Special Projects

I am involved in a special project at work, that involves getting information out to staff about a revised computer application system and the training for it... I had planned a day off from work October 1, 2010, which is the first day of training...

Mid-afternoon, the information about the training and the access to the training video became available... The training tracking roster issued to me was not usable, because it was not broken down by department.. So, I took some time to do that, and then, after I had finished my patient work, I took the time to watch the training video... I am bold enough to critique the video and submit unanswered questions the video caused me to have...I take this special project seriously and I hope I can meet the challenge.  

Pushing Deadlines

So many people that I know say that they do their best work against deadlines.  Although they may have plenty of lead time for whatever activity, or project, they wait until they are close to the deadline and finish the project. There are those who would say that when faced with a deadline, the adrenaline rush helps them to complete the project.

I have to wonder about that... I do not like to work against deadlines, although, at one time in my life, I was an "adrenaline junkie."  Now, I like plenty of time to complete tasks and projects. I like to have time to plan things, and schedule things, and do things ahead of time. I like to review what I have done, and check things out, and make sure things are okay... I like to be satisfied with what I have done.

Even when I have "emergent" situations at work, I have models, and past experiences to fall back on that give me plans for handling such situations... I am glad for that...I like to plan ahead, be prepared, and be ready for whatever contingencies may occur.

Cat Food Part Two

Well, I went to a class tonight. Before the class, I went home and fed the cats.  When I got home from class, Haiku was waiting at the garage door, to go into the garage...I did not realize it, and tried to close the garage door, but not too hard, and felt Haiku in it, so let her into the garage. She did not stay long, and has been in and out since.

But, in the house, the dish containing the "indoor" cat food that I poured out for Haiku was not on the newspaper where I put it... It had been moved to the middle of the floor, and Sake was guarding not only it, but the entire eating area...

So, when I let Haiku back into the house, I moved the dish of "indoor" cat food onto the bed, where Haiku gets other treats...She ate for quite a while before she wanted back into the garage.

Keeping everyone happy is hard...

This tells me there is strife between my cats, but we do the best we can.

Changing Routines

I am nothing if not a creature of habit... Especially in the morning, when I am getting ready to go to work... I do certain things without even thinking about it, and then go to work...

But, because of several circumstances, I have had occasion to change my routine the last few weeks.  It really messes me up, because somethings I do routinely that I am unaware of doing, then wonder if I did it or not.

There have been multiple occasions when I have returned home either not yet getting to work, or after I have been at work for a while, to check on the house, and be sure that I have done what needed doing.

So, now, when I back the vehicle out of the garage, I sit in the driveway and review my lock up procedure.  That way, I can go back into the house to double check everything before I leave...And, I sit in the driveway and watch the garage door go down, to be sure it does go down, and does not bounce back up....

The Seventh Inning Stretch

I am sure I have written about this before, but watching New York Yankee baseball always brings this to mind:  the seventh inning stretch.

As a salute to America, the weekend baseball games of Major League Baseball include a rendition of "God Bless America" during the seventh inning stretch. Many of the television stations that televise these games show this...

At Yankee Stadium in New York City, "God Bless America" is performed during every seventh inning stretch.

It is good that "America's Pastime" salutes America in such a patriotic, respectful way...

Cat Food

Today, I opened a new bag of dry "indoor" cat food.  I had tried a different brand than the first one I tried, and while it was more expensive, the girls did not seem to care for it as much, and it took forever to work their way through the bag. So, the kind I bought was the first brand that I had tried.

So, this morning, I put out some of the new bag, and Sake was very interested... Soon, Haiku appeared, waiting her turn, so I put a dish down for her...After a while, Sake decided to check out Haiku's dish... I stood their watching, and told Sake not to chase Haiku away...So, Sake walked off.

Hours later, no one was at the food center, and Sake walked up...She went directly to the dish of green food I put out for Haiku...hmmm...

Licorice Tea

As noted, I have taken to drinking more tea... And I am amazed at how many blends of tea contain licorice... Including, I have found an Egyptian licorice tea.

