Tuesday, September 12, 2017
It Might Not Be Your Fault
By Donovan Baldwin
For some unknown reason, as I started typing this, with, as normal, no idea where I was going to go, the letters of the first word were reversed, spelling, "gninroM".
I erased it and tried again, getting the same results.
Then I tried a trick which I had used before and it worked so I moved on.
Frustrating at first, but, it gave me something to talk about, right?
Ever blame yourself for something even though you weren't sure it really was your fault?
Many times in life, things don't come out the way we expect on the first try, or even the second. Doesn't mean WE are necessarily at fault, although a lot of people assume so.
Maybe something is going on that you don't know about or cannot even imagine. When something doesn't work out the way you expected, even if you seem to be doing everything right, YOU are not always the problem.
Sure, accept the blame and move on when you screw stuff up, but, don't just BLAME yourself because something went wrong and you don't know why.
Usually, unless you just drove over a cliff, the problem is solvable.
I think, once se get over the initial, "Oh no!" moment, which is normal, we should try to figure out what the problem is and try to solve it, not just give up and sit wallowing in self-pity, or self recrimination.
We all make mistakes sometimes.
We all do things wrong sometimes.
But, sometimes WE ARE doing everything right and something else is causing the problem. Solve the problem, if you can, and move on.
For some unknown reason, as I started typing this, with, as normal, no idea where I was going to go, the letters of the first word were reversed, spelling, "gninroM".
I erased it and tried again, getting the same results.
Then I tried a trick which I had used before and it worked so I moved on.
Frustrating at first, but, it gave me something to talk about, right?
Many times in life, things don't come out the way we expect on the first try, or even the second. Doesn't mean WE are necessarily at fault, although a lot of people assume so.
Maybe something is going on that you don't know about or cannot even imagine. When something doesn't work out the way you expected, even if you seem to be doing everything right, YOU are not always the problem.
Sure, accept the blame and move on when you screw stuff up, but, don't just BLAME yourself because something went wrong and you don't know why.
Usually, unless you just drove over a cliff, the problem is solvable.
I think, once se get over the initial, "Oh no!" moment, which is normal, we should try to figure out what the problem is and try to solve it, not just give up and sit wallowing in self-pity, or self recrimination.
We all make mistakes sometimes.
We all do things wrong sometimes.
But, sometimes WE ARE doing everything right and something else is causing the problem. Solve the problem, if you can, and move on.
Labels: blame, blaming yourself, donovan baldwin, not your fault
Wednesday, September 06, 2017
Let's Blame It All On Them
By Donovan Baldwin
In a world in which there is some ubiquitous "they" in charge of stuff getting done, it's easy to blame "them" for whatever happens, or doesn't happen...especially if we don't like what happens...or didn't.
Even more interesting to me is that we forget to remember that "they" also did it when the good stuff happens...or, even harder to deduce, when bad stuff didn't happen.
House didn't catch on fire today?
Maybe that's because there are laws, bothersome and expensive, sometimes, about the materials used in construction.
I am a caregiver. I do most of what gets done around here. Fact of life. When meals are on time, coffee is hot, laundry gets done, it's not noticed. When someone's out of socks because I forgot to pick up the laundry...that gets noticed.
Ask any mom how that works.
I get mad at governments and corporations, just like anybody else, when my desires and wants are not met, or seem to be ignored, or when their actions seem inexcusably intrusive or even destructive, but, I never seem to notice when my plane doesn't crash, or my milk provides the amount of calcium or protein I expect it to...or that rock concert happens on time, just like it was supposed to.
Actually, being an old guy who loves his peace and quiet, I might complain about that last one.
Continue to complain and blame "them". I intend to. But, every once in a while, look around and think about all the good stuff that happens too...like the internet.
Even more interesting to me is that we forget to remember that "they" also did it when the good stuff happens...or, even harder to deduce, when bad stuff didn't happen.
House didn't catch on fire today?
Maybe that's because there are laws, bothersome and expensive, sometimes, about the materials used in construction.
I am a caregiver. I do most of what gets done around here. Fact of life. When meals are on time, coffee is hot, laundry gets done, it's not noticed. When someone's out of socks because I forgot to pick up the laundry...that gets noticed.
Ask any mom how that works.
I get mad at governments and corporations, just like anybody else, when my desires and wants are not met, or seem to be ignored, or when their actions seem inexcusably intrusive or even destructive, but, I never seem to notice when my plane doesn't crash, or my milk provides the amount of calcium or protein I expect it to...or that rock concert happens on time, just like it was supposed to.
Actually, being an old guy who loves his peace and quiet, I might complain about that last one.
Continue to complain and blame "them". I intend to. But, every once in a while, look around and think about all the good stuff that happens too...like the internet.
Labels: at fault, blame, corporations, donovan baldwin, good stuff, government
