Monthly Archives: November 2008

misc

Paying it Forward

Yesterday I was in a FedEx Kinkos around closing time. I had a certain ‘pay it forward’ moment that I’d like to share.

I was the only customer in the store except for a young woman standing behind me. As I was closing my package, the woman behind me asked if there was any bubble wrap she could use, at which point the FedEx rep pointed to the shelf. She replied with a ‘no thank you’ as she didn’t want to spend the money on the bubble wrap. A few minutes before it had occurred to me to buy bubble wrap but because I didn’t think I needed a full package of it I decided not to. Seeing an opportunity to spend my company’s money and make two lives easier, I purchased the bubble wrap and split it with her. She was grateful, said thank you, and I left.

Moments later, about halfway down the block, I hear running footsteps and someone calling out behind me. I had left my credit card at the desk, and the woman had run after me to deliver it.

misc

Irving Wladawsky-Berger

If you have never read Irving Wladawsky-Berger’s blog, take a few minutes to browse some of the most recent entries. I’m always surprised that more people do not follow his posts.

Irving Wladawsky-Berger worked at IBM for 37 years, and any attempt to repeat his credentials here might spill over onto a second page. He posts every few days, but does so with care and depth. Topics range from green energy technology to cloud computing to politics and economics always with a big picture in mind (as if those issues could get any bigger). If you treat yourself to just one new blog subscription this holiday season, make it Wladawsky-Berger’s.