I like licorice.  Currently, licorice in America is not real licorice.  It is a gummy confection of various flavors.  Real licorice candy is different than what is sold in America.  Real licorice candy has real licorice in it, maybe aniseed oil, and may almost be bitter or salty.  As a child, my favorite uncle loved Old World licorice, and I developed the taste from him.  Sometimes, at gourmet candy stores, I can still find Old World licorice. And, I treat myself...

Tea

I have recently taken to drinking more tea, and am amazed at the varieties. I am more interested in herb teas which are infusions, not real tea.  I discovered herb teas while I was still in high school, and have enjoyed them on and off for years.

Tea is white, black, oolong, green, yellow and pekoe.  It comes from steeping leaves of the camillia sinensis plant.  My mother preferred tea to coffee, and I have sister who also prefers tea...When I am not feeling well in cold weather months, good strong hot tea is a staple of my self cure items.

There are also red teas, that are made from infusions from black tea, or teas made from the South African rooibos plant.  This is the famous red tea that is "bush tea" in The Number One Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith.

Tea is purportedly the second most popular drink in the world, second to water.

We all have heard about the English tradition of afternoon tea...It is a break for tea like some of us have a coffee break or a cigarette break... One article says high tea is really dinner http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/HighTeaHistory.htm and this same article breaks down other kinds of tea ceremonies.

Tea is an interesting drink, and can be calming, soothing, congenial. Tea is tea.

Family Reunions

As I was growing up, I recall that we went to several family functions over the years.  These were usually precipitated by a wedding, funeral, baptism or anniversary...They were generally interesting,sometimes fun, and loud, noisy, and involving food, alcoholic drinks for the adults, lots of music and lots of people.

When I moved to Texas, I learned that many, many families in this part of the world have family reunions.  Major family reunions.  I was amazed about these family reunions.  They could involve more than 100 people, even almost 300 people...Wow!

These family reunions may be held at hotels, church camps, summer camps, resorts, retreats, camping facilities. 

I was amazed at how well organized these reunions are:  There might be annuals or facebooks, with pictures of last year's reunion, or pictures of those folks expected to attend. Or, the reunion might produce a photo/memory book of the reunion.

The reunion might use the staff of the facility they are using for providing meals, housekeeping, so the participants are free to socialize.  They may have organized activities: games, dances, bingo, contests.

Some of the reunions will have things like hats, T shirts, tote bags to identify the participants and commemorate the event...

That is wonderful!

Articulating Ladder

I have what I thought was a reticulating ladder. But it is an articulating ladder: http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&rlz=1I7ADBF&nfpr=1&q=articulating+ladder&wrapid=tlif12851198210932&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=iF-ZTOr5HoG8lQeCl5gb&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CDUQrQQwAA
I have had this ladder for probably more than 15 years.  I have a love-hate relationship with this ladder.  It is light.  It folds up and will fit in the trunk of a car.  It slides when you are on it easier than a regular ladder.  Sometimes, it is difficult to fold or unfold (the catches really do catch and do not want to release.)

I had occasion to use the ladder tonight.... It unfolded without a hitch. It stayed in place.  It folded as it should have.  I think this is the first time I have used this ladder with all things working as they should! 

Work Space vs Sleep Space

Because my cats like to sit on the computer desk and even the key board of the computer while I am computering, and because I sometimes like to eat while I computer, I have recently placed a TV tray to the right of my computer chair. 

Frequently, this TV tray is occupied by a cat:  Haiku, who likes to play drop and fetch, or Sake, who generally wants to be petted, or just wants to sleep near where I am.

Tonight, I had lots of paperwork business in conjunction with computer work...Haiku claimed the TV tray, hiding the papers I had spread out... I rescued the papers, and set up yet another TV tray behind my chair, so I could swivel in my chair and work on the TV tray, then turn back to the computer.  At one point, Haiku moved to this second TV tray...I told her to go back, in no uncertain terms, but not unkindly...She understood.

