The road well traveled

It's a fact of life that the more you see something the less you notice it. It's difficult to see the same things day to day and keep a fresh perspective. Although it is a task that is most rewarding! If you can step back and look at things with a fresh perspective, you notice little things that you would not normally.

I challenge you to do this. Learn to see the things you "don't see" everyday. Make a list of the things that you notice. Change things around and make them new again.

Keeps it fun! Keeps people guessing and keeps your mind young!!

R

The thing we least think of... well most of us - Listen Up!

I was having some conversations lately and was reminded of a little thought about (I presume) but very important thing. Listening to others and letting them know what you think.

A lot of times, we hear what our friends and colleagues are saying, but are we listening to what is being said and sometimes more importantly, what is not being said. I spend a lot of my time listening to people. I tend to be a bit quieter at times and fade to the background, but when I do that, I get to really listen to what's going on around me. You'd be amazed at what is happening and what is being said that you actually tune out or are in too much of a hurry to insert your comments to actually comprehend what is being said around and to you.

Sometimes I guess it's easier not to listen, sometimes it is more important to get your information out there... but you'll have a much more receptive audience if you remember that in order for people to want to have an interest in what you are saying, you have to take an interest in what they are saying.

Besides, how can you really be friends with someone if you never really listen to what they have to say? It's common sense and common courtesy!

R

Why is it...

Why is it that people say one thing but mean another? I'm not talking about normal run of the mill people that you meet and interact with. That's a given. No, I'm talking about people that you've become friends with either at work or not. People with which you've grown to a point that you can confide in them, know them and understand one another with just the briefest of statements. Talking about friends.

It's amazing the number and degrees involved in the "friendship" circles. Close friends, best friends, friends, friends friends and more... it's dizzying and can get confusing. I may be at a disadvantage in this game of friendship as I tend to not make friends, (well close friends - see what I mean?) very easily. I have no problem with work friends, acquaintance friends, friends, friends friends, etc. It seems to be the close friends and best friends areas that tend to mess me up.

Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm the one with the twisted sensibilities and uncommon levels of what, dunno. See to me, I'm normal. I know, right?! Well, that's to be expected. It's just the way it is, we all see normal as a reflection of ourselves. I can even recognize that and in most cases don't have a problem with it. It's just when a friend moves from the good friend alignment to the close or best friend alignment that it becomes an issue.

BTW, how does that happen? It's a mutual thing right? I mean you can't just move someone from one alignment to another without their consent can you? I guess you could, but then they really wouldn't know, would they? And with that in mind, do they need to be told, or is it just an understood kind of thing? lol

So what was I saying? Oh yeah, why do people say one thing and mean another? Is it a using type thing? Do best friends and close friends do this normally? Or is it reserved for the "other" alignments of friends? (shrug) Dunno... I always like people to know where I stand, so I tend to tell them and even with all the different levels of friends, I am more of a 'this is the way it is' kind of person. So, yeah, maybe it is me. Again, Dunno...