the six things meme, again
The lovely, the kind, the adorable Jennifer, tagged me for the six things meme.
And, yes, I've done the six things meme, and yes, you probably know everything there is to know about me - but I heart Jennifer and I'm going to do it again.
Here we go:
1. I, suddenly, have greasy patches, on my forehead. Fortunately, I was gifted a packet of blotting papers by Angie and they have proved invaluable and I am less shiny.
2. I wore clogs to work last Friday although it flies in the face of what I feel is appropriate footwear for the office, my feet were tired.
3. In much the same way I did when I was "at home" I have felt compelled to compliment strangers in town on their footwear or outfits. I cannot help myself, it's in my nature, and have startled and then pleased a few people each day by saying things like "nice shoes, skater girl" to a teenager on the subway.
4. I am learning to slow my pace. I know how long it takes the subway to go three stops to the train station in the evening and am less panicked about missing my train. This has gone a long way in easing my stress level.
5. My office computer system is set up to work with Macs or PC's. Most of the people with Macs sign into the network and use PC programs to plan calendars and meetings and send mail. I have tried and tried and tried to work in that system but find myself completely befuddled by it. I don't know any screen shortcuts, the fonts look all wrong to me and I just hate the page layouts. Hence, I work on a Mac in the Mac version of our network and there is not a perfectly seamless integration of information and I am forced to compensate for it. Only one employee has complained about this and I am sticking to my guns. If I had to switch into the PC network system I feel like I'd been starting from day one.
6. I'm an interrupter. In my excitement, because I know what people are talking about, I cut them off and interject. This was always dicey at home and it is no good in the office. I need to let people complete their thoughts and keep my damn mouth shut until I my reply is called for. I am making a concerted effort to shut up.
And, yes, I've done the six things meme, and yes, you probably know everything there is to know about me - but I heart Jennifer and I'm going to do it again.
Here we go:
1. I, suddenly, have greasy patches, on my forehead. Fortunately, I was gifted a packet of blotting papers by Angie and they have proved invaluable and I am less shiny.
2. I wore clogs to work last Friday although it flies in the face of what I feel is appropriate footwear for the office, my feet were tired.
3. In much the same way I did when I was "at home" I have felt compelled to compliment strangers in town on their footwear or outfits. I cannot help myself, it's in my nature, and have startled and then pleased a few people each day by saying things like "nice shoes, skater girl" to a teenager on the subway.
4. I am learning to slow my pace. I know how long it takes the subway to go three stops to the train station in the evening and am less panicked about missing my train. This has gone a long way in easing my stress level.
5. My office computer system is set up to work with Macs or PC's. Most of the people with Macs sign into the network and use PC programs to plan calendars and meetings and send mail. I have tried and tried and tried to work in that system but find myself completely befuddled by it. I don't know any screen shortcuts, the fonts look all wrong to me and I just hate the page layouts. Hence, I work on a Mac in the Mac version of our network and there is not a perfectly seamless integration of information and I am forced to compensate for it. Only one employee has complained about this and I am sticking to my guns. If I had to switch into the PC network system I feel like I'd been starting from day one.
6. I'm an interrupter. In my excitement, because I know what people are talking about, I cut them off and interject. This was always dicey at home and it is no good in the office. I need to let people complete their thoughts and keep my damn mouth shut until I my reply is called for. I am making a concerted effort to shut up.
Comments
I hope that your stress level is easing in other ways too...
My word verification is TRAMS. Maybe you need more trams in your commute?
Oh how it pains me to bite my tongue!
saying " nice shoes" to someone is iffy for me. Because it could mean so many things. I prefer to compliment with " I like your shoes" or " those are nice, where did you get them?"
The last one is hard for me to picture you like that. I guess it's because I have only every communicated with you over the internet where you say your bit, I say mine and then back again. :) I'm going to have to call you one of these days... I get free long distance to Tuvalu.
:)
I'm glad you figured out the train thing...little things can make such a difference.
I get odd greasy patches when I don't drink enough water. This happens often at work when you are sitting at a desk. And don't just use the blotting paper; remedy the cause, not the symptoms.
Not that your cause is the same as mine. I'm just suggesting.
OMG, my word verification is slagr. I think I've been insulted.
Never allow them speak in the firstplace.
Works for me.
You're welcome.
I wonder why? Maybe I am a good listener...
paola
WF: TRIPPER (wha???)
I even interrupt myself all the time I find... tangentially speaking, that is..like my word is filseca... hmmm sounds like it should be a mantra word. ommm ommmm filseca ommmm
As a kid, I was such a good listener, so polite... as an adult, I find myself cutting people off when I think I get what they're trying to say! Aaargh!
#6: It's easy to stop interrupting (or in my case, "helpfully" supplying a word) once your boss pauses and gives you a withering look during the staff meeting. I went cold turkey after that.
#2: Try not to do that again.
jbhat
And oh yeah - #6 for me too.
I find myself constantly apologising for interrupting!
I have gotten better with this but I find it so hard not to interrupt when I'm in a hurry. I have to learn to take deeper breaths.
That's not to say I'm not a good listener. But talking for 20 minutes with a co-worker about why she didn't choose a particuliar Dr because she didn't like how he dealt with insurance, Lord give me strength!
Email is much safer.
Not me. I'm somewhat on the keeping quiet side, unless it's my husband...then I let it all out. Poor guy. Or the internet...I do a helluva lot of chatting (IM, texting, whatev). And I do have some long blogposts here and there.
In fact, I've only read as far as badger and I'll have to go back and read the rest after I post this.
It's good to hear your voice - hope all is well.
I love that you compliment strangers. It's a kind of RAOK.
Funny, you never struck me as an interrupter. More the skulking around the periphery taking it all and then saying the most logical/profound/funny/relevant thing once all the minions have finished chasing their tails and pampering their egos.
I once worked for an organisation where the entire place operated on PCs except for the Graphic Design team - whose system never fully seamlessly integrated with ours, so you'd schedule meetings and they'd never turn up and so on and so forth. GOD it made my neck itch.
Hello friend!
P.S. Like Kim, I too compliment people because of you. I call it "blackbirding". For example, I will say to my husband when I am recounting my day "I blackbirded someone today" and then he interrupts me before I can continue, because he knows EXACTLY what I'm talking about.
It drives me bananas. BANANAS, I tell you!!
The danger in interrupting anyone is the presumption that you know what they are going to say. It's really annoying when people like my father assume they know what I am saying, but they are wrong because they're not even really listening.
Interrupting is so disrespectful, even if the other person seems to be taking FOREVER to get their words out. But it can take a lot of effort to not jump in...
WV: trated which makes me laugh for some reason.