I try to be reasonable about how much space my cats claim where I am trying to work... But I do insist I have enough room to work!

Keeping Up With Everything

I have mentioned before that folks seem to be amazed at my organizational skills.  I am amazed by their amazement.  But, I do work hard to "keep up" with everything.  I use every trick I have ever heard:

I use reminders:  I used to have a central calendar and put everything on that... Now I use the calendars on my computer, at work and at home.  I send myself emails to remind myself to do things, or list things on my calendar.  I also call myself to leave messages so I will remember to do things. I use a commercial card sight reminder service to help me keep up with birthdays.

If an electronic account that I have offers a reminder service, I use it:  Bills due, amounts over threshold, change passwords.  I put reminders on my calendar for appointments, library books, meetings, and tasks that have to be repeated.

With all of that, I frequently do not need the reminders.  I use a technique of mindfulness that makes me aware of what I want to do, be aware of, remember.   I give myself the responsibility to remember things.  And, I generally do.

I miss things, occasionally.  Most embarrassingly, when I have changed from paper bills to ebills, I would sometimes forget the first time the notice came, that I was not getting a paper reminder, also... I am doing better with this.

I am thankful that my brain works as well as it does...

It's God

I have recently received several emails or attachments to emails that basically say when things come together, "It's God," or if things do not come together the way we want, "It's God." 

I have to say that I believe this is so true.  We do have free will and can make what choices we want to make, but I see the hand of God in my choices so many times.

I think of all the times I thought I wanted to leave Lubbock, and had some plan or other to do so...Every time, something stepped in to stop me...

I believe it was the hand of God, guiding me along the way so I would be in the right place to do the work I do at the psychiatric prison where I work...

I very often say things to patients that seem to resonate with them so well... But those are not my words...  I believe that God gives me those words, not so I can proselytize, because I do not discuss religion, but so I can offer comfort or wisdom or assistance or solace to the patient with whom I am speaking.

I am frequently reminded, and frequently remind people, that we should not pray for our wishes, but for the strength and wisdom from God to endure or thrive in the setting he has provided for us.

A niece told me about the movie Shadowlands http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108101/.  In it C S Lewis is asked about his habit of prayer.  The gist of the comments he makes is that prayer does not change God, but changes him...

It's God.

Shopping

I hate shopping for clothes.  Part of that has to do with body image, but most of it has to do with not being much of a clothes horse and being real happy to wear slouch: loose, baggy, frumpy, and not necessarily fashionable.

I hate to pay full price for clothes, because there is an outrageous mark up on clothes. 

Consequently, I frequently go shopping and find it to be an unsatisfying experience.

On the other hand, I can spend hours in a book store, not buy anything but be very happy... And, I can spend hours at a library, not find anything (rarely) and be perfectly happy. 

I do not think it is the browsing thing so much as the object thing.

Check Your Credit Score?

I see these advertisements about checking your credit score, and I wonder about them.  Hmmm. I guess it might be important if you think there is a problem with your credit... But, if you think there is a problem with your credit, there probably is...

I am not sure what the credit score levels mean, exactly, but there are some basic things to consider...even without checking your credit score.

First of all, do you have an established credit history?  Have you borrowed, or co-borrowed money and paid off a loan in a timely way?  Do you have a credit card?.  Have you made a purchase with money down, and a time period to pay off the rest.  Have you paid off the balance on time?

Do you live within your income?  If you are accumulating debt faster than you are earning money, I am going to guess you do not have a good credit score.

Do you pay your monthly bills on time? On time is very, very important.

Do you have outstanding amounts due on your credit cards?  Or do you pay them off each month? Do you have multiple credit cards that would allow you, if you maxed them out, to incur outrageous debt? Do you owe a lot of money on more than one credit card?  Are you maxed out on one or more credit cards?  Do you pay more than the minimum payment?


If you have medical bills, even large ones, do you pay on them each month?

