Paul F was my boss many years ago when I first started. A lovely man, with a wicked sense of humour and a brain the size of a small star. Paul taught me many things, not least to refuse to accept ideas and jargon just because other folk did (however big and experienced they are).
Listening to him last night, reading and talking about his passion for poetry and how a bit more of both might influence what we do for a living (or at least how we think about it and thus approach it), I was struck by his quiet, deep and self-effacing wisdom. A lot of familiar ground appeared fresh and new - as if illuminated by a different light: creativity, ambivalence and the relative importance of originality and authorship all got recast.
Not sure what I really think on any of these now; nor do I think it's important to recite new insights (so I won't be waiting for Umberto's sleep-given sense-making). I think what I learned was to listen more - to listen to wise folk, whatever they are talking about.
Odd post to start the day, but hey ho...