It is transition time! From summer to fall weather, holiday decorations in the stores, and the executive branch of the federal government from republican to democratic control.
The summer to fall transition is reflected in our time change. Maybe we should make that the “official” end of summer. Once you start messing with daylight you may as well attach a season to it.
Yes, I was serious about the holiday decorations transition too. The coffee shop I went into today was decked out for the holidays. Granted, they were using a brownish color theme—maybe they’ll swap it out for traditional red/green later in the season—but still, isn’t this a bit early? Only those in retail truly know.
Finally, about the government transition thing, well nobody is questioning that. I debated picking up a newspaper for a keepsake but then thought, “Nah, that’s stilly of me. People don’t do that anymore.” I got home and heard the New York Times went back to the presses, producing an extra 75,000 copies in the wake of huge demand. Guess I was wrong, maybe this is a sign the printed news press isn’t dead. I’m OK with that. I still like something about browsing a newspaper, the way news stories are laid out in a way that Internet surfing can’t replicate. There is also the tactile sense of a folded newspaper in your hand and trying to hold the pages so they don’t fall apart or flop over just where you wanted to read something. Reading a newspaper really is an acquired skill. Nevertheless, I digress. This was about transitions, not the fate of the printed press.
If you were to think of the federal government like a corporation, the CEO was just fired and the board of directors has been shaken up. What’s a line worker supposed to think? Probably not much since it is a big organization. As long as the whole place isn’t going to fold over night there really isn’t much that will change quickly. Big organizations (corporate or government) turn slowly. Even with the PR about new management and change, the new organization has to operate with the same external constraints. The money situation hasn’t changed and the works in progress are still there, and while the long range goals may be altered today’s work still has to be done. Probably the biggest influence short term will be the addition of some entertaining (if your amused by such things) speculation about who will get what job in the new administration. Just like a corporate takeover, the influential people will jockey for position and there will be a long list of rumors about who is going where and doing what.
So the transitions are on. I’d suggest you find the good in them all and focus on that if you must. One thing is certain about transitions; there will always be another one coming. Seasons of the year, store decorations, and people who want to be boss.