Do you have student loans?  Are you paying on them?

Do you have money in a saving account? 

Do you ever over draw your checking account?

Do you have a mortgage, and have trouble making the payments?

Do you have a car loan, and have trouble making the payments?

If you do not know the acceptable answer to these questions, your credit score may be poor.
If your answers are not the acceptable answers, your credit score may be poor.

I went to buy a vehicle on a Saturday, and wore my usual Saturday clothes: a T shirt and scruffy sweats.  We negotiated hard, because I wanted a low payment, and insisted on being told the bottom line amount I was going to be borrowing on...The car dealer was really having a hard time with the latter. They were having a low interest special, and I kept insisting they figure my purchase based on that, and they did not want to... We spent much more time than I should have to come to an understanding...I know better, walk out if they are not negotiating readily. (The next time I purchased a vehicle, I faced none of that.  They even did some creative financing so I would purchase my vehicle, because I was not going to pay more than 2% interest.)

Then, we went to speak to the financial officer.  They gave us to the "special circumstances" officer.... I could see the others laughing and smirking...The officer took my information and ran my credit score, and came back with a smirk on HIS face:  "Your credit is perfect, as you know."  We had a laugh, especially at the fact that his coworkers opted not to work this account, and he was making an easy commission. And, I got my low interest loan.  It was fun....

Geico Advertising

I have to wonder about the advertising agency that Geico uses http://www.geico.com/about/commercials/.  Think of all the wonderful advertisements they have had over the past many years:  The Caveman Series, The Gecko Series, now the play one words.

The advertising has not convinced me to change insurance companies, but you after wonder what working for a company that portrays it self so less than seriously is like. 

Reading

This was a weekend for reading.  I belong to two reading clubs, and when they both select long books near the same time, it makes keeping up with reading a little tiresome.  But, I finally finished the selection for this coming Thursday:  The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver http://www.kingsolver.com/. I have not met anyone yet who really enjoyed the book, although it got better as it progressed.

Now, I am reading a book from an inter-library loan: Killing Raven by Margaret Coel  http://www.margaretcoel.com/. Since this can not be renewed, I will need to complete it by its due date.

I am going to select the book for the January Barnes and Noble mystery book club.  I have some thoughts but am not sure what I will opt for.

Listening to the Enemy

I am a fan of Yankee and Red Sox baseball, but I live in Texas Ranger territory... Which means, I have limited access to Yankee and Red Sox baseball games on TV or radio, unless those teams are in the play offs in the fall...

However, the Yankees and Red Sox have such a storied rivalry, that sometimes they are on a national telecast when they play each other...  And, since both of them are frequently in the lead in their division, or vying for a play off spot, I might see a national broadcast of one or both.

When the Yankees or the Red Sox are in Chicago, sometimes I have access to the broadcast.  And, if they are engaged in inter-league play with the Atlanta Braves, I might have access to see them...And, there are the other odd telecasts.

But, when they are playing the Rangers, generally some if not all of the games are available, either on the Fox network, or the Rangers network of local stations.  Either way, I get to listen to pro-Rangers announcers while I watch the game.  I am almost comfortable listening to pro-Rangers announcers.  I sometimes think I should broaden my horizons and at least pretend to be interested in the Rangers, so I could have more access to Ranger baseball.  But, even so, we do not get regular TV or radio broadcasts of Rangers games. 

I am used to the world of Red Sox, where most of their games were available on television and ALL of their games were available on the radio....

Not so the Rangers.  So, how can you support a team, if the team does not support your viewership nor listenership?

And, I will give credit to the Rangers announcers.  I am sure they behave this way, with any opposing team, but they are always respectful, and give credit to the Yankees or Red Sox.

Oh, rain

I have been hoping for rain the last few days, as a result of the remnants of hurricane Hermine, but all we got was a misting Tuesday night Wednesday morning... Oh well, we are grateful for even a misting.

I watched the weather report this morning, and did not see a prediction for rain, but I could have missed it..

