rightbrain.wrightengineers.comThe Right Brain

skip to main | skip to sidebar Search -- Walk Ten Miles Every Morning Some people love to exercise, and then there are the rest of us who view it as a dreaded tedium that must be endured for the sake of our health. ...and there are those who fake it so people think they're exercising. They post selfies in their workout clothes standing next to exercise equipment and holding green juice drinks while they constantly remind you of how sore they are. Labels: do , exercise , exercise cartoon , fake exercise , jogger , Right Brain Cartoon , walk ten miles , walking , walking the dog Nothing is Impossible, But That's What I Do... Clearly it's not impossible to do nothing. This guy is proof. But there are those who actually do the impossible. In 1895, heavier than air flight was impossible; then the Wright Brothers showed up on a beach at Kitty Hawk. A sub- 4 minute mile was impossible until Roger Bannister proved otherwise in 1954. In 1926, Philo Farnsworth's television invention was dismissed as financially impossible and a waste of time. Edison's electric light bulb was described as a conspicuous failure, critics claimed the horseless carriage would never come into common use, and in 1949 it was claimed that we had reached the limits of what was possible to achieve with computer technology. In the words of Nelson Mandela, "It always seems impossible until it's done." Labels: Architect , Architect Cartoon , Engineer , Engineer Cartoon , HR , HR cartoon , nothing is impossible Then It Hit Me! Jobsite safety is no laughing matter, and situational awareness at all times is critical. This guy needs to up his game. Reminds me of one day during construction of the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas. I was called to the jobsite to devise a repair for an improperly installed embed plate that supported the climbing tower crane on the inside of the tower core. I climbed 150 feet up the tower crane, shimmied out to the end of the steel beam, came up with a fix, and then shimmied back and held tight to the crane while an iron worker torch-cut two new holes in the steel plate. A stream of molten steel cascaded down and then splattered as it hit another steel beam 50 feet directly below. It was a spectacular sight in the dimly lit tower shaft. Then I noticed the people shouting below. The crane's live 480 volt power cable that had been draped over the steel beam below was on fire, ignited by the molten steel drops from above. Fortunately, they got the iron worker's attention and put out the fire before it burned through the insulation and fried all of us. Labels: jobsite safety , jobsite safety cartoon , safety , safety cartoon , situational awareness What are the odds of a family with an engineer, an architect, a contractor and a developer? Surely such a family exists. What would their Christmas stockings look like if each could custom design their own, and what would they be filled with? I thought I'd give it my best guess. At least I feel pretty confident in the glasses and calculator for the engineer. Labels: architect Christmas stocking , Christmas stockings , Contractor Christmas stocking , developer Christmas stocking , engineer Christmas stocking Can You Get it Done Even Sooner? We know that meeting our client's deadlines is critical, and doing what we said we'd do when we said we'd do it is a top priority for us--we'll do whatever it takes. But even with every effort we can muster, we may find ourselves up against a deadline that's near impossible. Take this actual email string between an engineer and a client, for example: Client: "When will you be done with the project?" Engineer: "I worked on it all night and emailed it to you early this morning." Client: "Well, is there anything you can do to get it to me sooner?" Labels: Deadline cartoon , get it done sooner , when do you want it done Poor Communication Skills It doesn't matter how smart you are if you don't communicate well. This also includes simply being accessible and responsive to clients and co-workers. This guy at his next job interview: HR: I see you majored in communication. This guy: No, mis communication. HR: But it says on your resume, "Communication". This guy: See? Labels: Architect Cartoon , builder cartoon , Cartoon , Communication , communication cartoon , Construction Cartoon , Engineer Cartoon , miscommunication , miscommunication cartoon , office communication , Right Brain Cartoon Introvert's Misery We introverts need to stick together (separately)! Sure, we may avoid social situations, but we're not all nerds. Most of us function just fine socially, though it takes effort and leaves us feeling exhausted. We're often quiet, reserved, thoughtful. We don't seek attention. We're not shy, we just need a reason to interact. We're not rude, we'd just rather get to the point. Without us, the world would have fewer scientists, engineers, musicians, artists, poets, doctors, philosophers, and writers. And, we're more than two thirds of the population, so we're far from alone. If you are not an introvert, don't feel bad. Nobody's perfect. Labels: Cartoon , Engineer , Engineer Cartoon , introverts , mixer , nerds , networking , social interaction Drive-by Inspection Some things just have to be done up close. This is one of them. On the other hand, it's surprising how we've learned to do so many things remotely that were previously thought to require in-person attention. Will jobs like hair stylist or flight attendant ever be done remotely? You never know. Labels: building inspector , construction , construction worker , drive-by inspection , social distancing , steel building , work remotely It's Absolutely Perfect! ...but When it comes to the structural engineering of buildings where even a small error can result in catastrophe, the more nitpicking the better. As Jim Collins famously said, "Good is the enemy of great". No one ever achieved excellence by settling for good enough. To watch a short time-lapse video of this cartoon being created, click here . Labels: architectural drawings , construction drawings , engineering drawings , excellence , nitpicking , perfection Ask The Experts: Social Distancing Tip #26 I've never understood the appeal of "pulling an all-nighter". For some caffeine-saturated schmoes, it's like a badge of honor. "...pulled another all-nighter last night! Third one this week," he'll gloat. If you've ever been secretly envious of that guy, now's your chance to one-up him. Move your home office to your bedroom and pull an all-nighter every night! Labels: all-nighter , COVID-19 , engineers , social distancing , tips from engineers , Work from home The Unsung Hero Here's to all the unsung heroes who keep this great country going - the farmers, ranchers, truckers, delivery drivers, fast food workers, grocery store clerks, warehouse workers, and many, many more. (...and, of course, here's to the builders, developers, bankers, building officials, inspectors, architects, engineers and many others who do their part to make our cities and buildings safe and beautiful.) [Credit for this idea goes to Scott Jones who runs our Irvine office] Labels: Cartoon , COVID-19 , Engineer , unsung hero Ask The Experts: Social Distancing Tip #37 There is going to be a lot of less-than-well-groomed people by the time we all emerge from this social distancing ...for a few of us engineers, that may not be much of a noticeable difference. [Credit for this one goes to Tye Havey , VP and Director of Wright Engineers' Arizona Operations] Labels: bad haircut , COVID-19 , Engineer , home-made haircut , quarantine , social distancing tip Ask The Experts: Social Distancing Tip #45 I think there's some truth to the stereotype of the glasses-wearing engineer. Research shows that the number of years of study is more important than genetics in determining whether or not a person becomes nearsighted. If that's the case, then it stands to reason that the harder the study, the thicker the glasses. My eyes were fine ...