Nuances, Veteran’s day, tantrums

One of the challenges of learning a language is capturing the nuances. Words do not always mean the same thing you expect them to mean. The same is true in learning a job language. What one company calls a specific set of items may not translate to your new company. Sometimes adapting to new meanings of words that mean something totally different to you is key to communicating with a new set of coworkers or peers. It has taken me the first three weeks of this job to learn how things are phrased and how certain items are referred to to be able to understand how to effectively ask the right questions so that I get the answers I need. I think I am making real progress now.

I remember when I worked at the pilot plant in West Virginia when we opened a valve to allow flow to the reactor, we called “valving in” the feed. At the process plant across the river when they were “valving in” the feed it meant that the valve stem was closing and the flow was being stopped. Imagine the confusion if someone had worked at one place for twenty years and then transferred to the other facility. Everything about establishing flow to a vessel would be backwards. It is akin to that with the terminology I am having to cross into. But I do not want to loose the “old” meanings of the terms because that is what many or our customers still speak. I am, however, learning to translate - both ways.

To any Veteran reading this posting. Thank you.There are many of us in this United States of America that have not forgotten nor taken for granted the sacrifices you made for our freedoms. If you are wondering whether or not it was worth it, the danger you faced, the friends you lost, the battles you survived when many others did not, the answer is, YES. Even in our most humble and contrite moments we may never be worthy of the price you paid in our stead.

On the flip side of that sentiment are the tantrums of those (who recently lost the presidential election) who have been taught that they are always “winners”. That their every thought is a wonderful idea. That every desire they have ever entertained is a worthy pursuit. That life owes they everything they want simply because “everyone is special.” There are real dangers with teaching children that they should alway win. First, it’s a lie and deep in their hearts they know it to be a lie. Second, it is not true to life. They will find out how tragically untruthful their education has been at some point - so teach them to learn from mistake and failures. It will be a blessing to them later. Third, since they know they are being lied to, it fosters the motivation to think that anything they want to say should also be counted as  true; regardless of how much they know it to be a lie. Truth is not a popular concept in this current culture. While we are coddling a generation that has no moral compass, we are quickly losing a generation that was guided by one. A generation that viewed honor and civility and decency above what is comfortable to most of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

Who knows what will come out of this current situation. I do not, but  I do know this, there is a clear path back to the moral standards that made America great. We are just too self-righteous as a culture to walk in it. At least for now.