I saw the clouds building as I drove home from work, and then drove first to dinner, then to the book club meeting...The clouds were building, and the wind changed.  I know this generally means storms on the South Plains, but I did not even hope for rain, given the disappointment from the lack of rain from Hermine.

I left the book club meeting, and walked out into an ending shower.  There was lots of evidence of a recent hard shower, and plenty of thunder and lightning.  For about another hour... Less rain, more thunder and lightning... But rain, none the less.

Fall Ball vs Foul Ball

Baseball... After September 1, although it is not fall by the calender, it is fall in terms of baseball.  The pennant races are closing down. The teams are trying to get into post season play.  Even if teams are mathematically out of the post season, their performance can influence the standings of the teams who are in contention for post season play.

Players are injured and tired.  Pitchers have worn themselves out. The roster is expanded, but some, if not most of the expansion players are unknown entities.  Maybe not next year, but this year.

Some players tough it out. But if they do, are they playing at maximum strength?

Strategy includes days off, bull pen usage, pinch hitters, understanding base running. 

Baseball is a thinking man's game... It is sometimes chastised for being too slow, especially when my favorites the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox are playing each other.   Some of the reason it is slow is because batters and pitchers play mind games with each other while in the battery...

I will protest any attempt to speed up the game.  Maybe a faster baseball game would improve TV ratings, but it would not improve the game.  And it would not improve radio ratings... I really think Major League Baseball needs to promote radio broadcasts as much as TV broadcasts... Because, sorry, but no matter how good TV announcers are, if you have a GOOD radio announcer, he is unbeatable, and makes the broadcast so ENJOYABLE.

A Microwave Fire

I was re-heating some food that included bacon strips, in the microwave.  There was a flare, and a growl, and I was aware that things were not good.  So, I opened the door, and stopped the fire and the cooking.

Later, I used the microwave with no ill effects.  What a blessing.  A new microwave is not that expensive, but an out of control kitchen fire would be very devastating.

Safety:  Do not microwave unless you can monitor the cooking....

It was quiet

I had the day off.  Labor Day.  It was a quiet, lazy day.  No kayaking, too windy.  I read a LOT!  I am reading The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver http://www.kingsolver.com/books/.  It was a slow read at first, and I probably would not have persisted, except this book is for the Reading Circle.  Frequently, I have the TV, radio, or music on when reading inside. Not so for this book, too dry.  Need to focus on the reading...

It progressed well, all things considered.

   

Poetic Justice

When the football coaching controversy erupted in Lubbock, Tx, after Mike Leach http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Leach  was fired, Ruffin McNeil http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruffin_McNeill was included in the list of possible head coaches for Texas Tech.  This was not unreasonable.  Ruffin McNeil took over the Texas Tech defensive coaching  position when the previous coach's performance was horrendous. Ruffin McNeil coached Texas Tech for the Alamo Bowl http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/ncaa/gameflash/2010/01/02/42229_recap.html  Ruffin
McNeil is well liked by players, other coaches, and the general public, and made a difference with the Texas Tech defense.

When Mike Leach was fired, Ruffin McNeil was appointed interim coach for the Texas Tech Red Raiders when they went to the Alamo Bowl.

When he was offered a head coaching position for the East Caroline Pirates http://www.ecupirates.com/ so many people in Lubbock were thrilled that he was offered a head coaching position, although the sentiment was that if Tommy Tuberville http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Tuberville wanted him, he would still be a wonderful defensive coach at Texas Tech...(But it made no political sense for him to stay..) And, before Tommy Tuberville was hired as head coach to for Texas Tech football, there was a large contingency of Texas Tech fans who wanted Ruffin McNeil to be the head coach.

During the Texas Tech vs. SMU telecast, ESPN is reporting on the results of the East Carolina Pirates vs. Tulsa.  What poetic justice this is, to let Lubbock know how Ruffin McNeil is doing...

Changing routines

I am nothing, if not a creature of habit, and when I change my habit, my world goes awry.

