I was thinking about strategy, and about complexity.  An article I read in a technical magazine talked about dealing with complexity, and the need for generalists that can work with many deep understanding specialists to address the increasing complexity of today’s engineered systems.  Truly evolving our human capacity to accomplish through teamwork and visionary insights solutions that no one person can understand completely.  However we can still see it and experience the benefit of the total system.  Additionally they made the point that it is best to observe and understand from a bottom’s up like a biologist, instead of modeling and predicting as a physicist would, looking for elegance that may not exist in complex systems.  I have another thought, and that is when looking at complex systems, whether that be engineering, politics, or business, that one needs to look at the holes as much as the observed and expressed complexity.  Asking what is missing, or hidden in the system is where insight can be found.  A generalist’s view point, looking broadly across the problem set, being content with not having to dive into the specialists realm, but to understand the connections, the coverage, the broad brush strokes that from sufficient distance make a picture come to life.

On Sunday mornings I watch two news/analysis shows, both cover the same political and world news each morning, but one always addresses and talks about exactly what was said on either side, and they do a good job of it.  The other, does the same, but also looks for the things not said, the issues not being addressed.  Example where in politics is the middle today?  Where is the messaging that is not progressive, yet not hard right conservative?  The analysis this morning was about the hollowed out center, that’s looking at the complete landscape and seeing what is missing.

In business, it’s sometimes not what we are being told by the customer, employees, or shareholders, but what they are not asking us, or telling us that matters most.  I’ve been involved recently in developing a strategy for a business initiative, and the approach we are taking is not just to gather data and survey in detail from the bottom’s up the people that have deep knowledge, we are also looking at what is missing, what they didn’t say, and what are the gaps to close in order to arrive at a more complete picture, a vision, a direction forward.

In engineering, I have found so many times that the insight on the success or failure of a project is really dependent on the generalist’s viewpoint.  The ability to see what is missing, what did the team not talk about, what issue or item was assumed to be covered, and really wasn’t.

Think about the holes in order to see the world as it is, to see problem sets more completely, to become a strategist and problem solver.

I saw on a magazine the title Heart Smart… intriguing, what the real meaning could be?

I saw the full moon last night on the rise, so beautiful and yet with its reflected light it takes the colors from the night, but-yet it rules our thoughts, per the Moody Blues, why?

Listened to Counting Crow’s Rain King yesterday, why the delivery to heaven in the “belly of a black-winged bird”, and why can’t I be that creative in imagery?

Why this morning as I looked upon the fading full moon in the face of sunrise, I still felt wonder at the world we live in and the endless sunrises and sunsets as quiet and sustaining over the millennium as a trillion people have watched and wondered too over the span of history?

Well, today I felt like musing, and I felt inferior in poetry to the poetry of the world we live in, and the work of others, but to not disappoint, I hope you find meaning and enjoy a poem by the Moody Blues…

Late Lament, by Moody Blues

Breathe deep the gathering gloom,
Watch lights fade from every room.
Bedsitter people look back and lament,
Another day’s useless energy spent.
Impassioned lovers wrestle as one,
Lonely man cries for love and has none.
New mother picks up and suckles her son,
Senior citizens wish they were young.
Cold hearted orb that rules the night,
Removes the colors from our sight.
Red is grey and yellow white,
But we decide which is right.
And which is an illusion?

For the last 12 years, the Super Bowl has been played on the first Sunday in February.  This matches nicely with our princess’ birthday, and this year she turns 17!  So, Happy Super-Birthday Tiana!

Super Birthday Princess

Start first with peppers as poppers fried

A delicacy that the princess has loved since first tried

Follow with Pup’s chili tangy and sweet

With plenty of spice, beans and tender meat

Football begins as we all gather to see

Quick get squares filled and collect the fee

Watch the game, laugh and play

Eat, drink be merry today

At half-time we gather for birthday sing-a-long

Grandma’s chocolate éclair cake never goes wrong!

Princess, her smile is beautiful, eyes so bright

This girl is smart and does everything right!

Athletic, tennis powerful

Top of her class, determined and strong

She volunteers, looks out for others as the day is long

So, she should have a Super Birthday

As she outshines all today and every day!

