Half a bridge Oct 29, 2020
I like this analogy from a Freakonomics episode about developing a Covid-19 vaccine: 
Any biotech company ... has to manage their finances properly. 

Without money, they can't conduct clinical trials. They can't do research. And so, all the progress that we see will stop if they run out of money. And the asset that they worked so hard to develop actually gets destroyed. 

It's like building half a bridge. A half a bridge is not half as good as a full bridge.
The primary purpose of a bridge is to link two pieces of land across a body of water or a valley.  A bridge that's 50% complete, or 90% or 99%, while it may provide other uses, doesn't accomplish it's primary function. #business
Clean desk Oct 29, 2020
One of my favorite coworker interactions was when my next-cube neighbor was defending his messy desk by trying to quote Einstein:  "Empty desk, empty mind."  This particular person is the last person who should be quoting (or misquoting) Einstein, and also the last person who should be claiming to not have an empty head.  So when I said to him, "I have a clean desk; what are you trying to say?", the look on his empty-headed face was priceless. #business
Political identification Oct 27, 2020
There's a house in my neighborhood we refer to as "the Trump House".  There's been some sort of Trump-branded paraphernalia on or around their house since before the 2016 election.  In the months leading up to the 2020 election, the Trump House has added a little sign by the mailbox, several signs along the curb, two banners on either side of their front door, and a gigantic flag flapping majestically in the breeze directly below the American flag.  It's a bit over-the-top. 

Political signs aren't too uncommon, especially around election season.  But this president is the first I can remember whose followers are active advertisers even in the off-season.  And what I find especially weird about this is that a lot of people seem to have their identity centered on being a Trump-supporter.  Like that's the first thing they would answer if asked to "tell me a little about yourself".  I just find it odd that people are building their sense of self around a political candidate, of all things.  Some people are into sports ("die-hard Jets fan").  Some people are into activities (hiking, biking, etc.).  But those qualities are "some of" not "all of" a person. 

I like whiskey.  I like it quite a bit.  Do I like it enough to hoist a flag?  Put a poster on my lawn?  A bumper sticker on my car?  No.  Part of it is that I have better taste than that [:-)].  But the other, more important thing is that my identity is wrapped up in a handful of things I enjoy and am interested in or passionate about. And politics isn't even in the top 50 for me. #politics