The weather has changed from oppressively hot and humid to very fine cooler and windier weather.  With this, I am opening the windows and using less air conditioning inside.   But, this creates a problem:  I have to remember to close ALL the windows and doors before I leave home.  I try to do this in a routine, but sometimes, do not recall if I have completely closed everything:  Recently, I returned home from work, but found everything secured.  I went out one night, returned home, and discovered not only did I leave windows open, they were opened in an unlocked position. Another time, I returned home, only to find I had secured everything I should have, but did not recall, securing.

Okay, lesson to self: before I leave the driveway, I need to take a second mental walk around to make sure everything is secured as it should be, so I can go back into the house to double check it, if need be...Easy to do.  How easy to remember. 

The Shoe Fetish

Sake has gone through this before, but she has a shoe fetish which I do not understand.  Over the last week, she has laid on, sniffed, embraced, scratched at, hugged and otherwise consorted with the left shoe in a pair of Sketchers http://www.skechers.com/ that I am not currently wearing regularly.
  
I have a "shoe hierarchy:" I keep a pair of Sketchers for work: they are the cleanest, in the best condition.  I keep other Sketchers that are picked at by Sake, split at the seams and repaired by Shoe Goo http://www.shoecaresupplies.com/Shoe_Tools_p/shoe-goo.htm?gclid=CNOv4PyO8aMCFQ9jswodTBBY2Q , or otherwise in less than good repair.

I need insole inserts to help me deal with arch and hip problems, and currently, the pair I have inserts in is in the third tier of the "shoe hieracrchy." The shoe that Sake has singled out for her attentions is not even being worn by me regularly now, although, admittedly they are in better repair than the shoes I am wearing.  (I am wearing the pair that needs to be "worn out.")

So, what is this about?  Who knows....

Spectator Sports Heaven

It is the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, and it is a beautiful day...
I was able to go out kayaking and birdwatching this morning, and came home feeling energized:  I cooked lunch, and will be working off and on with the computer, and sitting outside, watching TV sports.  What a schedule:

Baseball: Red Sox vs. Chicago at Fenway at 1230 http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/scoreboard/index.jsp ... Football: Texas Tech http://www.texastech.com/sports/m-footbl/text-m-footbl-body.html vs. SMU at Lubbock at 1430, and NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing at Atlanta at 1830 tonight http://www.nascar.com/.  I can watch sports all day!  I will, but will also do other chores: cook dinner, laundry, read.  Unfortunately, the Red Sox game did not end before the Tech game began, but I can easily flip back and forth between both games.

Because the Yankees are contending for post season play, I believe I will see lots of baseball in the next few weeks. 

I will add, for a Bible Belt community, it might be seen as odd endorsing a non-religious, commercial event. Well, lots of sporting events occur on Sunday, in Lubbock. But for TV rights involving football, Bible Belt Christians can grants LOTS of dispensations.

Fetch

Haiku was inconsolable tonight.  She cried and cried.  I held her and petted her, but she was not happy.  We were in the room designated as my "office" where the computers are.  She has her own chair, there is seating on many surfaces for the cats, a box to use as a scratching post (which she prefers to a scratching post).  What could she want?

I have a TV tray set next to the computer desk.  Haiku likes to get on the TV tray, and play with a pen or highlighter or something.  She plays with the object, and swipes it off the tray, so I can retrieve it, and she can swipe it again.  Once the game began, she was fine.  She just wanted to play... So, we did. Until she tired of the game...

Fresh vs. Store Bought

Every time I go to New England, or have been to the Texas coast, I enjoy the wonderfully fresh flavor of fresh fish and seafood. I return to West Texas, buy seafood, and am so disappointed.

I remember when I was married to Lisenby, and we would go fishing either freshwater or saltwater.  The catch was cooked fresh, and there is no substitute for fresh caught, fresh cooked fish.  Yum.

