day
Wednesday night, we had several hours of heavy rain. Yesterday morning, Nicholas and I arrived at his pre-school and found that all the furniture in his classroom had been moved out or stacked in the reading loft, and large fans were blowing across the damp floor. Rainwater had leaked in under the door to the … Continue reading An unscheduled Take Your Child to Work Day
Veggie Burger Lunch, Version 2.0
On February 27, 2002, I wrote in my SoyLent Diary: I had a lunch that I've found is very convenient for work: pack a food-storage container about 3/4 full of leftover rice or pasta and put a frozen veggie burger on top. The burger thaws slowly during the morning, so the whole thing can be … Continue reading Veggie Burger Lunch, Version 2.0
The Concept Catalog
Back when I was working at an invention marketing company, one of the ways we promoted the inventions was the annual publication of a Concept Catalog that was handed out at trade shows and mailed to manufacturers and so on. Each invention got a quarter-page ad, written in a certain format: eye-catching headline, product name, … Continue reading The Concept Catalog
Cloth Diaper Details
I already explained some of the advantages of using cloth diapers. Now, for those who are interested, I'm going to give all the details of how we did it. Many different styles of cloth diapers are available these days, so there's a lot to choose from, and it can be daunting. Pre-motherhood, I found it very useful … Continue reading Cloth Diaper Details
Overheard in an office
...and reported to my friends and family in this e-mail on September 9, 1997, long before there was an Overheard in the Office Website, back when I was working at the invention company: Last week, my least-favorite co-worker departed for another job. There was much rejoicing. Stephanie had irritated everyone by criticizing them while insisting that she … Continue reading Overheard in an office
Invention Marketing Claims
A decade ago, I worked at an invention marketing company, whose services were intended to help people who had ideas for new products hook up with companies who would manufacture those products. Some really cool stuff came through, but there were also a lot of silly ideas. The Federal Trade Commission forced the company to … Continue reading Invention Marketing Claims
A Year of Pencils
It was around this time last year that I suddenly questioned my use of ballpoint pens. You know, those ubiquitous plastic-cased pens that--if they don't jam--keep writing until they run out of ink and have to be thrown away. They were my usual type of writing implement at work and at home, and I carried … Continue reading A Year of Pencils
One Thing and Three Things
[adapted from a post to a discussion board when our son Nicholas was 19 months old] When I was a young adult, having trouble adjusting to working full-time on a fixed schedule with a commute instead of being in the more flexible environment of college, and also was having some other problems that led me to … Continue reading One Thing and Three Things
The Earthling's Handbook 