TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
ALL NON-WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WV ARES BULLETIN NR 09.13 DATE: March 29, 2009
SUBJECT: TAKE OFF YOUR BLINDERS
For those who don't know what blinders are, here's a very brief description. Blinders are placed near the eyes of horses so they aren't able to see anything beside them. They are used to keep a team of horses from seeing each other, and they can only look in the direction they have their head pointed. The purpose is to give each horse instructions and not let them do what the horse beside him does; otherwise you may lose control of the team.
Since we aren't horses and we can think what to do, we shouldn't wear blinders. Sometimes while looking for the solution to a problem, we become one track minded that we don't go looking elsewhere for the answer. Sometimes it's best to take off the blinders, sit down, drink a cup of coffee, and forget the problem. Sometimes the solution will come to you when you least expect it.
When you think you've run out of ideas on finding a solution to a problem, sit the problem aside and do something else, maybe even sleep on it. That's when I come up with the solutions to a lot of my problems. Don't wear yourself out going down the same road, only to find that it is the same dead end. Look in all directions, or the new saying is "Think outside the box".
Ken Harris WA8LLM
Wood County WV
WV ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
WV ARES District 3 Emergency Coordinator