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Strange Bedfellow's avatar

Dreamy's fine, Ron, but I have tangoed with her before and in any case would be cautious about putting anyone on some kind of pedestal. I would even argue that some expectations may inadvertently risk placing too high a standard and therefore pressure on someone.

It is important to keep in mind, too, that one's perception and experience of reality is of course going to, by necessity, differ from others'.

Personally, I prefer that whoever feels free to fail sometimes and have bad days and so forth and yet still feels accepted and acceptable.

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Ron Anselmo's avatar

Zazzy, the pedestal days are behind us - it is, or is becoming, a meritocracy again. My personal perception is she's earned my respect and affections. But as you say - in your abundance of wisdom - "perceptions may vary".

Both points well-taken.

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Strange Bedfellow's avatar

We can dance with the same woman, and for me, she steps on my toes (and/or vice-versa) and for you, she's a breeze. That's life/us and I'm fine with that. Maybe you continue dancing and I go for a drink at the bar and then bring over a couple of drinks for you guys once you're done. That kind of thing.

This is allegorical, though, since I generally have little interest in dancing and bars.

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Ron Anselmo's avatar

"This is allegorical, though, since I generally have little interest in dancing and bars." ~ Strange Bedfellow

Agree, but engaged, intimate conversation? Another story - a deep connection - sometimes nothing better.

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Strange Bedfellow's avatar

Oh sure, we do it over here when I'm not ball-and-chained to the computer and chatting with folks online when I should be doing my work. That's my un-genius you see. Mismanagement of priorities for one.

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Ron Anselmo's avatar

"That's my un-genius you see. Mismanagement of priorities for one."

Are you sure your work takes priority over chatting with folks?

What you see as un-genius or mismanagement, may actually be a display of genius.

Each of us only has 168. Sometimes I ask people, what do you do with your 168? Gets a puzzled look.

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Strange Bedfellow's avatar

What's 168?

I am happy to set aside priorities if circumstances or new opportunities warrant it.

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Ron Anselmo's avatar

Puzzled? It's late, and I'm dragging you - not nice. We all have 168 hours in a week. 8-)

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Strange Bedfellow's avatar

Do we? I never calculated that. I'm too happy-go-lucky to care I guess, (priorities be damned. ;)

Is it late? Or is it early? It should be getting light out soon...

Ron? Ron! Are you asleep?... Wanna pillow?...

(...unlocks cafe door, brings in bike, locks door, places 'Closed For The Weekend' sign in window, crashes out on other couch...)

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Ron Anselmo's avatar

Happy go-lucky, yes, that's the way I read you - best way to be.

I used to use 168 as a "teaching tool", if you will. Friends would complain that they never had time to do things - learn to play the saxophone, learn another language, plant a garden, etc.

Well, we all bitch about having to work 40 long hours, so that leaves us 128 hours. We rarely sleep the suggested 8 hours a night, but say we do. That leaves us 72 hours - 128 less 56.

Set aside 4 hours per day (a very conservative number) for meals, laundry, shopping, errands, chores - the maintenance of life. So, now we're down to 44 hours - 72 less 28.

Divide 44 hours by 7 days, and that leaves 6 hours and 15 minutes per day to learn piano, another language, map out a family tree, etc.

Our time is fixed, just like our incomes - it's all about budgets and allocations - how we choose to spend each.

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Strange Bedfellow's avatar

Indeed, life and time are fixed, and 'life is short' as some have lamented.

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Ron Anselmo's avatar

You're a prince and a genius, Zazzy, you know that, right? We can suss all this out over very late-night drinks at the cafe, maybe after all the other patrons have gone home for the night.

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Strange Bedfellow's avatar

I've read and am maybe inclined to agree that we are all geniuses in our own ways, or maybe we wouldn't have made it to the current point we are at on this evolutionary path. I am pretty sure you have your own genius, and Dreamy hers, and so forth.

We're a social species afterall, so we rely on each's fortes.

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Ron Anselmo's avatar

Agree, and there's nothing more joyful than helping someone see their own genius.

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Strange Bedfellow's avatar

Do you think you have a knack (genius) for seeing others' genius and fortes? Or maybe encouraging it? It could be.

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Ron Anselmo's avatar

I think so. It's easier to see from the outside in, than from the inside out sometimes. They can't see their genius in me, because as you say, we all possess distinct genius - maybe some in common - but generally, I won't have theirs. However, I can be a mirror for them, to see their own genius. To watch their recognition - their "aha" moment is joyful. They need faith - in themselves - though, as well as recognition.

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Strange Bedfellow's avatar

Yes, people can know us (in some ways) better than we know ourselves, precisely because they see us from the outside, so excellent point. I can appreciate it, too, when others think for me sometimes, such as if my mind is elsewhere.

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