When I was a little kid, very little, I had a hard time putting the dot right on top of the ‘i’. I used a small circle, moved it to the left or the right, even left the dot out of it. Unfortunately, my teacher wasn’t happy with my progress. She wanted the dot right over the i. I tried to explain to her that we really didn’t need it as everyone knows what an i looks like, and even looked at the encyclopedia and found that some languages remove the signs not only of the dot over the i, but also complete vowels! – hebrew and arabic – but to no aval, she insisted… and I became quite good at that.
My handwriting in elementary school wasn’t anything to be proud of, and it wasn’t until I got to the US as an exchange student that my writing was readable. Years on, a monkey bit my thumb, so now I have a fantastic excuse, and computers came to the rescue, or mobile phones now. In any event, we seem to have forgotten that somethings look exquisit when they have those details. Furthermore, than we are happier when we take that little extra care. Not because of others, but because of US.
I also reflect upon the dots over the i when things go flawlessly perfect. I had one of those moments yesterday… I’m involved in several initiatives regarding economic development via entrepreneurship and am looking at trends with a team scattered all around the world.
So two dots are falling on two “i” .
1. Accountability: we are part of the solution, not the problem. So, to revisit the financial crisis thinking that we need to stop complaining and start finding solutions is what will get us out. US, not me or you or he or she. US.
2. Aspiration: we need to aspire to a solution. Even if that means there is no more things to complain about. And no more chances to play hero, what would heroes do without evil or victims? watch tv or develop an app?
Then, I found one example that I want to use: Amanda. She is a stay at home artist who is making a living for herself and … instead of asking on indiegogo for donations… is selling a monthly watercolor cards for a year at $20 (a bit more if you are outside of USA). Now, that is something…
Her art is beautiful and she also has a store: http://naturescharms.etsy.com
She has that dot over the i completely figured out.
Way to go Amanda,
cheers, Alicia
PD: Next time things aren’t going as well, move the dot.