A Healthy Perspective on Life
During a recent conversation with my son I spent time trying to explain what it means to have perspective. In some ways it is a relatively sophisticated conversation to have with an 8.5 year-old. And yes, that half year is quite important to him, so I have to include it.
Anyway, I tried to explain that sometimes when you feel very strongly about something it can affect your decisions. I told him that this is why we have to be careful when we are angry or upset. We talked about how when you feel a certain way it is easy to say or do things that we might not be happy with later on.
He asked me if I was proud of everything that I have done in my life and I gave him an honest answer. No, there are some things that I have done that were wrong and I am not proud of them. But I told him that this doesn't mean that we have to be forever guilty of these actions.
And I told him that some times life is not black and white and you find yourself involved in situations you never could have imagined yourself being in. And that sometimes these experiences offered you access to life lessons that were very valuable.
Even though he is an old man of 8.5 I was careful to only provide as much as he needed to know. But I have to give him credit for pressing me to give him more information about what it means to say that life isn't always black and white. I love that he is so interested in learning more.
Clearly I am biased, but I was impressed when he took that information and told me that killing someone who was trying to kill a member of our family was ok.
As the conversation meandered we discussed failure again. It seems that one of the television shows the watches made a big deal out of it and he was very concerned with trying to find out what it means and how to avoid it.
I looked him in the eye and told him that there were things that I have failed at. A very sad look came across his face, he was clearly upset by this. So I did my best to make him feel better.
There is a difference between being a failure and failing. I want him to do his best at everything he tries, but I don't want him to be afraid to try because of a fear of failure. So I told him that I had more respect for the person who makes an attempt and fails than the person who do not. I believe in Teddy Roosevelt's position quote:
Anyway, I tried to explain that sometimes when you feel very strongly about something it can affect your decisions. I told him that this is why we have to be careful when we are angry or upset. We talked about how when you feel a certain way it is easy to say or do things that we might not be happy with later on.
He asked me if I was proud of everything that I have done in my life and I gave him an honest answer. No, there are some things that I have done that were wrong and I am not proud of them. But I told him that this doesn't mean that we have to be forever guilty of these actions.
And I told him that some times life is not black and white and you find yourself involved in situations you never could have imagined yourself being in. And that sometimes these experiences offered you access to life lessons that were very valuable.
Even though he is an old man of 8.5 I was careful to only provide as much as he needed to know. But I have to give him credit for pressing me to give him more information about what it means to say that life isn't always black and white. I love that he is so interested in learning more.
Clearly I am biased, but I was impressed when he took that information and told me that killing someone who was trying to kill a member of our family was ok.
As the conversation meandered we discussed failure again. It seems that one of the television shows the watches made a big deal out of it and he was very concerned with trying to find out what it means and how to avoid it.
I looked him in the eye and told him that there were things that I have failed at. A very sad look came across his face, he was clearly upset by this. So I did my best to make him feel better.
There is a difference between being a failure and failing. I want him to do his best at everything he tries, but I don't want him to be afraid to try because of a fear of failure. So I told him that I had more respect for the person who makes an attempt and fails than the person who do not. I believe in Teddy Roosevelt's position quote:
“Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checked by failure...than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”I suppose that it is part of why I don't just give in or give up, but that is a post for a different time.
The Fail Blog
Spent a few moments here and there sifting through the Fail Blog and readily admit to laughing at some of what I saw there. But I find myself torn about it because I am troubled by some of it.
Thanks to the wonders of modern technology our greatest and worst moments can be forever immortalized. It is the kind double edged sword that troubles me because I know how badly I feel when I am embarrassed. Those sorts of moments stay with me, I am not always good about letting go of them.
So I have to ask myself what am I doing reading this blog. Am I being hypocritical or just finding another way to blow off steam. Maybe it is a little of both.
Thanks to the wonders of modern technology our greatest and worst moments can be forever immortalized. It is the kind double edged sword that troubles me because I know how badly I feel when I am embarrassed. Those sorts of moments stay with me, I am not always good about letting go of them.
So I have to ask myself what am I doing reading this blog. Am I being hypocritical or just finding another way to blow off steam. Maybe it is a little of both.
What Song is This From?
Does anyone recognize this? Don't all raise your hands at once.
Don't look so sad
It's not so bad you know
It's just another night
That's all it is.
It's not the first
It's not the worst you know
We've come through all the rest
We'll get through this...
Job Listings
I find myself wondering about many things. One of them has to do with a line I have seen many times in various job listings. Essentially it says that they are looking for applicants that are trustworthy.
Isn't that self evident. It seems to me that no one wants to hire someone who isn't trustworthy, unless they want to commit some sort of insurance fraud. In that case that might work out for them. Find someone untrustworthy who can burn down the store so that insurance money can be collected.
