In the comments below his blog I saw this and liked it - especially the bit about the children laughing because they know the truth therein - is that them displaying emotional intelligence ?
[on http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/03/10/24-hours-with-tim-ferriss-a-sample-schedule/]
March 10th, 2008
5:10 am
Who can disagree. The hardest part is to learn to relax into the other 20 hours after you have your 4 hours of productive work.
A while ago I took an afternoon off from work to go to my son’s birthday party. One of his friends arrived with a babysitter and announced that “My parents couldn’t bring me because they are very busy.”
My good Calvinist indoctrination of an upbringing whirred into action and I felt useless and disempowered. Why wasn’t I busy? Was I just slacking? Why am I not that that much in demand? Blah, Blah….
Then in a moment of grace my Muse made me say: “Being busy is horrible. It makes you grumpy.” All the little ones burst out laughing because they knew it was true.
Later I remembered how many times had I seen this same little guy’s father all irritated when he was dropping his son off at school in the morning. Hardly something to strive for.
Amen; and worth bearing in mind if you already have your little ones on the treadmill to repeat your own history/career/workaholism.
Please if you have children create a time every day when you are most definitely not that grumpy person for them - I remember my Father being in a bad mood for almost all my childhood (and I'm not judging him for this - he probably had good reason !) ... or rather I remember the contrast ... one or two moments that stand out in all of the grump, e.g. once when I was about eleven years old, with a martini in hand he kicked a beanbag across the living room floor and said "wahey !!" and looked very happy ... the fact that this one moment sticks in my mind 'til now is unfortunately an indicator of what the rest was like ....
People, don't you do this to yourselves !
Ax
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
Australia Day - Got Me Thinking About
Mmmmm ... warm summer evenings, with bits of this ....
And a little bit of this ....
Maybe some of this ....
Or if you prefer, this ....
But you can stuff this ....
And a little bit of this ....
Maybe some of this ....
Or if you prefer, this ....
But you can stuff this ....
Friday, 22 January 2010
Professional People
Something I have noticed at the school gate.
This might be just a S.W. London thing; our school is in an area that considers itself rather posh (...ahem...).
What is it with some people, that the level of professionalism they have had to adapt to, for them to have their hopefully rather splendid daytime career life, cannot seemingly be turned off.
It's as if they cannot bear the thought of being personable or personal or anything other than professional - and they even appear enjoy the opportunity to 'out professional' others around them, dealing more unemotionally and brusquely, but of course perfectly politely and professionally, with people that are just trying to be friendly or gain some human contact or ..... connection. That's what's missing - sincerity ! Ooooh the cold.
A friend of mine used the word 'despicable' to describe such people, and whilst that's rather an emotionally loaded word, it may have grip here.
It IS like talking to robots.
Some sort of evil this is - like a new shiny replacement for the 'holier than thou' chin-up'ness that actually had kudos back when folk gave a monkeys about religion.
Is it about insecurity - that they want to appear to have 'good standing' in the community ? Are they frightened someone is going to hug them .... in public !!! Arrgh ! Dirty dirty !!!
Pseuds ..... the lot of them ...
Bring back being personal, and treating people personably; spoil yourself, and have a relationship beyond officialdom and niceties, begin to feel .... breeeeeeathe - there you go; you feel better already don't you ?!?
Over and out, but please stay posted for my observations about how this applies to a stay at home daddy stuck precariously in amongst the mummies !
AO
This might be just a S.W. London thing; our school is in an area that considers itself rather posh (...ahem...).
What is it with some people, that the level of professionalism they have had to adapt to, for them to have their hopefully rather splendid daytime career life, cannot seemingly be turned off.
It's as if they cannot bear the thought of being personable or personal or anything other than professional - and they even appear enjoy the opportunity to 'out professional' others around them, dealing more unemotionally and brusquely, but of course perfectly politely and professionally, with people that are just trying to be friendly or gain some human contact or ..... connection. That's what's missing - sincerity ! Ooooh the cold.
A friend of mine used the word 'despicable' to describe such people, and whilst that's rather an emotionally loaded word, it may have grip here.
It IS like talking to robots.
Some sort of evil this is - like a new shiny replacement for the 'holier than thou' chin-up'ness that actually had kudos back when folk gave a monkeys about religion.
Is it about insecurity - that they want to appear to have 'good standing' in the community ? Are they frightened someone is going to hug them .... in public !!! Arrgh ! Dirty dirty !!!
Pseuds ..... the lot of them ...
Bring back being personal, and treating people personably; spoil yourself, and have a relationship beyond officialdom and niceties, begin to feel .... breeeeeeathe - there you go; you feel better already don't you ?!?
Over and out, but please stay posted for my observations about how this applies to a stay at home daddy stuck precariously in amongst the mummies !
AO
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