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> It was so difficult to accomplish even basic things because our experiences were so different that we didn't have common ground to work from. I am curious wh

> It was so difficult to accomplish even basic things because our experiences were so different that we didn't have common ground to work from. I am curious what kind of work this was, if you can share. I had a lot of difficulty in the past when working in situations where there was "life-experience" context to the problem space that was not shared by the whole team. But we had to get the job done so we worked around it. I think in the end the need to be more explicit, to provide more context and to work towards abstract descriptions of problems was also a positive. When life gives you lemons and all that.

brennebeck 8y ago
Sure, you try to make lemonade. That doesn’t mean it will be a success.
- canthonytucci 8y ago
  Have you seen Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back? I've never heard "try to make lemonade" only "make lemonade" In my experience difficult problems can be solved if people keep a good attitude and are invested in making things work, even when success seems unlikely. But sometimes you will fail. I was interested to know what sort of problem space the parent had their bad experience in, and to hear more about how things didn't work out. I don't doubt that there are domains where a "can do attitude" will not cut it.
  - brennebeck 8y ago
    Yes, I have. One of my favorites, actually. And definitely nobody says, “try to make lemonade...”. That goes against the saying, I agree. My point was just that even when you take the “when life gives you lemons” approach sometimes you won’t be getting that lemonade after all. As such, I also didn’t think it to be the best phrase for what (I thought) you were trying to convey. I agree with your reply, 100%. Thinking a bit more as I write this, I may be wrong above (in this reply; about the wrong phrase) and it is, in fact, the best idiom. Not sure. But now I’m definitely on the fence, at least (compared to above, where I was on one side of the fence).

brennebeck 8y ago

Sure, you try to make lemonade. That doesn’t mean it will be a success.

canthonytucci 8y ago
Have you seen Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back? I've never heard "try to make lemonade" only "make lemonade" In my experience difficult problems can be solved if people keep a good attitude and are invested in making things work, even when success seems unlikely. But sometimes you will fail. I was interested to know what sort of problem space the parent had their bad experience in, and to hear more about how things didn't work out. I don't doubt that there are domains where a "can do attitude" will not cut it.
- brennebeck 8y ago
  Yes, I have. One of my favorites, actually. And definitely nobody says, “try to make lemonade...”. That goes against the saying, I agree. My point was just that even when you take the “when life gives you lemons” approach sometimes you won’t be getting that lemonade after all. As such, I also didn’t think it to be the best phrase for what (I thought) you were trying to convey. I agree with your reply, 100%. Thinking a bit more as I write this, I may be wrong above (in this reply; about the wrong phrase) and it is, in fact, the best idiom. Not sure. But now I’m definitely on the fence, at least (compared to above, where I was on one side of the fence).