Kind of a silly thing if you ask me. But then again I find many job listings to be exceptionally silly and quite dull. It makes for good reading material if you have insomnia.
the candidate we are searching for should be better than the son of god. He/she has more than 1,98,720 hours of experience at all double o filing, is an expert in is0 6000 can quote Osha regulations with regularity and is willing to provide processing reports in multiple languages.
In addition the candidate will bring vast amounts of experience in filing stampy and procurement reports, can change light fixtures and is a team player who can work independently while simultaneously making the team look good.
Blah, blah, blah.
It is kind of ridiculous to see how much crap gets shoveled into these listings, really makes me wonder if the person who wrote it gets paid by the letter.
Isn't that self evident. It seems to me that no one wants to hire someone who isn't trustworthy, unless they want to commit some sort of insurance fraud. In that case that might work out for them. Find someone untrustworthy who can burn down the store so that insurance money can be collected.
Kind of a silly thing if you ask me. But then again I find many job listings to be exceptionally silly and quite dull. It makes for good reading material if you have insomnia.
the candidate we are searching for should be better than the son of god. He/she has more than 1,98,720 hours of experience at all double o filing, is an expert in is0 6000 can quote Osha regulations with regularity and is willing to provide processing reports in multiple languages.
In addition the candidate will bring vast amounts of experience in filing stampy and procurement reports, can change light fixtures and is a team player who can work independently while simultaneously making the team look good.
Blah, blah, blah.
It is kind of ridiculous to see how much crap gets shoveled into these listings, really makes me wonder if the person who wrote it gets paid by the letter.
Caller ID- How Did We Ever Live Without It
The beauty of insomnia is that it presents you with great opportunities to ponder the really important questions of life. Instead of lying in bed wondering if you were played for the fool or working on a plot to take over the world you can focus on key issues like why cleveland will never win a championship in anything.
But if you are me you have already figured that stuff out so you move on to the great philosophical questions of our time and with laser precision wonder how life without Caller ID was possible. If you are of a certain age you remember a time when few people had answering machines, call waiting didn't exist and conference calling was limited to business.
And now all of those things are commonplace and expected to be part of regular phone service. Heck, long distance telephone calls are think of the past. You don't have MCI, Sprint or Ma Bell trying to convince you that their long distance service is superior any more.
Anyhoo, as those sheep went soaring over my head and across the room I thought about Caller ID and and the famous Star 69/*69 function. You know *69, that is the one that dials the last number to call your phone. I used to hate that one.
You see when I try calling someone I don't always leave a message. Sometimes people dial me back immediately and ask what I wanted. But the truth is that I really didn't want anything special. I was just calling to say hi and when they didn't answer I didn't feel like speaking to the mechanical silence of their greeting.
So every now and then I'll get a call back and we'll go through this silly exercise:
Caller: Did you just call me?
Jack: I did.
Caller: You didn't leave a message
Jack: I know.
Caller: Did you just call me?
Jack: I did.
Caller: Why didn't you leave a message?
Jack: It wasn't that important.
Caller: So why did you call?
Jack: I thought that we might catch up, been a while since we last spoke.
Caller: So why didn't you leave a message?
Jack: I just told you why.
Caller: How are we supposed to catch up if you don't leave a message?
Jack: I don't know, does Western Union still exist.
Caller: I am serious.
Jack: So am I.
Caller: But why didn't you leave a message?
Jack: It is one of the great mysteries of the universe like why would you live with a Dutch muppet.
Caller: That doesn't make any sense.
Jack: This conversation doesn't make any sense.
Caller: Why can't you answer the question?
Jack: For the same reason that I can't stop and ask for directions, because.
Caller: Now I am getting angry, don't be like this. Please answer.
Jack: I did answer, but you didn't like what I said.
Caller: No, you didn't answer.
Jack: How did a simple telephone call turn into a fight.
Caller: If you'd answer the question we wouldn't be fighting.
Jack: And if you had a penis you'd be a man or a wonder of science. I could market you on eBay and we'd be rich.
Caller: Now I am definitely angry
Jack: Don't be, penis envy is really unbecoming. Besides you have no idea about how much trouble these things can be.
Caller: Some people might find that funny, but I don't.
Jack: Have I ever told you that you are the most beautiful woman in the world.
Caller: Many times.
Jack: What an ego.
Caller: You always say that if it is true than it is not bragging.
Jack: Good to see that you listen to some of the things I said. Now how about listening to me now.
Caller: I will, just tell me why you called.
Jack: Fine. I called to say that it has been far too long since have spoken, but you are off doing your thing and I tried to respect that. Since you turned my world upside down I can't figure out how to turn it right side up. But I am not about to beg. You know how to find me. If you miss me, you'll do the right thing. Besides, you are madly in love with me and until you accept that you are going to go off half cocked.
Caller: What the hell does that mean?
Jack: It means that I just accused you of having penis envy again, not to mention said that you are short, illogical and crazy. And I already answered virtually every question you have.
Caller: Sometimes I...
