Good Kids

We were settling into the quiet part of the night, the time for reading just before bed, when my middle guy announced that he had something to read. He went to his back pack and pulled out a staple bound bundle of notebook paper filled with handwritten stories. He went on to tell me that he and his friends wrote them at school, not because they had to as part of an assignment, but because they had some extra time and thought it would be fun. We postponed our impending bed times and read the book together right there on the spot. The stories were filled with humor and also the sources of pride and worry that exist in the minds and experiences of 10 year old boys.

Soon after, the oldest presented an alphabet he had created.  He had fashioned 26 new characters to replace those used in traditional English writing. I again inquired about the motivation for the alphabet, thinking it was an assignment for school, only to hear again that he had just done it for fun. The characters were as unique as their author and thoughtfully expressive in their visual equivalent to the onomatopoeic  relationship they share with the sounds they will make when spoken.

RGP in My Own Back Yard

A while back I wrote about RGPs and their outstanding ability to see the world around them as an opportunity for expression, creativity and productivity. Tonight I witnessed a 12 year old RGP in action as he bid on, monitored and won several items at a silent auction for a group of friends going to an orphanage in Liberia. 

At first I was puzzled by the strange assortment he penned his name under and a bit annoyed that he would “throw his money away” at such odd items that he couldn’t possibly have a use for.  I soon learned that each buy was strange for a 12 year old boy because none were meant for him.

This wasn’t the first time I have been puzzled by this guys decisions or thought processes but it showed me again that his oddity is one of generosity, a quality to strive for and appreciate and commend.  

Time Talent and Resources

Genius is an admirable trait. I don’t throw the term genius around lightly because overuse makes it lose its significance and takes away from those that deserve the distinction. Genius is rare but there are a lot of really good people who leverage their intelligence and productivity in exceptionally commendable ways.  When someone is really good at their job it is a great thing to watch.  For the duration of this blog I will refer to these capable folks as really good people or RGPs.  

A few friends and I have tried to articulate the essence of these really good people and have distilled their traits to time, talent and resources.  Time refers to both the time they commit to their craft in the present and the time they have invested in the past to get to where they are.  Talent refers to the innate abilities the person has to do their chosen craft well.  Resources signify that the RGP has tools and more importantly knows how to use them.

We later dubbed the description as Time, Talent and Technology because alliteration is so much fun and for the efficacy that the short hand “three Ts” provides.  While technology may create some confusion, our intention is for it to be understood in the broadest sense of the term – that is a practical application of knowledge (and/or tools) especially in a particular area.  

You can always tell when you have encountered an RGP when the depth of their endeavors transcends the simplicity and ease of their delivery.  RGPs are people you want to learn from because you know they know more than you but are real enough to explain it in ways you can understand. I’m fortunate to have RGPs in my life and enjoy every moment I have with them.

I came across one of these RGPs today via a YouTube video posted on an engineering forum I follow. The video is embedded below or you can follow this link.  As you watch, first enjoy the show, as joy is one of the natural outcomes of being associated with RGPs, and second appreciate the Three Ts in action, as this RGP is clearly a gifted practitioner.