2005
strange feelings as 2005 starts...Doug and Sher are here, we went out for a bit but came home early. Our roof isn't holding up very well under all this rain but it seems a bit inappropriate to complain given that I still have a roof.
Really, the need to wall off time irritates me. I understand the necessity of having names for days etc, and that carries through to years too, but I don't really see the need to celebrate Mondays, so why Januarys (Januaries?)? I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade but I'm a bit irritated with the importance some folks put on it (resolutions, auld lang sang et al.). I can understand celebrating solstices etc from an agrarian perspective (or from a creation story perspective) but I'm a bit with the farmer's on this one, irritated that city folk need more hours of sunlight in the "evening" rather than just getting to work earlier.
So here are my "resolutions" by which I mean, I've noticed I've started to do these things recently and I'm making an effort to do them regularly, new years be damned:
1) I am holding you to it. You agreed to rent me a place that didn't have leaks, fix the leaks. You agreed to have brunch have brunch. You agreed to obey the law, obey the law. I'm not forgiving people for that kind of crap anymore. If that means we don't go out for brunch so be it, if that means I alienate you by documenting and publicizing your violation of the law tough shit, if that means you're bummed that you're in court for breach of contract I've got no pitty for you.
2) Just do it. How's that for a cliche. Take the time off. Work late because it needs to get done now, not tomorrow. If you can make it happen, make it happen. I've started to realize that some 30+ years down the road I'm capable of making the right decisions without wasting too much time thinking about them. More and more I've noticed I just call and say "This is what is going to happen" rather than "is it okay if this happens?" Clearly this requires balance and respect but it really boils down to being comfortable making executive decisions and frankly, I am.
3) Be sensitive to where other people come from. Politics is politics, but rarely will you find someone that doesn't have an intellectual foundation for their position (oh, but they do exist). Crass and dismissive statements based on your assumptions are a sure sign you aren't willing to find common ground and you're left with a strictly machiavellian position (which is the only position that those without an intellectual foundation can have). Be aware of your assumptions, and be aware of how others might see them even though you don't see them that way.
What does all this mean? nothing really, again, these aren't resolutions for the new year, they're just things I've recently noticed that I think are good and worthy of reinforcement. plus of course you've been warned.
Happy January(ie)s.
Really, the need to wall off time irritates me. I understand the necessity of having names for days etc, and that carries through to years too, but I don't really see the need to celebrate Mondays, so why Januarys (Januaries?)? I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade but I'm a bit irritated with the importance some folks put on it (resolutions, auld lang sang et al.). I can understand celebrating solstices etc from an agrarian perspective (or from a creation story perspective) but I'm a bit with the farmer's on this one, irritated that city folk need more hours of sunlight in the "evening" rather than just getting to work earlier.
So here are my "resolutions" by which I mean, I've noticed I've started to do these things recently and I'm making an effort to do them regularly, new years be damned:
1) I am holding you to it. You agreed to rent me a place that didn't have leaks, fix the leaks. You agreed to have brunch have brunch. You agreed to obey the law, obey the law. I'm not forgiving people for that kind of crap anymore. If that means we don't go out for brunch so be it, if that means I alienate you by documenting and publicizing your violation of the law tough shit, if that means you're bummed that you're in court for breach of contract I've got no pitty for you.
2) Just do it. How's that for a cliche. Take the time off. Work late because it needs to get done now, not tomorrow. If you can make it happen, make it happen. I've started to realize that some 30+ years down the road I'm capable of making the right decisions without wasting too much time thinking about them. More and more I've noticed I just call and say "This is what is going to happen" rather than "is it okay if this happens?" Clearly this requires balance and respect but it really boils down to being comfortable making executive decisions and frankly, I am.
3) Be sensitive to where other people come from. Politics is politics, but rarely will you find someone that doesn't have an intellectual foundation for their position (oh, but they do exist). Crass and dismissive statements based on your assumptions are a sure sign you aren't willing to find common ground and you're left with a strictly machiavellian position (which is the only position that those without an intellectual foundation can have). Be aware of your assumptions, and be aware of how others might see them even though you don't see them that way.
What does all this mean? nothing really, again, these aren't resolutions for the new year, they're just things I've recently noticed that I think are good and worthy of reinforcement. plus of course you've been warned.
Happy January(ie)s.
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