Trying to Rise above the Muck of Mediocrity

While returning from class yesterday afternoon, an astute colleague of mine commented on how we sometimes seem to be stuck in mediocrity. It is a suffocating, slow death experience that kills the drive to grow and make things better. Managers seem to be content with the status quo, students go through the motions, faculty members do their little teaching and go...all the while the macro picture is slowly deteriorating or not keeping pace.

For my part, I remind myself daily to avoid the rut. I try to be fearless and stand up for quality. This term I have helped set up a few students with some great mentors, have arranged great field trips for some others. My first year students are coming around. I have tried to write interesting commentary on this blog. But I could be doing so much more and so much better....

Some folks who worked hard to avoid getting stuck in the muck...
My dad (died when he was 62 years old).
Ghantasala (52)
Kishore Kumar (58)
Lata Mangeshkar (going strong at 78)
David Byrne (56 and still a creative force)
Sanjeev Kumar (47)
John Ritter (55)