I Pick “c”

Written By: Dr. Rich Houston, Director of the Culverhouse School of Accountancy

• In class last week, I heard my own voice inside my left ear when I talked. To escape it, I moved 10 feet to my right. That bright idea didn’t work, but the Afrin did.
• Last Friday, the word “Thanks” appeared on the touch screen payment machine at CVS when I paid for my prescriptions. Why no exclamation point, let alone any punctuation? Did I do or say something wrong? Much to my chagrin, like many others, I’m apparently very needy when it comes to “!”

• Arrived in class Thursday morning and my workstation seemed awry. I couldn’t decide whether to move the chair up or the table down to unaskew it (Gesundheit). For the record, I chose to leave the chair as is and lower the table, in part because I like the mechanical noise that results from pressing the buttons.
• It’s so much easier to prepare on a timely basis than to catch up, but it can be done if you’re truly committed to attaining a goal.
• Putting yourself down can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, give yourself more credit and invest in treating yourself better. Although this strategy’s returns might vary on a day-to-day basis, you’ll find the long-term trend to be positive.
• Sometimes all it takes is for someone to believe in you. Ideally, that someone is you.
• Someone shared this with me, and I told him to consider it borrowed. When things seem to be going haywire, realize that “life is in session.”
• We had a high-profile visitor this week who was quite impressed that those who attended her talks did not use their phones. Is it too much to hope that “off is the new on?” In any case, thank you for representing us so well.
• ?I saw someone wearing this t-shirt at one of the talks:

• After learning that there’s enough venom in one puffer fish to kill 30 people, I decided that in many ways stress is a privilege. Not all stress, but a manageable amount of the kind inherent in situations that allow you to demonstrate that you’re capable of more than you imagined.
• Someone said this the other day and I found it to be quite deep, for reasons having nothing to do with milk: “If you wait long enough, someone will bring you cookies.”
• Just because people my age didn’t do what we advise you to do when we were your age does not mean we’re wrong. More likely, it means that we regret not having done better then in ways that you can now.

• To my surprise, I had tears running down my face for about 10 minutes after UA defeated Clemson. Perhaps it’s because the outcome was motivational, moving, and seemed to come at exactly the right time. I don’t know how we’ll do against UConn, but stranger things have happened.
• Perfection certainly is not a necessary condition for success, but seeking to consistently improve is. And don’t forget that improvement is not always measurable by a score.
• Some great moments related to Exam 2. The person who said, “I’m staying in the class, I’m going to do it,” showing that gaining confidence is a journey worth taking. The person whose score increased from a 27 to a 90, all with cheer and positivity, showing that all things are possible. The person whose grade improved by over 50%, showing that exhibiting consistently hard work and strong focus can become learned behavior.
• I can’t remember who I was talking to or exactly what we were talking about, but the point of the conversation was that people who succeed are those who “turn opportunity into action.” As an aside, the extent to which many of you use your actions to benefit others is quite inspiring.
• I read an article about a famous comedian who lived a turbulent life and never fulfilled his potential. I found this observation quite powerful: “He sinned against his talent.” If someone can say the same about you, please alter your path so that they no longer can. As a wise man said—"when you come to the fork in the road, take it.”?
• The following is something I normally wouldn’t notice, but it made me think of a lot of you:

• As an aside, I don’t agree with the implication that you should try to “be somebody” primarily to show others that you can. Rather, it’s yourself you should aim to impress.
• This may contradict what I just said, but then again perhaps not. Try to see yourself through other peoples’ eyes. It’s possible you’ll identify things that you should be doing but aren’t and / or things that you are doing but shouldn’t be.
• Someone once said to me that Spring in Alabama is too often ephemeral.

• Many things seem to end too early, so do your best to heed the unspoken advice of dogs and live in the moment. If for you this advice is not unspoken, watch a horse named Mr. Ed ruin Clint Eastwood’s afternoon.
• Make today the day that you don your big boy or girl sneakers and work out how to ensure that you make your way to the semester’s finish line at your best. I will if you will.

• I intended to be done after the prior point, but it didn’t feel quite right. So, here’s an alternative ending, in the form of a multiple-choice test. You be the judge. I like c.

a. They’ve learned to feign interest until the cheese platters come out.

b.? And then we trap them in the gift shop.

c.? They’re not looking for a way out. They’re looking for meaning.

d. They just look. They never buy.