Saturday, July 22, 2006
Everyone has taboo lines; areas or things that we are particularly sensitive about. That's why husbands and wives can so deeply cut and hurt each other. Having spent so much time together and having known one another for so long they would have instinctively picked out each other's push buttons. I have push buttons, my closer friends know what they are, the various degrees of enmity they invoke.
One particular person in camp has been crossing one such taboo line, or rather a few taboo lines, often enough to warrant a post.
For one, I love to prepare meals for myself, the more extravagant the better. I also love to cook for people. These two desires do not often clash but they do have different reasons for being there. When I prepare a meal for myself it's to pamper myself, a way of de-stressing. When I prepare a meal for other's it's one of my ways of showing affection. They do not intersect in any matter. In other words people that mistake a meal that I prepare for myself for one that's meant to be prostitute to the whole world and it's aunt, are in for hell.
Incident one
This individual had alittle bit to drink. This individual pulled open my curtain. The same curtains that protect my last shred of privacy I have in Taiwan. This individual then proceeded to sit and snuggle onto my bed. This individual closed the curtains. This individual saw that I had prepared supper for myself. This individual asked if he could try some of my supper. I said yes to this individual.
This individual had a fork full of my supper. This individual had another fork full of my supper. This individual had yet another fork full of my supper. This individual slurpped up my soup. This individual repeated above mentioned process. This individual proudly declared that he had finished half of my supper. This declaration was not unlike, when a small kid drags his parents by the sleeve to show them that he "went potty".
Incident two
As everyone now knows I'll be coming home soon. So in a bid to clear my stockpile of pre-packed Singaporean foods, I've been have some stupendous suppers, much to the dismay of my waist line.
On this particular night, I have packeted tofu and mushrooms from the town to served up with a satay sauce over noodles. Needless to say, I put in loads of time and effort preparing the food. Just as I settled into the snug confines of the bed to sink into my most excellent supper, this character came along pulled open the curtains and there after proceeded to lift a fork full of noodles to his mouth. It was only then that he asked me if he could some, seeing as he's a person in authority over me. That was not very different from arm twisting me into letting getting some of that supper. Not only that after he had had several fork-fulls he still had the cheek to ask if he could try my mushrooms. My mushrooms for crying out loud!!! Think of all the epic wars that have been started over the request for mushrooms! Such base boorish behavior!
So I adopted a passive aggressive posture. One that has been nurtured and mastered under the harshest conditions and cruelest of environments, my family.
His next request was even more provoking. He had turned around and had started towards the door declaring that he was going to share this with everyone at the smoking point. My patience at that point had reached drum skin tension. Doing my best to maintain my temper, I changed tactic; a whining tone. " Don't lah ______ people put in alot of effort to make that thing."
Before I type about the third incident. Let me make know another push button of mine. I'm a hard worker, I put in alot of effort into what projects I have been assigned. In fact i take alot of pride in the work I do. Given that I'm not perfect and that I do make ridiculous mistakes at times. But as some one once said, " Excellence doesn't demand perfection." On to the third incident.
Incident three.
I had recently decided to go back onto the ground to work. Namely because there were two other people in the office learning the administrative ropes. This basically translates to alot more people being in the office than needed. As such I thought a little ground work would be good for the organisation. Myself too. I like ground work, it's uncomplicated, doesn't require great oodles of foresight or brain juice. Clockwise tighten, anti-clockwise un-tighten.
So I was on the ground for a day (after that day they asked me to go back in, something required my immediate attention, but i digress) getting all nice and greasy, a little dirtier than I would like to, but it was nice being a grease monkey for a day.
This individual came up to me while I was washing up, and told me; " Just because a person is dirty doesn't mean, he's worked hard." A cunningly calculated statement, the sort you can't get mad over for fear of being "too sensitive". Of course I had like 3 things I wanted to say in response to that. But as I mentioned this person is in authority over me, meaning that I have to show some respect or self restraint towards this person even if he doesn't seem to show the same courtesy towards anyone else.
Further it's statements like this that really inspire me to go the extra mile in my work. My gosh with such encouraging words it's little wonder he's so popular amongst the general population. Why with such a high level of people skills, what's to stop this person from starting his own political party and with a little luck, who knows? One day he just might be able to find one supporter that isn't directly related to him or under death threat.
