Tuesday, August 24, 2021
Entitled - Ability and Past Accomplishments
Monday, August 16, 2021
Entitled - Motivation, Distraction, Entitlement, and the Mighty Dollar
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
Entitled - Celebrities, Athletes, and Politicians
Friday, June 11, 2021
Entitled
Sunday, April 9, 2017
Validation
I'm probably like you.
That's an enormous leap of generalization.
But some of us can fit ourselves into different genres of characterization.
'What if we're all a little bit weird' Sry, my quote of the season, from an awesome movie, Swiss Army Man. Great, but odd movie.
Im working in a new position, and new always seems to be self validating.
Until the effects wear off, and the honeymoon is over.
But thats not my point, nor is trying to convince of Swiss Army Man's relevance.
In my position I have added responsibilities and expectations where Ive tried to come in with arms swinging and an attempt to lead the pack.
Ive been marginally successful at this attempt and have been validating on several occasions, ie money, or the promise of it, which at this juncture of my life, thats the only validation I really want from anyone.
But this expectation Ive set, through triumphs, and defeats, is stunningly high for my position in life. (I write as I sit at my 2nd job as the doorman)
With his expectation is the minimalization of the highs in my life, my son, my continuing quest for education, my work life for that matter. That I must meet a certain standard, set higher than the acheivements and places I've been. This means I receive no validation, or invalidation, through the daily, monthly, yearly, or seasonal success I experience. I simply did the expectation of my time period. Almost like those players that get a touchdown and don't celebrate because it is theirs, the teams, and the fan's expectation that they will score, and score often.
I'm no star football player; more of failed accounting major with several dings on my record, personal, legal, financialn and otherwise.
So when I complete a class or learn a new move or get a raise, I simply feel the expectation has been met and move on.
There's almost no thankfulness in that. Maybe thats due to an extreme sense of historical invalidation and under acheivement, but either way, without the validation, I only ask for more validation from external sources.
I have a buddy, who I made in my new position, who is the exact same position, age, and almost person as myself. He continually needs my validation and our bosses, and those around him. I feel I am no different in a sense.
My expectation is set at such a level that upwards validation is the only thing to set that free, and that does not come often. Often, work is a continuous set of actions, some of which I meet expectation, others I fail to, and even others I hopefully exceed.
We all long for some sense of validation, whether thats external or self driven, but validation is tough because theres such a difference from person to person.
'All glory is fleeting' -Joe Paterno used to quote Patton, or some Roman emporer, I beleive. But as players through his regime experienced some of the highest highs available to goal minded individuals, he reminded them to be humblen to understand validation is only one piece of the puzzle, especially when received externally. And it's also fleeting, so while we, most of us, would enjoy the praise, that is temporary, just as is pain, but true validation is internal.
I guess that's my point.
Validate internally.
It will allow you to move on, to the tasks at hand, to today's worries, to today's actions, to meet today's expectations.
To exceed today's expectations.
Everyday.
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Bernie! Bernnnniiiiieeeee!
With the election coming, the canidates seem to be as any year, the best of the worst.
But for some, especially the younger generation, Bernie Sanders was a light in a tunnel of darkness.
Younger people, and socialists alike gathered around the cause. Lets have free education, free childcare, free healthcare.
Normally Im not too political.
Mainly because its a wasteland.
But people got behind this idea of a candidate who would give them, and their daily lives what they wanted, what they needed, what they deserved.
I am not one of those people.
With education specifically, I paid my fair share, my 100k plus. And I'd like relief from that, or to have never had that at all, by different life choices, i.e. the military or just hard work, or even better, and education funded by my parentsn at least partially as I am attempting with my son.
But a free education is not something that is feesible.
What happened to working towards a goal?
I hate the hard work.
I work 7 days a week for it.
Blue and white collar.
But as a society, as an American Capitalistic society, progression is possible but not a total overnight transformation.
This is America and we believe anything is possible, especially overnight transformation.
Fat fighting, plastic surgery, Get Rich Quick schemes.
You name it, we as Americans have embraced it.
But thats a lie and momentary fleeting feelings and lifestyles.
Leaving us wanting more.
We are already offered healthcare, social systems such as primary education and safety, Obama phone, food if we need it, the postal service, financial services for secondary and post secondary education.
And frankly, if we want free college, free healthcare, free daycare, and anything else our hearts desire as free, we're just working to turn the rest of our lives over to public systems.
Public systems that don't work right, are over or under funded depending on the politicians, even Bernie.
Public systems like my community which left to its own accord is in massive debt, has an abysmal school system, and growing social issues.
Public systems dont improve our society, they slow it down. Innovation is slowed, if theres any room for it at all. Efficiency lacks. Progress as a society is left to the government when it should be left to the people.
Hope is a good thing.
Change for the better is a good thing.
Dramatic societal change such as free education and $15 minimum wage are impossible realities from the base we have now.
There is a better future but WE have to work for it.
The collective WE.
Us as individuals.
Not the government.
And certainly not Bernie Sanders.
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Holiday work
Blah.
But its a must when faced with a financial burden and no other financial outs.
Its not the end of the world, heck, as Americans we should #1 be grateful for work #2 know we have it much better.
But, in our small worlds, they mean family, food, better times than most, even if just a day off.
Not on holidays here at the 100k plus mark.
But many professions have that stipulation.
Most of my family are nurses. They are always needed and must work some uncomfortable holidays. Life goes on.
I guess Im trying to convince myself of that, even with the knowledge of a greater being and person. A day off is a day off.
Im currently trying to convince my wife to become a nurse, which is somewhat hypocritical as I would never want the anytime anyday work week. Maybe more varation on the 9-5 work week but either way, I'm not up for the task.
Well back to the point of us as Americans are blessed to have the opportunity to work, and choose that work.
Holiday work falls in line with the social policies us as Americans are blessed with.
Seriously.
Blessed.
Other countries do not have a 40 hour work week written into the law.
You work holidays.
You work the day after you have a baby.
So 100k plus is bad, and Im certaintly kot going to stop bitching about it, until kids dont have to endure that excess. But its not that bad.
I was going to go into a blue collar/white collar thing, but us, with 100k plus who are lucky to have jobs are certainly blessed.
It's over-used but it's true.
We're blessed.
(Overly positive message for Easter! ....bitching will resume at an irregularly scheduled date)