Louis Alderman

OK, time for all of the children to leave the room.  I have some controversial statements to make… Professional wrestling is scripted.  It is entertainment at its core. However, every event, punch, toss, scream, or commentary is not necessarily in the …

Before reporting to work this morning, I visited my local barber shop for a haircut.  There were already several men around, and the conversation bounced around from topics like good coffee, muscle cars from the late 60s, the weather, buying land, and …

A few years ago, I arrived at a hotel to teach a class.  The classroom space was reserved and ready for me to set up class.  The materials had arrived without being lost in shipment.  My travel arrangements and logistics went off without a hitch.  The …

“Happy New Year!”   It is a wonderful wish!  Hope!  Encouragement!  This year could be the best ever!  A positive outlook! What will help make the difference THIS year?  Are we destined to repeat history, or are we positioned to learn from …

Today is the day.  The Mayan prophecy of doomsday, the end of the world as we know it, a spiritual awakening, the lining up of the planets causing gravitational stress on our planet…   Or just another day of news about fiscal cliffs and the stock…

“What kind of work do you do?” “I am a project manager.” And then the project manager jokes start up.         Wait.       That’s not true.  I don’t remember ever hearing someone say to me, “Hey, I’ve just heard a new project manager joke – check …

My wife and I had lunch together with another couple one very hot Georgia day last week.  As we were leaving the restaurant, an elderly couple was also leaving.  My friend Bryan held the door for them, and the gentleman said, “Thank you, I should give …

Yes. The mathematics are simple when it comes to Agile, Scrum, XP, Lean, Kanban, and the exam for certification as a PMI-ACP, PMI’s Agile Certified Practitioner. For example, what’s the optimum Scrum team size?  Jeff Sutherland and Ken Schw…

I have heard that “the apple does not fall far from the tree.”  I was reminded of the concept recently as my family gathered to celebrate my birthday.  My daughter Lauren is the office manager for an industrial lighting equipment supplier, …

On a hiking expedition yesterday, my wife and I came across several mounds of rocks; one of them pictured here.  Archaelogical investigations by the University of Georgia state that these rock “cairns” are a mystery.  They are frequently cl…

What is this team looking at so intensely?  They are cheering on their rugby team at North Georgia College and State University during a scrum.  This was my first live experience at a rugby game as I watched my nephew participate last Saturday.  The re…

Are you risk averse, or risk tolerant? I am thinking that this is a difficult question to answer. Just like so many questions that could appear on the PMP® Exam, we wish there was more data provided to better respond to such a question.  My first answe…

Yesterday I began my checkout procedures for driving the Air/Light support truck for my local volunteer fire department.  This truck carries a generator for powering scene floodlights for emergency situations.  It also has many rehabilitation supplies …

“Rustle in the bushes!” What does that phrase conjure in your mind, in your memories?  It may not be tied to any specific event or place in your past, but it may have a connotation or mental picture associated with it. In my memories, I remember …

I just got an email message from a participant in last week’s 3-day Velociteach class about how to pass the PMP® Exam. The message starts off, “Hey Coach,   I PASSED! …” I celebrate his success on the exam, too!  Even though I “coached” an entire class…

Inspection.  That word reminds me of summer camp and having my bunk inspected to ensure that I made up my bed and that I did it properly.  First, the inspection verified that I had indeed performed the task of making up my bed.  Second, inspection vali…

The Zac Brown Band performs a song named “Who Knows?”  The chorus of the song states, “Who knows what the thunder and lightning will bring?  Maybe the storm will cover my dreams; Maybe the sun will shine no more.” Whether or not I was singing along las…

A simple machine.  Something that creates an advantage.  The effort applied to the machine results in a greater effort applied by the machine, thus reducing the amount of effort you must supply as the user. A lever is a simple machine.  Let’s see how t…

Tuesday after supper, I took a walk with my wife along the roads near our home in the north Georgia mountains.  As we got to the road right behind our home, I stopped to study the muddy tracks seen in the accompanying photo.  Fresh bear tracks! It had …

Remember that song “The Morning After,” also known as “The Song from The Poseidon Adventure?”  I think Maureen McGovern made that song a hit.  Well, I believe this morning is “the morning after.”  The morning after t…