Sunday 28 April 2013
What's in a name
There are some psychologists or life coaches or whatever the fashionable name for them is nowadays who tell us that we are afraid of success and that is why we are stuck where we are. My question is: what exactly is success? The philosophers have been telling us their version of it for centuries but it doesn't seem to have penetrated too far into our minds. Each individual has his or her own concept of what being successful means. For some it's getting the top job, for others it's having enough to live on for a lot of people it's finding the right partner and having a family.
I decided to compile my own - not to be taken too seriously - list of what success means to me:
1. Getting out of bed at 6 a.m. on a frosty morning. No mean feat, especially when I know (or knew to be exact, since I am now retired and living in gentler climes) that I am going to have to scrape snow off the car at -10C or so. Now that, dear readers, deserves a round of applause.
2. Being polite to a superior when what I wanted to do was to chuck files (and even the office desk) at this person for their overbearing attitude. This also is in the glorious past, thank goodness!!
3. Resisting the urge to buy a product just because it's on "special offer" if it's an expensive brand that I normally wouldn't buy.
4. Not eating all the chocolates in the box.
Sunday 21 April 2013
Strange Bedfellows
'Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows' Shakespeare once wrote and I'm inclined to agree with him, only I'd change the word 'misery' to 'travel'.
Last week I travelled to Germany to see my daughter and her family and had a wonderful time. Dare I mention that the weather was glorious? At 26C a lot of the locals were complaining about the sudden heat as it had gone from around 8C to the aforementioned 26C within five days. Now in rain-laden Ireland, that would be a cause for rejoicing because we'd know that this was better than it gets! But I didn't intend writing this blog about the weather.
Whenever I travel anywhere by plane, I am always amused - and sometimes irritated - by all those fellow travellers with tons of hand luggage who fill up the overhead lockers before you can say "jet lag". It wouldn't even be so bad if they didn't get on the plane before you and stand in the aisle stuffing their bags into the lockers while you wait until they are finished, ignoring the passengers behind you who are breathing heavily down the back of your neck and no doubt blaming you for the hold up. And then when you finally get to move on in search of your seat another body pops up to block your progress, takes down a bag and starts to rummage through it. I mean, seriously, couldn't you check that you'd removed magazines and stuff you need on the flight from your bag before you jammed it into the overhead locker?
And then there's the 'snoozer' for want of a better word, the traveller who decides to use their seat as a recliner and bounce around on it, making you draw back instinctively and sit bolt upright. Maybe they miss lounging on the terrace at home. Whatever the reason, it doesn't give you much room in the Economy class. And of course, there's the passenger who manages to dig his/her knees into your back - but here they are entitled to my compassion and understanding because there is really not much leg room if you are tall.
Being a neurotic traveller (see my blog of last week lol) I always choose an aisle seat so that I can get out in a hurry if anything should go wrong. No one has ever had a problem with this up until now, everyone being happy to sit in a window seat and philosophical if they get the middle one. However, on this last trip a passenger arriving late onto the plane wanted to shush me into the window seat (which was his) without as much as a "would you mind?". I couldn't tell if this was chivalry, a determination not to disturb me, or a macho masterful attempt to get the seat he preferred. I refused, of course. I'm not a neurotic traveller for nothing. There was a frosty atmosphere between us for the flight and we both refrained from dumping our magazines and stuff on the unoccupied middle seat, treating it as a demilitarized zone like the 38 parallel in Korea. I'd just like to add that he had two pieces of hand luggage. 'Nuff said.
Last week I travelled to Germany to see my daughter and her family and had a wonderful time. Dare I mention that the weather was glorious? At 26C a lot of the locals were complaining about the sudden heat as it had gone from around 8C to the aforementioned 26C within five days. Now in rain-laden Ireland, that would be a cause for rejoicing because we'd know that this was better than it gets! But I didn't intend writing this blog about the weather.
