Comments on Comments August 14th (Should have been August 12th)

 

It has been quite hectic the last few days with an influx of new research students coming into my lab to prepare for our big Fall research push.  I have been very busy with them showing them the ropes on how to handle rodents, busy with a new rodent painting scheme (we use permanent markers (by color) to identify them individually), revising and bettering a variety of data collection sheets,  and basically trying to corral these new researchers into seeing and recognizing the need for a planned, patterned workflow.  

My wife and I had a wonderful Anniversary day!  We went to an historic mid-century home converted into a museum highlighting that design (we had not ever visited before).  The tour was wonderful and was just the right length at about 2 hours.  We ate a fancy lunch at a new to us, fancy restaurant.  The food was delightfully fresh and well crafted.  I also had a pleasant, local IPA at lunch which was new to me as well.  We then went to Mass, then to a nearby town to have an ice cream treat at a quaint ice cream shop that makes its own ice cream flavors, and went to that town's movie theater for an evening film.  We both felt wonderful, content, and happy when we returned home at ~10:00pm and then we both had a few gifts to give each other as well.  

Running has been smooth and steady.  Thus far this week, I have simply ran my allotted 10 miles (~16km) each morning.... without fuss.... just getting them in.  It has felt nice to have it feel more like a routine again as the last couple of weeks I would sometimes struggle to be motivated to do the damn runs.  

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Some excerpts of comments I received last week and my responses..... arranged alphabetically by the name of the commenter..... usually this is my plan for Mondays but I did not get to write that day:

AC said....

"That got a little lengthy for me. The only comment I have, I could have had last time. It’s just that I don’t think we have the Brach brand name here."

Again, I am sorry, I am trying to not be so verbose any longer.  When I was last in Canada, I searched to see if there were any "Bridge Mix" candies, and I found ONE style.  I cannot remember the name offhand (will look when I get home), but it was underwhelmingly NOT "Brachs-like".   

GaP said...

I really enjoyed your TAO AND ZEN observations..."

I did too!  Pam had stated them and they resonated with me.

 

Granny Sue said...

 "What I do is to ask them questions, so they talk about themselves. People love to do that."

I usually do that too.  What is perhaps difficult for me is that a) there is always someone talking, and I have a bit of hesitancy to "butt in" and b) there are often MULTIPLE people talking at once.... which also disorients my mind a bit since I always have a strong desire for linearity.  

Margaret stated.....

"Just washing or pressure washing. My house still looks fairly new (recent paint job) but there is bird poop up too high for me to clean off. It annoys me!"

It was a sort of "in-between" style, which appealed to me.  I have seen folks who have done traditional power washing and it literally removes paint in some instances.  This fellow used what he calls a "Soft Wash" approach where he will literally wash the roof and sides with  soapy/cleaner infused water that he administers by various soft (but large) brushes and wands with sponges.  He then uses a very low pressure washer to rinse and detail things.   

"The "vet" appears to want attention and control and will do any persnickety thing to get them."

This morning, 147 days after the first submission, and 45 days after the submission of the damn silly corrections of the typographical errors (a missing period, a missing comma, that sort of thing).... I received word that they are now "approved" and when I eventually get the actual letters saying so, I may begin.    

"I'm not very shy although not an extrovert and might hazard saying something like, "I'm new here. Is there anything you'd like to know about me?" 

I am rather shy (at least in those sorts of small group settings).  The idea of asking"I'm new here. Is there anything you'd like to know about me?" as you suggest.... seems both appealing to me.... but also horrifyingly stress inducing.  If I could muster the courage to say that, it might alleviate things... but, it also gives me HUGE anxiety and I would worry that I would be misperceived as wanting to JUST talk about me or that I would want to wrangle the conversation to only things I want to talk about.  Strange conundrum.    

Peppylady (Dora) asked...

"Could we please see a photo of your beloved puppy dog?"

 

This is actually not her, but the puppy above is my beloved dog's “doppelganger". They both look IDENTICAL to each other.  Her haircut is exactly the same as well.  

 

Pat stated.....

Professor, when you stand in front of a classroom, do you worry about "fitting in"? Of course not! You are there to show the others in the room the beauty of what you are teaching.

 

True.  But the thing that makes it different is that I am TASKED with attempting to educate my students.  I am not really tasked to do anything in a social setting, so I tend towards my more quiet “me”.  The teaching task supersedes the "need" to fit in. And even then, I do think long and hard about my segues and analogies, to try to make sure they DO "fit in" to what will help students understand.  A case in point.... for decades I would talk about Don Knotts as a case example of  hyperthyroidism.  But, it was perhaps 10 years ago or so I realized that most of the students had no damn idea who he was, most had never heard of "The Incredible Mr. Limpet" nor of the "Andy Griffith Show" although some did recognize "Three's Company".  Now, in order for the concepts to land successfully, I show a brief clip of Mr. Knotts in a rather frenetic scene to help illustrate and give more back-story to help them at least recognize what I am suggesting. 

"Maybe you could view your bringing a pipe to the retirees group in a similar way? You have something to offer, something to share."

 

I do hope that I can do as you suggest eventually (I am imagining near Thanksgiving or Christmas).  But, I also unfortunately know that my personality would make me feel like a Skinnerian rat pressing the wrong lever (zap!) if I tried to do so BEFORE I felt like I fit in.  

 

At this point, I do believe I will go to the group again tomorrow.  And, I do believe I will try again to talk more at the group.  If I can figure out whatever my talking "quota" needs to be, it will alleviate some stress.  I still think I MAY be able to feel like I fit it, especially if I find the right level of talking. 

PipeTobacco