I also remember the fresh flavors of fresh vegetables:  Lisenby had friends with gardens, and we were able to pick after they did. We also had a garden. With Badger, we also had a garden and wonderful fresh vegetables.  I also go to farm stands, and have off and on for years.

It is good to get fresh vegetables and fruit.  But, farm markets keep their produce in the heat, after picking.  Grocery stores refrigerate the produce.  Which is better?  Farm markets pick when produce is ripe... Supermarkets get pre-ripe produce that will last an extended period of time...

What is the pay off?

Making Changes vs. The Definition of Crazy

I work as a social worker in a psychiatric prison, and frequently discuss, with my patients, that we do not consider them "crazy."  I explain that they have an illness due to changed brain chemistry, and the medications they are provided with help to modulate that change. 

Additionally, I explain that this can be compared to a person with diabetes, who has changed pancreatic chemistry, which is modulated by medications.  Looking at a person who is diabetic, we can not identify them by their presentation.  With a person with mental illness, if their illness is being managed, we can not identify them by their presentation, either. 

I compare treatment:  people with diabetes manage their illness by medication, testing, diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and awareness of their illness and how they are uniquely affected by their body chemistry changes.

So, I tell my patients that treatment for their mental illness involves medication, testing, diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and awareness of their illness and how they are uniquely affected by their body chemistry changes.  This frequently makes a major impact on my patients...Because even before they have heard this comparison, they have heard about the ways to work on their illness.

So, we go on to talk about the definition of Crazy:  Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.  Pure and simple.  If there is something in your life that you do not like, then the only way you can change/improve/prevent this is to change what you do.  You do not control others; they are in charge of their own choices and behaviors.  YOU are in charge of your choices and behaviors. 

We also discuss the fact that if we change, the world around us, the people around us, may change their response to us.  But we are not in charge of the change, either. We know things will be different, but we can not predict how things will be different!

Most of us do not like change: it unsettles us, upsets our routine, takes us out of our comfort zone, and makes us work harder. It also makes it more difficult for us to predict outcomes.  So, it is predictable that most of us do not like change.

Sometimes, though, change can be healthy. If there is a purpose and positive outcome. Something that needs fixing. 

But, why fix it if it is not broken.  You would be crazy to change something if you like the current outcomes. Because if the definition of crazy is "Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results" making changes and expecting the same results is also a definition of crazy!

Consistency

The Merriam Webster Online Dictionary definition of consistency:

Definition of CONSISTENCY


1a archaic : condition of adhering together : firmness of material substance b : firmness of constitution or character : persistency

2: degree of firmness, density, viscosity, or resistance to movement or separation of constituent particles

3a : agreement or harmony of parts or features to one another or a whole : correspondence; specifically : ability to be asserted together without contradiction b : harmony of conduct or practice with profession

I am interested in definition 3 tonight.  I watch a lot of sports, if you read my blog, you will know that.  One of the descriptions that frequently describes the better athletes in sports is consistency:  consistently playing, consistently playing well.

That gives us a lesson for our lives:  If we are stellar, but unreliable, what good is that? If we are brilliant, but only sometimes, who knows when we will be brilliant or when we will stink.

The star athletes are consistent. Not the "flash in the pan" but present and performing, season after season.  That is what makes the "Hall of Famers." 

When you think about it, that is what we want in so many areas of our lives:  certainly, our elected officials:  when we elect them, we want to know what we will be getting, consistently. 

In our friends and mates: we want to know, with some consistency, who we will be with (although, I admit that some surprises in relationship might be helpful, to keep out the monotony.)   Ah, monotony can be dangerous in a relationship but volatility is even more dangerous.

We certainly want our supervisors or superiors to be consistent: calm, steady at the keel, unruffled. And no emotional outbursts, public or private. Supportive, corrective, but consistent.

When we purchase merchandise, we use brands as we expect consistency.  When we go to movies, listen to music, read, we make choices sometimes based on history and a hope for consistency: in quality, interest, freshness, topic, and a consistent ability to bring newness with the same consistent traits we like in this art form.