Whenever I travel anywhere by plane, I am always amused - and sometimes irritated - by all those fellow travellers with tons of hand luggage who fill up the overhead lockers before you can say "jet lag". It wouldn't even be so bad if they didn't get on the plane before you and stand in the aisle stuffing their bags into the lockers while you wait until they are finished, ignoring the passengers behind you who are breathing heavily down the back of your neck and no doubt blaming you for the hold up. And then when you finally get to move on in search of your seat another body pops up to block your progress, takes down a bag and starts to rummage through it. I mean, seriously, couldn't you check that you'd removed magazines and stuff you need on the flight from your bag before you jammed it into the overhead locker?
And then there's the 'snoozer' for want of a better word, the traveller who decides to use their seat as a recliner and bounce around on it, making you draw back instinctively and sit bolt upright. Maybe they miss lounging on the terrace at home. Whatever the reason, it doesn't give you much room in the Economy class. And of course, there's the passenger who manages to dig his/her knees into your back - but here they are entitled to my compassion and understanding because there is really not much leg room if you are tall.
Being a neurotic traveller (see my blog of last week lol) I always choose an aisle seat so that I can get out in a hurry if anything should go wrong. No one has ever had a problem with this up until now, everyone being happy to sit in a window seat and philosophical if they get the middle one. However, on this last trip a passenger arriving late onto the plane wanted to shush me into the window seat (which was his) without as much as a "would you mind?". I couldn't tell if this was chivalry, a determination not to disturb me, or a macho masterful attempt to get the seat he preferred. I refused, of course. I'm not a neurotic traveller for nothing. There was a frosty atmosphere between us for the flight and we both refrained from dumping our magazines and stuff on the unoccupied middle seat, treating it as a demilitarized zone like the 38 parallel in Korea. I'd just like to add that he had two pieces of hand luggage. 'Nuff said.
Wednesday 10 April 2013
The Travelling Neurotic
I am writing this blog today because I am off to Germany tomorrow to visit my daughter and grandchildren.
I'm a travelling neurotic - one of those travellers who are uneasy until they board the flight or the train or get in the car.
This morning I have checked out my ticket, my passport, my airport coach ticket and the money in my purse just to make sure I have everything. Tonight I'll print my boarding pass, compare it with the ticket and put it with the other stuff. And I'll check everything again before I go to bed and then again tomorrow morning just in case some mysterious troll has secretly removed my passport or airline ticket during the night.
A lot of my acquaintance are remarkably laid-back about travelling and don't see the necessity of being hours at the airport in advance of the flight. They don't expect last minute snags such as traffic jams or long lines at security or getting lost and going to the wrong gate. I really envy them! I can never relax until I am sitting at the departure gate waiting for the flight to be called.
I wonder if this is a generation thing, like always checking your mobile for the latest tweets? When I was growing up most people got to their destinations by train and boat. The pace was considerably slower, you didn't have a security check, you produced your train ticket to the inspector when asked, and you had time to gaze out at the countryside as it slipped past the train window. There was a sense of time. Once on the boat or ship you could roam around the decks, lean over the side and watch the waves, feel free of land and its encumbrances.
Tomorrow I am getting up very early and I won't be happy until I've checked in my suitcase and taken a seat at the departure gate. The interesting thing is that when I am returning, I don't get half as edgy. Does this have some deep psychological significance? If so - I don't want to go there! All I want is to get to my destination on time without the teeniest hitch. Here's hoping!
I'm a travelling neurotic - one of those travellers who are uneasy until they board the flight or the train or get in the car.
This morning I have checked out my ticket, my passport, my airport coach ticket and the money in my purse just to make sure I have everything. Tonight I'll print my boarding pass, compare it with the ticket and put it with the other stuff. And I'll check everything again before I go to bed and then again tomorrow morning just in case some mysterious troll has secretly removed my passport or airline ticket during the night.
