So Maybe There IS Only One Type Of Idiot

The worst kind of idiot is the one who doesn’t realize they’re an idiot.

On the other hand, an idiot who knows they’re an idiot is an idiot no longer . . .

Trust Me

“I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” the pharmacist told me the other day as she revealed that since I was a new customer, I’d have to sign another form (for a total of two) before she could fill my prescription.

“I just spent two hours in a dentist chair unable to close my mouth,” I told her with a chuckle.  “Compared to that, signing a second form is in no way an inconvenience!”

 

So I’m Learning

While it’s true that even if I completed everything else, my first impulse is to feel a sense of failure if I fail to complete the last (and by definition, the least important) item on my day’s to-do list, I’m pleased to say that these days my second impulse is to not take my first impulse very seriously.

Mild, Unfortunately, Isn’t The Same As Quick To Pass

Me: (A couple of days ago)  Well, if this is food poisoning, all things considered, it’s pretty mild.

Me: (Today) Well, if this is food poisoning, all things considered, it’s pretty mild.

A Phase, I’m Sad To Say, I Didn’t Even START To Get Out Of Until High School

As a quick follow-up to Wednesday’s post, no, I wasn’t trying to get in trouble.  What I was was firmly in my “don’t think about it, just go for the joke no matter the cost” phase.

 

Fortunately She Liked Me And Didn’t Hold A Grudge

Lately I’ve found myself considering certain times from my childhood, and today I found myself thinking of a particular interaction I had with a teacher of mine.  With the benefit of perspective, I can absolutely say that I should not have said to her, “I’ll have you know the sand has shifted.”

In my defense, however, any experienced middle school teacher (as she was) should know it’s just asking for trouble to say in front of their class, “I’ll have you know I had an hourglass figure in college, and I have an hourglass figure now.”

He Agreed That Was One Really Good Reason Not To Eat

Today L. and I were talking about how to evaluate situations, solutions, etc. by their pros and cons.  Recognizing that “quality vs. quantity” can come into play in making those decisions, my son asked me for an example of a situation with a lot of pros, but with one large con.

“Imagine you’ve been invited to a banquet in your honor,” I told him.  “All your favorite foods have been prepared, and they’re all done to perfection.  Everything looks amazing, smells amazing, tastes amazing, and so on.  That’s a lot of pros, right?”

L. nodded.

“The con is that everything has been poisoned,” I said with a chuckle.

So Today I Was Victorious

Sometimes just crossing the finish line is the victory.

Going Out A Hull Breach In Space Comes To Mind

Yesterday’s snark aside, I really do appreciate the wisdom of being able to go with the flow.  Sometimes the flow is going in the direction you want to go, and sometimes the direction it’s going is just nice if you take the time to notice.  Even when the flow is going somewhere you profoundly don’t want to, fighting directly against it is usually counterproductive, but that doesn’t mean going with the flow is always the best idea.

 

At Least One Person Out There Anticipated Where I Was Going With This

As a follow-up to yesterday’s post, I wanted to add that the dogs get so depressed at their “failure” that it’s now fairly common for trainers to arrange for the dog to “find” a volunteer so the dog can feel like a good dog again even in situations where success was impossible.

I’m not kidding when I say this is a life changing insight for me.