Jupiter

As a kid I was always fascinated in Jupiter. I can't pin down why I was so interested. Probably because the giant planet just looked cool. The red spot always draws my attention. What the heck is that?

I recall I had some news paper cutouts of the Voyager 2 probe going to Jupiter. I'm not sure if they were just old or I cut him out from the when the event happened. I don't think I personally cut out the articles, because according to wikipedia when the probe passed by the planet I would have only been four or five years old.

In high school, I started to write a novel where Jupiter was the backdrop. I guess it was a science fiction story without much science.The novel was for a self learning project. It didn't turn out to be that educational, obviously. My excuse is that I didn't have the research tools I have now and I'm sure I got bored with looking up stuff in regular books at a library.

I wonder how things would have been different had I diligently researched this Jupiter subject thoroughly. Oh well, I have got a lot to research now.

Climbing the ladder

The other day I was asked by a recruiter if I was ready to take the next step in my career. Also somebody at work was talking about different careers paths and stages government employees would take. Or should take.

Everyone has heard the phrase climbing the corporate ladder. Basically it means the time and energy one would put into getting a raise, getting a better position, or getting a better job.

In answer to the recruiter's question, I thought, I don't want really want to climb the ladder. In fact, I want to buy the ladder. I want to invest in people that make the ladder.

If the ladder is made of wood, I want to invest in the logging company. I want to listen to the lumber yard. I want to invest in the carpenters who build the ladder. I want to invest in people that make the nails the carpenters use.

If the latter is metal, I want to invest in the factory that assembles the ladder, I want to invest in the minning company that gets the ore out of the ground.

I want to invest in the transportation company that takes the ledders to the different places in the world. I want to invest in  the energy that powers these transports.

Need a new ladder? A taller one perhaps? I can sell you one. Or at least the warehouse or home improvement chain I invested in can.

On top of all that, I want to invest in the companies where people are trying to climb all these ladders.

By all means, climb the ladder. Thank you for doing so.