Blog tag…

So Mary tagged me this morning and since I am a sheep (at least where Mary is concerned) I’m going to play along. Here are the rules: “by the rules of the game, I have to tell you six random things about myself and then go and tag six more people.”

So… um… good heavens, this is difficult.

1. I am a die hard, long time Kate Bush fan.
2. I have visited three of the four corners of the continental United States (haven’t visited Maine… yet).
3. My favorite foods are (in no particular order) pizza, popcorn, steak and potatoes, green salad, and nachos.
4. My ‘minor’ at university was an Area of Studies in Classical History, which required me to take two years of latin.
5. I like to build and repair computers for free but I don’t do it much any more.
6. I read a lot – almost exclusively science fiction and fantasy – and collect hard cover first editions of the same

So, I’m tagging the following fine individuals:

Lisa, Molly, Seth, Dimples 🙂, Risha, Jeff.

Now, post!

p.s. I originally had Beth as one of my tags until I realized that she had already been tagged. The name change threw me off, Mary!

Constructive Criticism

After nearly forty years, I have figured out what frustrates me. Well, not everything but a big one.

It has to do with criticism. Now, there is this concept of ‘constructive criticism’ that, by the label, should be constructive. Encouraging.

Now, here is my little idiosyncrasy – if you offer the negative first, I won’t be listening when you get to the positive or ‘constructive’ bits. Here is an example.

Suppose that I’ve cut the grass too low and you don’t like it. If you tell me how much I’ve screwed up, how awful it looks, and how it is going to take weeks to recover BEFORE you suggest that next time I leave it a bit longer, I’m going to have tuned you out long before you get to the suggestion. Nothing personal, but I don’t take negative bits except as a personal attack, even if it is not meant as such.

Now, if you change the way you approach me and suggest that I leave it a bit longer and then present the reasons (it looks bad, it’s bad for the grass, etc.) I’m going to focus on the good bits first and then understand that you are trying to help. I may even think of some other bits that you might be able to help with because I realize that you are trying to help me, not attack me.

It is worse if I know someone and I know that they aren’t trying attack me… my head says concentrate on the constructive bits and my instinct is to ball up my fist and punch them in the nose. Talk about stress…

It’s petty. It’s childish. It’s who I am.

Now you know.

Google Calendar

Google Calendar

Yep, that’s right – it appears to be finally available! I’m keen on this; it has been a very long few months waiting for it to be ready.

Now, to explore!

Structured Procrastination

Structured Procrastination

Structured procrastination means shaping the structure of the tasks one has to do in a way that exploits this fact. The list of tasks one has in mind will be ordered by importance. Tasks that seem most urgent and important are on top. But there are also worthwhile tasks to perform lower down on the list. Doing these tasks becomes a way of not doing the things higher up on the list. With this sort of appropriate task structure, the procrastinator becomes a useful citizen. Indeed, the procrastinator can even acquire, as I have, a reputation for getting a lot done.

I think I have found a guiding light. More study needed but… how did I miss this for 11 years?!