This blog is what I decided not to blog about.
I considered writing about holiday bonuses. I have struggled with giving bonus checks for as long as I have made business decisions.
Every year is baffling. What is the right amount? Is it even a good idea to give them at all? Do I sow discontent because employees find out what other employees make and they resent that I did not feel they deserved as much?
I have considered giving no bonuses at all and instead raising salaries, but that seemed dangerous because it locked me into wages which may seem inappropriate the next year.
I have no brilliant answers to write about, so scratch that topic.
I thought about Hanukkah, a relatively minor Jewish holiday that has risen to great significance because Jews want something to celebrate when everybody else is focused on Christmas and gift giving.
Unfortunately, I am no student of holidays and have always downplayed gift giving in my family, so I am passing on that idea.
I have thought many times about discussing my ambivalence about selling machines to make products I feel emotionally pained about, like components for AR-15 rifles, especially bump stocks.
I have stayed away from the topic because I thought discussing making parts for guns would be a no-win subject for me and only get me in trouble with clients. So Lloyd, forget about tackling guns.
I was 78 years old a couple of days ago. I received birthday wishes from all over. The fact is, I am grateful for reaching the birthday I doubted I would ever reach–14 years after the heart attack that should have killed me. I chose not to write about it.
The truth is, I feel enormously fortunate to reach the date and scared about it because it seems so old. My dad died at 78. Therefore, I refuse to write about this big birthday.
Finally, I wanted to write about one of my favorite topics, the Chicago Cubs. They have signed several highly sought after free agents, including shortstop Dansby Swanson, who has been a star for the Atlanta Braves for the last two years. Unfortunately, hardly anybody follows baseball with the same fascination and passion I do, much less for the Cubs. I know I would be foolhardy to waste a blog on baseball in the dead of winter.
So I sit here at 10PM, completely stumped about what to write about in my last blog of the year.
Any suggestions?
Happy New Year and good health to you all.
Question: What should I blog about next year?
The post What I Decided Not to Blog About first appeared on Today’s Machining World.