Category Archives: philosophy

I See the Future and It Will Be…

Posted on December 30, 2012 by

I’ve seen the future and it will be…I’ve seen the future and it works. If there’s life after we will see… –Prince, The Future So I’m a little shy of four months into my sojourn with Zero Point Frontiers. There’s … Continue reading →

Posted in engineering, fiction writing, personal, philosophy, science fiction, Technology | Leave a comment

Leaving the Matrix

Posted on August 31, 2012 by

For the last six years and two months, I have had the good fortune to support NASA’s human space activities at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, whilst in the employ of two good companies: ASI and Schafer. In … Continue reading →

Posted in careers, personal, philosophy, science fiction, technical writing | Tagged | 5 Comments

Heroic Living

Posted on August 17, 2012 by

Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. –Charles Dickens, David Copperfield Think like a man of action. Act like a … Continue reading →

Posted in careers, personal, philosophy | 2 Comments

Technical Writing as a Calling

Posted on July 16, 2012 by

Okay, this post might be a little more lofty than some of the others, but there is a point to this, and I’m here to write about the philosophy of technical writing, not always the technical matters. What exactly do … Continue reading →

Posted in advocacy, careers, personal, philosophy, technical writing | 1 Comment

Basic Ethics for the Technical Communicator

Posted on June 16, 2012 by

Like most people, when I get cranky I can be tempted to make less-than-wise decisions. This is not a good idea. Ethics are central to a writer’s trade because if we are not ethical in how we handle ourselves and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Office Politics, philosophy, technical writing, workplace | Tagged | 1 Comment

Requiem for Ray

Posted on June 6, 2012 by

An ink-stained finger jabs at a well-worn key. The key slaps a lever forward to kiss a soft black ribbon. The ribbon kisses the paper, leaving behind the dark impression of a letter. Another finger jabs, and another and another. … Continue reading →

Posted in fiction writing, personal, philosophy | 2 Comments

It’s Not What You Say…

Posted on June 1, 2012 by

You hear it from your mother the first time you say, “Yes, Mom,” and the sarcasm drips from your lips or your eyes roll. Or maybe you’re unlucky enough to hear it from a friend or teacher. You say something … Continue reading →

Posted in audience, personal, philosophy | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Strategic Technical Writing

Posted on May 12, 2012 by

I am not a documentation writer. That’s the usual assumption when I speak to engineers, but in fact, I usually explain that “I translate Engineerish into English.” In reality, I write presentations, conference papers, and speeches for program managers. That … Continue reading →

Posted in advocacy, audience, philosophy, technical writing | Tagged | 1 Comment

Work Styles

Posted on March 25, 2012 by

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m in the process of transferring my work to another writer. My replacement, a lady whose writing I admire greatly, has a very different work style from mine. Actually, let me modify that: my … Continue reading →

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Transitions

Posted on March 17, 2012 by

I am in the process of switching from one NASA customer to another. This means training my replacement to do what I was doing. As it happens, this is an amicable transition–I’m moving on to another part of NASA by … Continue reading →

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