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| | Posted on Wednesday, September 22, 2010 - 07:13 am: |    |
100922
WHO/WHAT SURVIVES?
by Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT
Cincinnati, OH
In this world of ours, there are hundreds of thousands of things that survive-- many of them, over and over again.
Of the survivors, quite a few are rigid and strong-- they really endure to survive. Some are so very delicate and fragile-- they hide or recluse themselves to survive. Others are deceptive or misleading in appearance-- they survive by pure guile. Yet others rely on strong will and an ability to adapt to survive. All of them though, travel through adversity or have circumstances put upon them that are adverse, threatening, nasty, irritating, hurtful, dangerous, and just plain barely endurable. But they survive.
To cite a few examples: evergreen trees, bears, perennial flowers, birds, fish, paint, brick, automobiles, abandoned babies; the homeless; emergency personnel; troops in armed forces; disaster victims; failures; those in bankruptcy; crime victims; the lonely, ill and elderly; those without family or friends; those impaired in any ways a family or person who lost a loved one, or was abandoned; accident victims who survive on rain water dripping through a broken windshield; spiders; chameleons;.
In all of these examples there is a common thread-- the will to survive! A drive to continue on, to live, even if with only the most meager thread of hope. Be the survivor human, animal, or something else, either by instinct or design there is survival—or the tenacious will to simply do whatever it takes. Is it proper, then to say that specifications writers are “survivors”?
So often—in fact, TOO often—faced with misconceptions, disrespect, lack of understanding, short-shift and such misnomers as “necessary evils”, spec writers simply must endure and survive, despite all else around them. It is an almost silly existence in that so many see so little value, but others do see the fundamental value and necessary existence. If ever there was a silent majority it is those that will openly support specifications writing, and give full due to those who produce them.
The shame is that this silence has become pervasive, and has permitted a totally unfounded misconception to well up into almost common knowledge. Instead of trying to provide minimal support [heaven forbid any one will ever bally-hoo] for specs, and spec writers, the new and seemingly growing attitude is ignore them, deny their existence and value, and hope they disappear by attrition.
Why else would a major corporation express a desire to “quit using specifications for projects” and just use their engineering standards? How does an organization that is fully capable of knowing the best of the best yet seeks to reduce the very documentation that has saved its skin on numerous occasions [more than likely] in the past? Oh, the protestations to reduce the beloved bottom line for professional services, in a manner much like saying, “Oh, we don’t really need a windshield, we can just put our hands up in front of our face!” [or hide our face below the dashboard]
In this instance, as in many others of similar intent, there is a distinct need for an uprising, not as a coup, but as an aggressive outreaching to explain, educate, intercede, and provide accurate and directed information about specifications, and their writers. This effort will come from NO other place than the writers themselves, combined into a joined voice, professing a common theme, loudly, widely, and openly to new venues; to new ears; to very young ears!; to old cronies; and from “mom and pop” outfits to major corporate boards.
This, of course, cannot come off as a chest-thumping, narcisstic venture, but one of highly professional demeanor, with well crafted thoughts and words-- not pompous, but so very realistic, clear and decisive that no one is able to challenge the effort.
Look around-- there is an absolutely amazing array of knowledge, experience, insight, intelligence and skill among spec writers! No reason to be shy-- and certainly no spec writer is interested in self-glorification-- true is true!
Maybe this effort is epitomized by the Iditarod race, where the dogs dig and dig and dig along in the most adversity conditions, but knowing full well they are doing their assigned work, and the reward at the end is worth the daily stress, strain, and effort.
Put on you galoshes, your muffler, and gloves, ye dogged of specifications-- Damn the tundra, full speed ahead! [mush?] |
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