• Coping strategy

    I have a bad memory. There are things that I have in place to overcome this failing, but like all things human they are not perfect. There is a certain couple that will be celebrating a wedding aniversary tomorrow, number four if I’m not mistaken. I offer this entry as an incredibly lame substitute for what will surely turn out to be another failure of my memory tomorrow. I could call, but I can’t right now and I may forget later. I could even put off this entry until tomorrow – the actual day of significance. No, one of those coping strategies is to act on something when you do remember. That would be now, however bad the timing may be.

    If you don’t know what I’m talking about then I’m not congratulating you. Not that you don’t have a good congratulating coming to you – I just don’t know about it.

  • Record straightening

    In the end, it was a good trip. Per usual, I was nervous being the outsider on that first day (as I’ve already explained). Some of my first impressions were not as good as I had hoped, but in hindsight I can’t discount the fact that my somewhat aloof manner contributed.

    The second day left me with much more favorable impressions. During the discussions I overcame my fear of speaking up, and spoke. Merely speaking is not really what distinguishes the two days for me. The difference was that I spoke with a greater degree of self confidence – with more self assurance. There were a few times my points were well received and there were others where they were not. What is important for me to remember is that this is how a discussion works. Adults talk about their thoughts and ideas. Sometimes folks agree and sometimes they don’t. Here’s the key: was everyone listening and did everyone give the ideas discussed their due consideration – based on the merits of the idea as they are presented? After day number two I am glad to say my answers to those questions are a resounding yes.

    Here’s the other thing, I’m usually uncomfortable judging folks with so little shared context. I feel a little bad about how I felt on Monday evening, particularly after Tuesday went so well. I guess it’s true what people say; nobody’s perfect.

    This entry has little use as entertainment or as catharsis, but I thought it important to post in light of Monday’s entries and my subsequent change of mind. Yes, even if precious few ever read either entry.

  • Satiated

    Dinner and a movie; sometimes that is all the difference between a day you were ready to forget and a day that doesn’t seem so bad after all. Next time you’re feeling the weight of woe just hop in your car, put on some good music, get something you like to eat, buy yourself a new little toy, and watch a good movie. (Just remember, when you’re out spending your money… don’t spend too much. We don’t want to make you feel better today at the expense of tomorrow.) When you’re done you may find that filling a few needs, both real and imagined, can get the ball rolling in the right direction. We all know that few minor glitches strung together can snowball into bad days, so why can’t the good stuff do the same?

    Or would that be the opposite?

    Do you you know what I mean?

    Do I?

    Don’t let me fool you. Vague sometimes sounds profound… and sometimes it’s just vague.