Today is Louise’s anniversary, her Alien Anniversary. She moved to the US four years ago today. Hooray! I thought she should celebrate by eating a cheeseburger or a hot dog, and then maybe some apple pie, drink some Coke. But instead she says she will celebrate the way she celebrates all things in life “by gorging myself on Chinese food.” Chinese food? That’s doesn’t sound terribly americanish. “It’s AMERICAN-Chinese food. No scary chicken feet type dishes.” I guess that’s ok, then.

This explains so much about my professional life. From the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One’s Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments

Justin Kruger and David Dunning

Department of Psychology

Cornell University

I apologize in advance, I got this link from a blog that was on the updated list at MovableType, but I can’t remember which one. So, everybody be aware, I did not stumble across this article all on my own. Despite my über valuable B.A. in Psychology, I rarely peruse the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Although, that might change, that article is golden. I can easily see myself muting the polycom during a conference call and saying, “it’s ok, ‘one of the… features of such incompetence that the person so afflicted is incapable of knowing that he is incompetent. ‘. He can’t help it.” And just knowing that will make it all better.

Speaking of aliens, Louise ditched me yesterday, she did not go to the book reading/signing. She decided to stay late and do her job and finish her Big Reports. Whatever. Personally, I think she was scared because she knew that her streak would bust, that this author would failed to be moved by her accent. She’s afraid to tarnish her winning record. It’s too bad, really. Because Robert Crais was very entertaining and a very very handsome man. She might have enjoyed having him under her Alien Scottish Spell. [or A.S.S as I just this minute decided to call it because I am just THAT brilliant.] But… we’ll never know.