A lot of my acquaintance are remarkably laid-back about travelling and don't see the necessity of being hours at the airport in advance of the flight. They don't expect last minute snags such as traffic jams or long lines at security or getting lost and going to the wrong gate. I really envy them! I can never relax until I am sitting at the departure gate waiting for the flight to be called.
I wonder if this is a generation thing, like always checking your mobile for the latest tweets? When I was growing up most people got to their destinations by train and boat. The pace was considerably slower, you didn't have a security check, you produced your train ticket to the inspector when asked, and you had time to gaze out at the countryside as it slipped past the train window. There was a sense of time. Once on the boat or ship you could roam around the decks, lean over the side and watch the waves, feel free of land and its encumbrances.
Tomorrow I am getting up very early and I won't be happy until I've checked in my suitcase and taken a seat at the departure gate. The interesting thing is that when I am returning, I don't get half as edgy. Does this have some deep psychological significance? If so - I don't want to go there! All I want is to get to my destination on time without the teeniest hitch. Here's hoping!
Saturday 6 April 2013
Did you move someone's cheese? How to cope on your first day in a new job.
We've all heard of the book "Who Moved My Cheese?" I haven't read it so can't comment except to say I understand it is about coping with change. Now, I am all for self-help books and have used a few myself (still do, in fact) to get another perspective on things that are bothering me. We all need a little help from time to time. The important thing is to select the bits that are of use to you. When you're in a store you don't buy everything in sight, you choose what you need at that particular time. And that's the way to go for all of this self-help stuff.
Dealing with change can be difficult or it can be a challenge, depending what the change actually is. I always found starting a new job both challenging and stressful. But I did learn that in any office the two most important locations are the coffee machine and the photocopier. At some point in the day you are going to want one of them - okay so you don't drink coffee but the coffee machine will be located in the kitchen or at least somewhere with easy access to water. That's where you are bound to meet up with someone and have a little chat. First steps in making friends. The photocopier is no less effective because even in these digital, everything online days, it is always necessary to make a few copies of some document or other. Once you've located the copier you can ask for help if you have to do anything exotic with the documents (don't get ahead of me on this!) or you can ask where the paper is kept so you can replenish the paper tray. This last manoeuvre will probably get you the office Peace Prize and will help you top the popularity poll because so few people bother to do it.
And to remain popular stay away from other people's cheese, even if it's a month old and greenish round the edges. In other words, don't try to reform the bad habits of the others on your first day at work. I have seen people do this and be forever branded as "know-it-all" types even though they were actually quite humble people who just hadn't got the knack of interacting with others.When you've proved your worth after a month or so you can bellyache about colleagues who take the last cup of coffee and don't make a fresh pot. And you can hint that maybe that bit of mouldy cheese at the back of the fridge could be thrown away.
Dealing with change can be difficult or it can be a challenge, depending what the change actually is. I always found starting a new job both challenging and stressful. But I did learn that in any office the two most important locations are the coffee machine and the photocopier. At some point in the day you are going to want one of them - okay so you don't drink coffee but the coffee machine will be located in the kitchen or at least somewhere with easy access to water. That's where you are bound to meet up with someone and have a little chat. First steps in making friends. The photocopier is no less effective because even in these digital, everything online days, it is always necessary to make a few copies of some document or other. Once you've located the copier you can ask for help if you have to do anything exotic with the documents (don't get ahead of me on this!) or you can ask where the paper is kept so you can replenish the paper tray. This last manoeuvre will probably get you the office Peace Prize and will help you top the popularity poll because so few people bother to do it.
And to remain popular stay away from other people's cheese, even if it's a month old and greenish round the edges. In other words, don't try to reform the bad habits of the others on your first day at work. I have seen people do this and be forever branded as "know-it-all" types even though they were actually quite humble people who just hadn't got the knack of interacting with others.When you've proved your worth after a month or so you can bellyache about colleagues who take the last cup of coffee and don't make a fresh pot. And you can hint that maybe that bit of mouldy cheese at the back of the fridge could be thrown away.
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