Where is your commitment?

ByHal Hammons

In The Corporate Coach by James B. Miller, a book on my shelf that is left over from a long-abandoned career in sales management, James Miller discusses the role of “the twitch in your elbow” while interviewing job applicants.  Gut instinct, we might say.  And a big part of that, he says, is the commitment the applicant shows toward other activities.  If he’s a scratch golfer, he didn’t get there just with 18 holes on Saturday.  Maybe he’ll cut out of work early some days.  If he’s out on his boat every weekend, who’s to say he won’t miss a few Monday mornings?

Commitment is a character trait not everyone has.  It is to be admired. 

Walkouts

ByHal Hammons

I have to admit, I am not a big fan of walkouts.  And I appear to be in the minority.  Everyone seems to be staging walkouts these days.  Generally, as I understand it, a walkout involves people abandoning their proper, useful activity such as school or work and spending their time instead telling people how righteous their cause is — as though school and work are not righteous causes themselves.

I’m not doubting the sincerity of the people involved, nor am I necessarily casting aspersions on their respective causes.  I’m just saying, it’s very convenient to pat yourself on the back for taking a day off.

Serious

ByHal Hammons

Emily Ratajkowski, well known body-paint model and social commentator, complained recently that she doesn’t get “serious” roles in Hollywood.  (I have trouble assigning the word “serious” to anything related to Hollywood, but that’s another article.)

Sofa

Sofa

ByHal Hammons

Word this week from Rio de Janeiro was that an Olympic kayaker capsized in Guanabara Bay, the venue for open-water events at this year’s Games.  He supposedly hit a submerged sofa.  Not an alligator.  Not a tree root.  A sofa.