Dan R. Crawford's Blog – January 2012 Archive (2)

A recent study of eleven major symphony orchestras revealed how orchestra members perceived each other. Percussionists were seen as insensitive, yet fun-loving. String players were perceived as arrogant and stuffy. Brass players were judged as loud.  Woodwind players were described as quiet, though a bit egotistical. With this diversity of feeling for each other, members of the orchestra arrive for the concert. Each tunes his or her own instrument, often oblivious to those around them. The…

I got caught by the police! Red handed! On Christmas Day! Every year I purchase Starbucks’s Gift Cards, drive around on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day giving them to Police Officers with a quick, “Thanks for working on Christmas.” This is done anonymously in the tradition of one of the early versions of Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, a saint who was known for giving anonymous gifts, especially to children during the night as they slept. This idea, of course, was popularized by Clement Moore,…