Obligation

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I hate feeling obligated.

I hate feeling obligated to leave a tip at a restaurant if the service I received was just part of the ordering process. It’s one thing to leave a tip for a server and personal interaction. It is another thing to leave a tip for someone who took an order from behind a counter. I just won’t do it.

I hate feeling obligated to go out of my way for a family just because “we’re family.”

I hate getting invitations to an event and feeling obligated to go because someone has invited me.

I hate feeling obligated to eat the last cookie in the cookie jar because it is probably lonely.

I hate feeling obligated to do things for co-workers. I especially hate being invited to the wedding of a co-worker (by the co-worker, of course) I don’t particularly like all that much. I hate feeling obligated to go to the wedding because “everyone” (or nearly everyone) will be there. Look, just because you are a co-worker, doesn’t mean I want to hang out with you or celebrate your special moments with you outside of the workplace. We just aren’t that close and we never will be. So, I hate having the feeling obligation when it comes to attending this event.

How do I solve such a dilemma?

I’ll just stop having feelings. I am pretty good at that. No feelings? No feeling of obligation.

Done. Solved.

 

Projects

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Ever feel like you just have too many? Projects, that is. Ever feel like you have so many projects going at once that keeping up on all of them takes enormous effort and time?

Yeah, me too.

I am not just talking about the ones at work. While there are lots of projects at work to always do, at least there I feel like I can block time effectively and focus on what needs to be done when it needs to be done.

I am talking about projects in my personal life.

Owning a home is a never ending project – improvements, maintenance, yard, cleaning and organizing. It just seems overwhelming at times because you can literally stand in one room and identify 17 things that need to get done or want to get done. There is never enough money and never enough time.

Social media projects. This is sort of a self-imposed problem. As you all know, there is absolutely no actual need for social media. It is there to distract and entertain (or infuriate) but there is no real need for it. But, blogs and Facebook and Instagram and Reddit and Snapchat and Twitter and [insert whatever else you have going on], can really take a lot of time. Am I right? Promotion of your businesses, blogs, ideas, etc. takes time and obviously it is something that needs to be done on a regular basis or you lose your following. I guess I am probably preaching to the choir here…

Anyway, I think my job is interfering with my creative side and completing those personal projects I have going on. Plates are spinning, and wobbling, and keeping up is a challenge.

I don’t have a solution. Just a whine. Just a complaint. Just general angst. I know it is all self-imposed, but I want to do a better job at it.

Anyone have any suggestions? How do you balance everything you have going on, outside of your actual job? I know, “first world problems,” right? I am open to suggestions….and if you just need to virtually slap me on the back of the head and tell me I’m an idiot because my self-imposed struggle is stupid, you can do that too.

Off

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Apparently I took the day off yesterday. I don’t think I meant to as I totally remember thinking to myself that I needed to write something and click publish. But, between family in the house and the coffee cup, I must have gotten distracted and forgotten what I was doing.

So, thanks to those of you who still stopped by yesterday, even if there wasn’t something new to read.

Maybe I needed a day off. I am not sure. Of course, here in the US it was a holiday. As such, I wasn’t at the office and I wasn’t doing my telecommute thing. The schedule was off so I guess so was I.

Here’s the weird thing though. When I am off, like off from work because of a holiday, there is scorn in the house. Scorn because the holiday doesn’t relieve everyone in the house of their work responsibilities. Because I get a day off and get to do what I want to do, I get scorn. I hear things like:

“What did you do today?”

“What did you get done today?”

“How were you productive today?”

“What did you do with yourself today?”

It’s some version of that. Scorn.

How about I just get to take time off for me? How about I get to do what I want on these days because I can? How about I just get to do me today?

I am off. I have no work. I don’t feel like doing work at home today either. In fact, I left a 15 year career in teaching so I didn’t have to dedicate my whole life to work, even when I wasn’t at work. Get it?

I.AM.OFF.

(Oh, and for the record, I cleaned the house and put away laundry since dinner guests were coming. There. I did something.)

Now, leave me alone.

 

 

***Dang, back to work today…***

Back at the office

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Weather in the PNW has had me telecommuting for work. Four days this week, the commute was from the coffee maker to the desk because snow and ice was on the ground.

I am back in the office today and I can honestly say this job can literally be done anywhere. I would love the opportunity to demonstrate this to my boss. My manager is already on board, but the higher-ups still think office space is a good idea.

If someone would like to sponsor a trip for me to a warm, tropical island with a well connect resort (with internet connection), I am open to offers.

Please hit up my inbox. PLEASE.

No, like really, PLEASE!

Cheaters

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I love baseball. I always have.

I hate cheaters.

Sadly, the sport I love has been spoiled by cheaters. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time and that makes me really sad. Maybe sad isn’t the right word. It definitely leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Houston = cheaters. It seems very likely that Boston will also = cheaters. Possibly the New York Yankees and New York Mets will be found to = cheaters. How far does this really go? Will we ever really know?

This whole thing about stealing signs isn’t really a new thing, per se, but it’s how they did it. Secret cameras, analysis, and then relaying that information to batters is really underhanded.

There have been cheating scandals before. Steroids. Corked bats. Pine tar. “Foreign substances” on pitcher’s uniforms. It’s all been done before. But, in most cases, those were really done by individual players and often (we assume) not at the approval of management or others on the team.

That’s why this is different. This was organized, and systematic. It may have been “player driven,” but management approved it and implemented it.

I am headed to spring training in Arizona at the end of February for the first time. It’s been a goal of mine since I was little. I am looking forward to the trip because of the people I’ll be with and for the baseball, because I love the game.

