Razor Blades in Apples, Flashing Headlights, and The Great Wall

There has never been a razor blade in a piece of Halloween candy. If you flash your headlights at someone going down the road, you won't be shot by a gang member. The Great Wall of China isn't visible from space. Sorry to burst your bubble.

But, these are more than just clever stories turned urban legends. They contain incredibly important lessons of which we should all take note.

In their first ever book, Made to Stick, brothers Chip and Dan Heath explore these popular stories and why they "stick." A term made popular by Malcolm Gladwell, "stickyness" refers to those ideas that are understood and remembered, and have a lasting impact, which result in a change of an audience’s opinions or behavior. Evidenced by the above stories, millions of people now check their children's Halloween candy for razorblades, think twice about flashing their headlights at oncoming traffic, and tell stories of the Great Wall's visibility from outer space.

But what makes these ideas "stickier" than others? The Heath brothers outline six principles of sticky ideas: simplicity, unexpectedness, concreteness, credibility, emotions, and stories. They discuss these ideas in depth in their book, but one central theme worth highlighting is what they call "the most troubling element that must be overcome for an idea to stick" -- The Curse of Knowledge.

The authors define the Curse of Knowledge as the inability to share knowledge with others because we cannot imagine what it is like not to know it. In effect, the knowledge that one possesses has “cursed” him/her because he/she cannot readily recreate the listeners’ state of mind. They authors recount several examples of instances where experts and laypeople were forced to work together where the experts had “lost the ability to imagine what it was like to look at a something from the perspective of a nonexpert."

Whether you are an entrepreneur trying to convince a backer of your idea, a mother attempting to persuade your son to eat all of his vegetables, or an educator trying to ignite a passion in your students, Made to Stick might be one of the most important books you'll ever read.

I have particular fondness for this book for many reasons. First, it gives me ammunition to debunk wives tales and urban legends purported by Erica. Second, it allows me to think of ways to learn and teach, even though I'm just beginning to set out on this journey. Lastly, it provides important insight into an ever-increasing befuddling world.

Two Weeks -- One Meeting

After an extended holiday break, it's nice to be back to work.

I never thought I'd say that in my entire life. To summarize, I posited that after 10 days of doing very little other than eating, working out, laughing, and loafing, I'm happy to return to my 9-5.

I have been doing a lot of reflecting as to why I enjoy my work so much. The people I work with are fantastically kind, imaginative, and complex, but that's not it. The work is very interesting and aligned with my research interests, thus preparing me well for future work in the field (i.e., PhD, faculty), but that's not it either. Perhaps it's the allure of Dayton, Ohio -- doubtful as well.
What is it then?

Well, the reason why I love my job so much is because I've been back to work for two weeks, and I've only had one official meeting. It is glorious. The days of drawing stick figures, discovering new ways to sign my name, making to-do lists, creating shopping lists, trying to name every professional sports team in my head, and thinking of blog topics are no more. For they have gone on to a better place -- a place that I will surely rediscover soon. But for now, I'll just sit back and enjoy.

"Playing dead not only comes in handy when face to face with a bear, but also at important business meetings." - Jack Handey

An Old Trick - Preserving Your Food

For those tuning in for an update on the wedding or the holiday season, you're going to be sadly disappointed. There is something much more important to be shared with you all. It's a trick I learned a long time ago that will save you money, time, and frustration.

Have you ever lived in a place where someone is always eating your food without your consent? Maybe you have lived in a dorm, a fraternity house, share an office refrigerator with co-workers, or maybe your spouse just likes to steal your food. I'm sure you've tried various methods to curb the person(s) thievery -- hiding your items, putting your initials on them, writing angry warnings on them like "DO NOT EAT!!!" or threatening them with little success. Hiding something in a space that is no more than 20 cubic feet never works, putting your initials on them just lets the thief know who's food he/she is stealing, and simple warnings phase no one. If this has ever happened to you, today is your lucky day. I have the perfect solution.

For Use with Leftovers, Takeout, and Fresh Produce
When you have some leftovers or takeout that you don't want someone else to gobble up, write a date on the outside in plain sight that is about two weeks old. The person will be turned off enough to put it back where he/she got it from, but not quite disgusted enough to throw it away, as if it were 3 months ago.

For Use with Boxed Items
The date only works for leftovers and takeout because they don't have a date on them. When it comes to items in boxes (e.g., frozen pizzas, pizza rolls, mac n' cheese) you have to get a bit more creative. You'll still need your sharpie though. If you don't want someone to pilfer your pizza rolls write something on them like "for immediate sale - box damaged" or "discarded." This will will make your would-be-thief think twice.

I lived with no less than 40 roommates during my college career, so I had to become particularly clever about my food. Nobody likes to be at school all day dreaming of their leftover vegetable lo mein only to come home and find out that your roommate woke up from a bender and was "really hungry." This method is tried and true. Take my advice, and you'll never be sorry....

Wedding and Holiday Update
Ok, so I guess I should give a wedding and holiday update. Wedding is good - Erica looks like she's still going to go through with it, so that's a positive sign. Holidays were great as well - excellent food, great time with family and friends, and putting a close on an awesome year.