On this day, I learned how to pronounce Zagat, from an actual cousin of the family, my caBIG colleague Jessica from Colorado. It’s za-GAT. My New York City Girl already knew this, of course, but it’s new to me.
Category: Trivia
Expert Opinion
I have learned that 60% of Dana-Farber patients come to the institute for a second opinion, after being diagnosed elsewhere.
Automagic
This is new term that I learned today – heard in a meeting in context that made perfect sense as in: you click here and then a miracle occurs.
Wiktionary (another new thing for me) says it is the “Blend of automatic and magic; from the principle (often called Clarke’s third law) that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
Stay Together
I have learned not to wander off in IKEA. There is no cell reception and it’s hard to find your Loved Ones once you part.
Air Hunger
I learned a new term, dyspnea, which means shortness of breath. Even the spell-checker here doesn’t know it!
I am fortunate and grateful to be managing a project that is intended to improve the quality of life for lung cancer patients, and this is a symptom to manage.
You can learn more about it here: http://www.clinicaltrialssearch.org/lung-cancer-symptom-assessment-and-management-intervention-nct00852462.html
Trivia or Lifesaving Information?
I just found out that the Tremont / Boylston intersection walk lights are not always “all walk” (I think of Kat and her board games and I think “All Play”) as I had assumed! So this means that you can not necessarily safely cross on the diagonal, as I would want to do, just because one corner has the white-walky-guy of “go!”
Servant Leadership
Ben introduced me to this new term. I’ll let you know more after I read the books I ordered, but for now…
From Wikipedia: “Servant leadership is a philosophy and practice of leadership, coined and defined by Robert Greenleaf and supported by many leadership and management writers such as James Autry, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Peter Block, Peter Senge, Max DePree, Larry Spears, Margaret Wheatley, James C. Hunter, Kent Keith, Ken Jennings, Don Frick and others. Servant-leaders achieve results for their organizations by giving priority attention to the needs of their colleagues and those they serve. Servant-leaders are often seen as humble stewards of their organization’s resources (human, financial and physical).”
Uncanny Valley
Today I learned, from NHPR and “On The Media”, about the Uncanny Valley. It turns out that if computer animation is 90% realistic, that’s cool 92% still cool. 95% all good. But when it hits 96%, it totally freaks us out. Kids cried when the Shrek princess hit that threshold. Monkeys look away.
To get the full effect, you really need to hear this podcast or check out this transcript (Monday afternoon). Then tell me what you think!
Light Dawns
The word “spectrum” was coined by Isaac Newton. He actually made up a new word, or at least pulled a Latin word into a new use.
I learned this from a novel, but it’s for real.
Fear not the semicolon
Today I learned how to use semicolons; I avoided them in the past!
Jane's Lessons Learned 