Saturday, January 31, 2009

Magnetic Fields


By now, anyone reading this blog knows full well that I am a long way from being a scientist or engineer. Physics isn’t something that I think about a great deal (it would hurt my brain too much), much less write about . Nevertheless, in between design and editing sessions, I have been thinking seriously about the question of magnetic fields as related to deadlines.

Since I can’t find any scientific evidence supporting my theories, I will just have to go with my personal experience. One deadline will attract another. Two or three deadlines will draw a horde more and before you know it all the little devils are piled up, one on top of another—clinging together in a bunch—like a cluster of grapes. Now to my mind that sounds an awful lot like some sort of magnetic properties are at work here. Don’t you agree that some meaningful scientific principle causes deadlines to huddle up like that? Either deadlines can send out messages (you know, like teenagers announcing a party on My Space); they travel in herds because they feel safer (from what predator, I have no earthly idea); or, they are irresistibly drawn together by the their magnetic properties.

At any rate, whatever the cause of this clustering phenomenon, I know this: on top of meeting all those deadlines—you are soon struggling to sort out which deadline date goes with which project, because all the dates are so similar. It’s no wonder that I am looking for answers.


While contemplating this deep scientific (and philosophical) question I began to consider other applications of magnetism and laws of attraction. That led me to even deeper thoughts such as: Why am I attracted to more projects than I can juggle? Why do I attach myself to standards for excellence that no one else is demanding of me? Why can’t I resist chocolate? What?! Wait. How did that one slip in there? Now, that is another topic to explore—not only chocolate, but how that thought just intruded on this scholarly examination.

By now, you can see how I have been distracted this past week. It’s not that I wasn’t thinking about blogging and other photobloggers. But, profound questions of this sort require a great percentage of one’s attention. I did squeeze in a few photo sessions—just to help me think more clearly—and as soon as I have stomped the grapes; no, eaten the chocolate (there it is again); no, no, finished with the cluster of deadlines, I will post some more of the photos that I have been taking.