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June 30, 2006
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
A few months ago I read "Flow" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced "chick-sent-mi-hi-yee", don't ask me how I know). I was interested because I frequently experience "flow" while working, but hadn't been able to put a name to what I felt. In fact, achieving flow is often the difference between what I consider to be a good shift and a bad shift, regardless of my production numbers at the end of the night. Since identifying the importance of "flow" in my job, I actively seek it.
Yesterday I found myself identifying "flow" in another area, I went to a nurse practitioner who specializes in pain management. I've had problems with an area of my rib cage for about three months now, and we thought I had a condition known as "slipping rib syndrome". I went to see the practitioner for prolotherapy in order to fix my rib, but he felt more strongly that I was experiencing intercostal neuritis, which is much easier to fix.
He gave me a couple of injections, a local antesthetic followed by a steroid. I'm the biggest wuss in the world when it comes to needles (when he picked it up I had to turn to the wall so I wouldn't see it), and was scared to death, but he was so gentle I never felt more than a pin prick. As he left the room, he turned to me and said "Did I hurt you?" almost teasingly, and I realized the satisfaction he receives in being able to inject sensitive areas without causing pain for his patient. Then it hit me, THAT was his "Flow"!
Posted by Anna at 7:43 PM | Comments (0)
Charity Work....
Occasionally I toy with the idea of volunteering for a good cause, but have never followed through. Today I'm considering a clothing drive for the neighbor guy. It dawned on me the other day that in the couple of months he's lived here I have NEVER seen him in anything other than his red polo shirt with blue stripes. I cannot imagine that one person would own that many of the same shirt, he's got to be wearing the same shirt EVERYDAY!!!!! (He looks like a 1X if you'd like to contribute.)
Posted by Anna at 7:36 PM | Comments (0)
Independence Day
Happy Fourth of July!!!!!
I'm celebrating my independence this weekend with FIVE days of freedom from work! My days will be packed with activities normally classified as "doing nothing" such as reading, catnapping, and sitting on the patio just watching the world go by. The fireworks in my neighborhood started yesterday at 10:30 am (who in the world sets off fireworks in the MORNING???) And as a special treat this afternoon, we were seranaded with classic country hits via a car stereo, and vocal accompaniment (if you could call it that, he was only singing the "AAIIIYYYYYEEEEE" parts of the song, eg. "BAAAAIIIIIIYYYYYEEEEE", "LAAAAIIIYYYYYYEEEEE", "CRAAAIIIIIYYYYYYEEEEEE", "MAAAAAAIIIIIYYYYYYEEEE", "DAAAAIIIIIIIYYYYYYEEE"). I decided that was the best time to run to my friendly local Kroger and purchase all necessary Fourth of July items: potato salad, watermelon, coke, I'm now well stocked. Let the weekend begin!!!!
Posted by Anna at 4:25 PM | Comments (0)
June 28, 2006
A Sad Day Indeed.....
Cookeville is loosing one of my favorite places, the owners of Gridge's are closing the shop and moving their roasting business to Nashville. I'm at a loss for words.
Posted by Anna at 12:48 PM | Comments (0)
June 14, 2006
Communication Essential to Teamwork
In order for teams to work effectively toward their shared goals, it is imperative members understand each other. If you are a member of a team having difficulty communicating your ideas or needs to other members, instead of being frustrated, try changing tactics, and find a "language" they appreciate. For example, when trying to get male team members to clear a path for me to bring equipment through, I've found it best to drop the polite "excuse me please" for a more comprehensible "BEEP, BEEP, COMIN' THROUGH!!!!!!!"
Posted by Anna at 2:32 AM | Comments (0)
June 10, 2006
Redneck Evangelism....
There is a little church I drive past every day on my way to work. This week the sign in front of it reads "God says Get R Done". I don't remember seeing that in the Bible. Anywhere.
Posted by Anna at 12:28 AM | Comments (0)
June 9, 2006
A day in the life of..... Me
I awoke at 5:30 a.m. not to the sound of songbirds, but the sound of my worthless drunk neighbor calling his girlfriend all his favorite words. After nearly an hour of obscene language and crude accusations he headed off down the road with a final shot "Happy Birthday @$$#()!3!". It wasn't clear whose birthday he was celebrating and it's been awhile since I've been to a birthday party, but I don't remember those words being in the birthday song.
So a few hours later, I headed off for another night of woman against machine, only to be asked by the smiling captain of "team them" if I'd like to be a subject for an audit tonight. How do you answer that? "Yes, I'd love to, and while we're at it, could I have my brains sucked out by alien life-forms?" So, of course I agreed. As it turned out anticipation of pain is worse than the pain itself, and I survived the audit (as far as I know).
Then, with only an hour and twenty minutes remaining in the shift that never ends, (yes it goes on and on my friend, some people started working it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue working it forever just because it is the shift that never ends, yes it goes on and on my friends, some people started working it not knowing what it was..... you get the idea) the button on my jeans decided it had enough and popped off. Lovely.
Posted by Anna at 2:28 AM | Comments (1)
June 7, 2006
All that Jazz....
Jazz in Cookeville takes place just a couple of blocks from my apartment, and this year my Great Uncle's band "Rascals of Ragtyme" will be performing. I met my Great Uncle for the first time just a couple weeks ago at the funeral for my Uncle in Indiana, and I'm looking forward to hearing them play in 10 days!
Posted by Anna at 1:26 PM | Comments (0)