Prov 17:22

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine... - Proverbs 17:22

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Betcha Didn't Know...

I'll bet you didn't know that...

"...given the intergovernmental linkages of the public finance system, federal government stringency directly affected provincial governments that were concomitantly pursuing stringency policies to a greater or lesser extent."

Don't feel too bad, I didn't know either. I still don't, because I don't have a hot clue what it means. I may not be learning much "Public Administration Professionalism," but I am learning much about myself through this course. For example:
  • Clearly, I am not as smart as I formerly thought.
  • I used to think I was pretty self-disciplined, too. But now I'm procrastinating on reading the 200 pages for this current assignment (most of which sounds like the above excerpt) by blogging instead. Later, I might pull a few teeth or beat my head against the wall.
  • I used to think I was thorough. Now I find myself reading maybe a third of the required offerings, whatever I figure I can get by on to complete the written part of the assignment.
  • I used to think I was grateful for the good gifts that came my way, like this opportunity to take a university program and have it paid for by my employers (ultimately, in this case, by the tax payers of Portage la Prairie.) Now I find myself whining about this course every chance I get. Like now.
  • I used to think I was pretty down to earth. Yesterday I saw an article in People magazine showing several famous people who have been awarded honorary degrees by big-name schools. I indulged in a little fantasy wherein I become someone famous and the University of Alberta (knowing I once took their Public Administration Professionalism course) bestows upon me a doctorate. The prof who suggested I take their writing course hands me the diploma.
Well, now, maybe I'll make a fine public administrator after all. Dumb, lazy, whiny, and lost in la-la land.

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