Jack: Not sometimes, all of the time, but I won't hold that against you. Me, I'll hold against you, but that other thing, not so much.
Caller: Don't you understand I...
Jack: I understand it all. I just don't accept nonsensical answers. But let's move beyond that, have I told you how much I dislike the star 69 function.
And from there we progressed into a discussion about Caller ID. I said that I used to dislike it. My fragile male ego didn't like the idea of people screening their calls. What do you mean you don't want to speak to me.
However, over time it has grown on me and now I find that I really like it. This also explains why I need to go to Costco to return the phones I purchased from there. Or actually it offers a partial explanation of why I am going there.
The full explanation is that the Caller ID function on the telephone no longer works. So while twenty years ago I wouldn't have thought twice about who is calling, now I am irritated. Yet another example of how technology has improved my life right into more frustration.
Coming soon, my rant about the Betamax and why the D.H. is an abomination.
But if you are me you have already figured that stuff out so you move on to the great philosophical questions of our time and with laser precision wonder how life without Caller ID was possible. If you are of a certain age you remember a time when few people had answering machines, call waiting didn't exist and conference calling was limited to business.
And now all of those things are commonplace and expected to be part of regular phone service. Heck, long distance telephone calls are think of the past. You don't have MCI, Sprint or Ma Bell trying to convince you that their long distance service is superior any more.
Anyhoo, as those sheep went soaring over my head and across the room I thought about Caller ID and and the famous Star 69/*69 function. You know *69, that is the one that dials the last number to call your phone. I used to hate that one.
You see when I try calling someone I don't always leave a message. Sometimes people dial me back immediately and ask what I wanted. But the truth is that I really didn't want anything special. I was just calling to say hi and when they didn't answer I didn't feel like speaking to the mechanical silence of their greeting.
So every now and then I'll get a call back and we'll go through this silly exercise:
Caller: Did you just call me?
Jack: I did.
Caller: You didn't leave a message
Jack: I know.
Caller: Did you just call me?
Jack: I did.
Caller: Why didn't you leave a message?
Jack: It wasn't that important.
Caller: So why did you call?
Jack: I thought that we might catch up, been a while since we last spoke.
Caller: So why didn't you leave a message?
Jack: I just told you why.
Caller: How are we supposed to catch up if you don't leave a message?
Jack: I don't know, does Western Union still exist.
Caller: I am serious.
Jack: So am I.
Caller: But why didn't you leave a message?
Jack: It is one of the great mysteries of the universe like why would you live with a Dutch muppet.
Caller: That doesn't make any sense.
Jack: This conversation doesn't make any sense.
Caller: Why can't you answer the question?
Jack: For the same reason that I can't stop and ask for directions, because.
Caller: Now I am getting angry, don't be like this. Please answer.
Jack: I did answer, but you didn't like what I said.
Caller: No, you didn't answer.
Jack: How did a simple telephone call turn into a fight.
Caller: If you'd answer the question we wouldn't be fighting.
Jack: And if you had a penis you'd be a man or a wonder of science. I could market you on eBay and we'd be rich.
Caller: Now I am definitely angry
Jack: Don't be, penis envy is really unbecoming. Besides you have no idea about how much trouble these things can be.
Caller: Some people might find that funny, but I don't.
Jack: Have I ever told you that you are the most beautiful woman in the world.
Caller: Many times.
Jack: What an ego.
Caller: You always say that if it is true than it is not bragging.
Jack: Good to see that you listen to some of the things I said. Now how about listening to me now.
Caller: I will, just tell me why you called.
Jack: Fine. I called to say that it has been far too long since have spoken, but you are off doing your thing and I tried to respect that. Since you turned my world upside down I can't figure out how to turn it right side up. But I am not about to beg. You know how to find me. If you miss me, you'll do the right thing. Besides, you are madly in love with me and until you accept that you are going to go off half cocked.
Caller: What the hell does that mean?
Jack: It means that I just accused you of having penis envy again, not to mention said that you are short, illogical and crazy. And I already answered virtually every question you have.
Caller: Sometimes I...
Jack: Not sometimes, all of the time, but I won't hold that against you. Me, I'll hold against you, but that other thing, not so much.
Caller: Don't you understand I...
Jack: I understand it all. I just don't accept nonsensical answers. But let's move beyond that, have I told you how much I dislike the star 69 function.
And from there we progressed into a discussion about Caller ID. I said that I used to dislike it. My fragile male ego didn't like the idea of people screening their calls. What do you mean you don't want to speak to me.
However, over time it has grown on me and now I find that I really like it. This also explains why I need to go to Costco to return the phones I purchased from there. Or actually it offers a partial explanation of why I am going there.
The full explanation is that the Caller ID function on the telephone no longer works. So while twenty years ago I wouldn't have thought twice about who is calling, now I am irritated. Yet another example of how technology has improved my life right into more frustration.
Coming soon, my rant about the Betamax and why the D.H. is an abomination.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)