Mind Grapes

When do you get your best ideas? Is there a pattern to when you are creative or insightful? I've been thinking about this some lately. I've noticed I have more ideas than usual - mostly related to my work.

It started when we reorganized in our division, and moved into a different Group in the company. Previously, we were the Advanced Technology Division, and now we are Survivability and Advanced Technology. This reflects a new focus on the brilliant work of Dr JAWS and everyone who has been involved in developing and applying the new MOTISS program. However, I have no experience with the elements of survivability we are currently working one, so I don't fit into the new schema particularly well. Once we dig into the first part of survivability, which is called susceptibility, I think I will have more to offer. But I don't have much to contribute right now.

However, as I moved towards the margins of the current efforts, more and more details of the next steps have come to me. Mostly regarding statistical principles that could be applied (that I stole from sabermetric circles like Baseball Prospectus), but also concept design for susceptibility using parametrics, and signal integration for detection of low-observable systems.

This is all pretty wonky. But while I'm not very good at what I am doing on the job right now, I am very excited in the ideas for future work. And I never seem to get those kind of ideas when I am busy and fully tasked. This time, I'm writing them all down - some of them could be useful. If I can muster the effort, I think some could make decent papers for submission to various journals. I've never done anything like that before, but I've started to consider it.

On an unrelated front, some congratulations are apparently in order. First, my brother Chris got a much deserved, long-awaited raise. A significant raise. It is crass to discuss money, but percentage-wise it was in the double-digits. It is about time.

Lastly, I found out that Heidi has a job working at a restaurant in New York City called P*ONG. She's a pastry chef, and by the look of it this place is a great fit. I wish I had time to drive up and buy some cake.