Re: Refining My "Cutting Edge" Technical Writing Skills

["Chuck Martin" <cm -at- writeforyou -dot- com>]

Wow, way cool page. This Wiki stuff is intriguing. Help guru Char
James-Tanny has begun a Help Wiki off her helpstuff.com page.

Of the full quote...

A human being should be able to change a diaper,
 - done that

plan an invasion,
 - the closest I ever came--and ever want to come--was strategizing for
snowball fights with friends (OK, if I ever get to play paintball....)

butcher a hog,
 - I can't even debone a store-bought chicken; I always buy the boneless
skinless

conn a ship,
 - I'm good at maps and good at direction, but my "ships" have always
traveled over land

design a building,
 - I did used to sketch out building interiors

write a sonnet,
 - I had an English teacher who tried to get me to write poetry; I thought
it was horrible, but she was always supportive

balance accounts,
 - and without the help of Quicken too

build a wall,
 - done that, once from chunks of discarded concrete

set a bone,
 - ministering to external injuries, yes, internal one, no

comfort the dying,
 - I can't even comfort myself; I avoided a memorial just this past weekend
for someone I knew semi-casually who I used to play basketball with

take orders,
 - yes, but I think about them (and their reasonableness--or arbitrariness)

give orders,
 - I hate this more than taking orders; I'm no leader, just an idea person

cooperate,
 - that's what teams are all about

act alone,
 - that's how teams reach their goals when some team members don't carry
their load

solve equations,
 - for fun, even (I used to read Martin Gardner in Scientific American)

analyze a new problem,
 - like whether or not to use a semicolon

pitch manure,
 - done that: I worked at a kennel one summer, way back when

program a computer,
 - for the first time, a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model II

cook a tasty meal,
 - more often with the help of packaged ingredients or the microwave oven

fight efficiently,
 - heck, I can't even *live* efficiently

die gallantly.
 - I doubt it; I'll go kicking and screaming

Specialization is for insects.
 - I keep learning. The day I stop learning, about something, is the day
they put me six feet under


I like the linked page where someone reinvented the quote and applied it to
programmers. If I had the time, I might do the same for techwhirlers.

Chuck Martin

<me -at- other-space -dot- com> wrote in message news:213254 -at- techwr-l -dot-  -dot-  -dot- 
>
> "Chuck Martin" <cm -at- writeforyou -dot- com> wrote:
> > "Mark Baker" <mbaker -at- ca -dot- stilo -dot- com> wrote:
> > <snip>
> > >
> > > Sure we can do. But specialization is the key to productivity.
> > <snip>
> >
> > "Specialization is for insects."
> > - Robert A Heinlein, I think in "Time Enough for Love."
> >
> > This was the end of a longer quote. I cannot remember it, and even if I
> > was home, the book is still packed somewhere.
>
> The full quote, and a spirited discussion, can be found at:
>
>      http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?SpecializationIsForInsects
>



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