Last night I watched a PBS show covering the experience of soldiers and civilians on the frontline in Mosul Iraq.  You can see the same in Syria and other worn-torn areas, as well…  I see such a tragic situation of families caught up in war.  Caught without access to clean water, food, medicine, and living without safety, always in fear.  Hoping for a way out, walking sometimes beyond their endurance.  Soldiers weary, no hope of clarity in a war where children are bombers and their enemies speak the same language, and can infiltrate with civilians to get behind them.  Constant fear, constant needs and constant stress.  These situations are impossible…. and yes we can wall ourselves off and keep them away, but how can we not look, how can we not realize that by virtue of the lottery of birth we are safe and blessed with an opportunity for the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.   Regardless if you believe we should be there to help to support an end to suffering, or you believe it is their problem to solve, you should not take for granted the great win in life’s lottery you enjoy.

When You Were Eleven

Remember you as a child of eleven,

… needs and wants and desires

In the present and beyond into future fires

So much is a given, so much is form

What we do fits a pattern, a norm

You look beyond, go beyond current path

Ignoring realities cruel math

Imagining, a future perfect now

It will be different someway somehow

But it is the journey, the effort the way

Giving you joy, if you accept it every day

There is always a future, always a desire

Always a path, a struggle, another fire

You may not see it complete or fair

But someday you know when you are there

As life brings you that little bit of heaven

Think how far you come since you were just eleven

What Do You Believe?

Do you believe in what you see

Then does magic and sleight of hand deceive

Do you believe the stories you’ve been told

Does it matter if its Hollywood or sacred books of old

Do you think of thoughts deep

Or just dream when you sleep

Can you feel something you cannot see

Do you understand what you barely perceive

What of that whisper in the wind

Do you hear that message sent

Is there more to us than this

What if belief is what we miss

What if beyond is not there

Does it matter should we care

If love and thought be our legacy

Will it be etched on our effigy

What now do you believe

Hopefully much more than you see

If I Could Dream on Cue 

If I could only dream on cue

I think I’d dream of me and you

Would you like what I dream

Or be confused by my subconscious stream

On a ship at sunset sail

Or on a morning’s nature trail

Would you come along with me

I’ll tell you stories of land and sea

I’ll tell you inner thoughts and battles won

As we roll in grass of summer’s mid-day sun

Would you like what you’d hear

And care to know dreams so clear

Maybe you’d rather have dreams alone

Dreams of your thoughts featured and shone

If I could only dream on cue

Or rather join a dream with you

Unlocking the Door

Thoughts and freedom under lock and key

Madness hides behind the door you see

Do these thoughts deserve the light of day

Is it safe, is it complex, dangerous to say

Is complexity or confusion of thought value given

Open this door to examine heart and souls haven

Is it valued or worse yet, no one does care

These inner workings of a mind to share

Is it over-wrought value, loneliness or more

If you get this do you expect there’s more in store

Can I put this away and lock it up again

Incarcerate and avoid any chance of pain

Or shall I leave it open and toss the key

Finding vulnerable what’s there of me

In the book “A Gentleman in Moscow” I read awhile back, the movie Casablanca played a part.  It was being used to teach the KGB spy chief about American language idiom and American spirit.   So last night, there was no more football on so I found the movie and put it on.  It’s a really great movie.  Sure, its famous, but if you watch in the context of the historical times it’s also more interesting.  The USA was not in the fight yet, but the sentiments were anti-fascist and Humphrey Bogart as Rick plays the role of the quintessential American; he’s independent, entrepreneurial, tough and determined good guy with a sentimental streak, that for unstated reasons cannot go back to America.   It also was clear that at even this early date in the war, the world knew about German concentration camps and brutality.

Why shouldn’t the world admire and strive to be like this American and this generation of Americans, looking after their own interests but so too willing to fight for fairness and decency.  Now I get why a KGB spy chief would want to learn about Americans through this lens.

Oh and by the way the movie is also a great love story with great music, and a great theme song “As Time Goes By” …. It’s worth another look… Here’s looking at you kid!

Happy New Year – I wish for all of you a happy and prosperous year.   We have much in changes coming our way in our country, possibly in the world.  I believe optimism with just a tinge analytical cynicism is useful as we look hopefully to the future.

I was told that my last post was complicated and lengthy.  I suppose it was, but the economy is a complicated topic.  So why write about it, well that my friends is because it’s my musing, so I get to do what I like with it…. and maybe I had too much musing time over the holiday, of course I had too much to eat and to drink as well, so we’ll clean that up in the coming weeks.

By the way, I thought there was some really great and fun football games this last weekend.  The BCS games were not as interesting as the Rose Bowl and the Orange Bowl.  Both games were very exciting and fun to watch, although the outcome was not as I hoped, especially the Orange Bowl (Still – GoBlue!) they were great fun!