But, I have to admit there is a little bit of me that thinks the pop of the glove, the smell of the grass, and the crack of the bat just don’t have quite the same appeal as they did before.

What do you think about the whole thing? Is it a big deal or not?

Conflicted

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There are a few things in life that I just have a love/hate relationship with. I love them and yet hate them at the same time. Those two emotions don’t usually go together and often are in regard to different things, but today (well, really the last several days) I am conflicted because of weather conditions.

In particular, snow.

I love snow. I love the peacefulness and quiet as the snow falls. There is comfort in that. The blanket is leaves, at least for a while, causes he world to slow down or pause. A stillness ensues. I love the look of snow on the landscape – there is beauty in it! Sun glistening off freshly fallen snow. White mountains and trees framed by bright blue sky is stunning. Anyway, you get the picture. There are aspects of snow that I love. As a kid, I liked playing in it.

But, on the other hand, I hate snow. It’s tough to drive in. I can do it, but I don’t like it. I would just rather not, but when necessary I can do it with relative ease. I especially don’t like other people driving in it! People are idiots most of the time, so adding slippery white stuff as an ingredient to travel just makes for trouble. Snow is cold. I know that is an obvious statement, but I don’t like being cold. It is just miserable. I don’t particularly like that snow has to be removed (sometimes multiple times) from the sidewalk and driveway. That can be hard work! No, like REALLY hard work. As an adult, I don’t enjoy playing in it. Not even a little.

I am sure there are more things I love and hate, but those are the ones off the top of my head. So, how can I be so conflicted on this? “Why?” is maybe a better question. But, I don’t really wish to know. It just is what it is.

So, there you have it. One item I am conflicted on. There are many more, but let’s just put this out there since that is on the forefront of my mind as we deal with snow and ice up here in the upper left corner (Pacific Northwest) of the US.

Do you have something you are conflicted with? A love/hate relationship, so to speak?

Between the lines

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Sometimes, things going unsaid is best.

Then there are other times where being blunt is the only solution, awkward or not.

And then there are those times where trying to be tactful sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t.

Anyone feel me on this?

Just saying…

Glitter

Maybe this is a weird topic, maybe it isn’t. I don’t have a lot to say about it. I may have even talked about it already on the ol’ blog, but I was reminded again this weekend…

I hate it. With passion.

It is evil.

If ever there was someone who deserved to be drawn and quartered, it would be the inventor of glitter. I don’t even have to look up who invented it because I don’t care. 1000 cursed deaths upon whomever it is.

I can’t even continue writing this post because it upsets me so much.

I’ll be back tomorrow with something less traumatizing. I apologize if this triggered something for you.

 

Placation

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I am not sure if that is the right word or not. Generally, I am not at a loss for words but the definition for placation kind of fits but doesn’t at the same time.

The definition means that there is some sort of concession or giving of ground. But what if that isn’t really the case? What if someone has just told you something, like “Let’s discuss this at a later date,” but has not intention of actually following through with their statement. They just said it to shut you up.

Do you know what I mean?

Yeah, I don’t like being treated that way either. Whatever word is appropriate to be used for that situation. Appeasement? Maybe, but again it implies that something was given up by the other party. Concession? No, that’s not it. Patronize? Yeah, maybe that’s it.

I don’t know. I just know I don’t like being treated like that.

 

Who needs security?

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Every once in a while (well, probably more like every day), I wonder if the people in charge know what the heck they are doing? In this case, it happens to be those who are in charge of military bases and security.

This article, Chinese caught surveilling same US military base twice in 2 weeks, caught my attention earlier this week and after reading it all I could think was, WTF? Who’s in charge of security?

Yes, its concerning the Chinese are trying to spy on our military bases and apparently doing it right under out noses.

Several things in the article stood out. The first was this:

The guard asked the men for their military IDs, which they did not have. She told Wang and Zhang to turn around and leave the grounds. Instead, they drove straight onto the property.

They drove straight onto the property. So, like, anyone can just drive through the gate unobstructed? There little to no barriers to slow them down? No tire spikes or giant posts rising out of the ground like we see in the movies to stop people from proceeding?

So what happens next? Did the guard chase after them?

The guard, who was not permitted to leave her post, radioed other security personnel with a description of the vehicle.

The guard? As in, there is only one guard at this particular post? There aren’t others there, with weapons or vehicles, as back up? What? This can’t really be how things work, can it? So she radioed other security…because there were no other security guards near by? I can’t believe an entrance to a military base is only guarded by one person. Really?

This is rich. So who actually went after these guys after they breached the under-protected gate at a military base?

After 30 minutes, Navy security forces finally located the two men.

Wait, it took 30 minutes to locate them? WHAT?? So for 30 minutes these intruders were driving around a military base, unhindered, because a single guard at a poorly designed post entrance didn’t have any back up? Seriously?

They allowed the security officers to look at their phones and their Nikon camera.

The officers found photographs taken of the property,…Officers also found video Zhang filmed with one of his devices.

Incredible! Absolutely incredible. 30 minutes of information gathering, which I am sure was sent to somewhere to someone who could use the photos for something. I am sure they weren’t just keeping those images on their devices to upload later. That wouldn’t make sense with the technology available today. So, that means they were at least partially successful in their mission. Good grief.

Nice work, whomever is in charge. Way to put safety and security protocols in place that make sense. This whole things has a Three Stooges, or Keystone Cops, feeling to it. This is how we secure a “sensitive storage site for weapons and ammunition”?

Not cool. Not cool at all.