It's times like this I wish certainly leaders in this organisation would get it into their heads that whilst they desire their underlings to be proactive and go the extra mile for the organisation it all starts with that crucial commodity; energy.
Energy to say to one self "Hey this shouldn't be like this, I should do something about this". Rather than " Hey this shouldn't be like this. Aren't I smart to notice? I'd better get out of here before someone else tells me to work on this."
This closely ties in with getting people to do things. The only way to get a person to do something is if they want to. You can force me to do something by pointing a gun to my head, but i hard ball what else is there to threaten.
So this is were energy comes into play, when people are doing something that THEY want to do, energy is created. When people are doing something that THEY don't want to do, and are coerced into doing energy is lost. The good leader changes the perspective of the people such that they follow in the direction of the organisation because they WANT to and they see the benefit of it. Rather than because YOU want them to and what you'll want to do to them.
Need I mention that people will naturally shun people that they feel are draining their energy and gravitate towards people that inspire and energise them.
That's all I have for now on this theory I'll flesh it out abit more when I have little more time.
Now I am praying that the Lord will teach me to be understanding of this person, perhaps he's just feeling insecure or lonely or feeling power through anal retention. Lord help me, but currently most of thoughts and opinions I have towards this person tend to end in a very "happy tree friends" manner.
Jonathan's gem for today: "The older I get the more it seems that people refuse to believe in Christ simply because they are in love with what they want an inward looking self-absorbed perspective and don't want to play within the rules and confines that the Lord has set. The first sin."
That is all
Jon.P™
P.S To Chris, I've finally figured out my magic system! I must say I've VERY satisfied with it.
One particular person in camp has been crossing one such taboo line, or rather a few taboo lines, often enough to warrant a post.
For one, I love to prepare meals for myself, the more extravagant the better. I also love to cook for people. These two desires do not often clash but they do have different reasons for being there. When I prepare a meal for myself it's to pamper myself, a way of de-stressing. When I prepare a meal for other's it's one of my ways of showing affection. They do not intersect in any matter. In other words people that mistake a meal that I prepare for myself for one that's meant to be prostitute to the whole world and it's aunt, are in for hell.
Incident one
This individual had alittle bit to drink. This individual pulled open my curtain. The same curtains that protect my last shred of privacy I have in Taiwan. This individual then proceeded to sit and snuggle onto my bed. This individual closed the curtains. This individual saw that I had prepared supper for myself. This individual asked if he could try some of my supper. I said yes to this individual.
This individual had a fork full of my supper. This individual had another fork full of my supper. This individual had yet another fork full of my supper. This individual slurpped up my soup. This individual repeated above mentioned process. This individual proudly declared that he had finished half of my supper. This declaration was not unlike, when a small kid drags his parents by the sleeve to show them that he "went potty".
Incident two
As everyone now knows I'll be coming home soon. So in a bid to clear my stockpile of pre-packed Singaporean foods, I've been have some stupendous suppers, much to the dismay of my waist line.
On this particular night, I have packeted tofu and mushrooms from the town to served up with a satay sauce over noodles. Needless to say, I put in loads of time and effort preparing the food. Just as I settled into the snug confines of the bed to sink into my most excellent supper, this character came along pulled open the curtains and there after proceeded to lift a fork full of noodles to his mouth. It was only then that he asked me if he could some, seeing as he's a person in authority over me. That was not very different from arm twisting me into letting getting some of that supper. Not only that after he had had several fork-fulls he still had the cheek to ask if he could try my mushrooms. My mushrooms for crying out loud!!! Think of all the epic wars that have been started over the request for mushrooms! Such base boorish behavior!
So I adopted a passive aggressive posture. One that has been nurtured and mastered under the harshest conditions and cruelest of environments, my family.
His next request was even more provoking. He had turned around and had started towards the door declaring that he was going to share this with everyone at the smoking point. My patience at that point had reached drum skin tension. Doing my best to maintain my temper, I changed tactic; a whining tone. " Don't lah ______ people put in alot of effort to make that thing."
Before I type about the third incident. Let me make know another push button of mine. I'm a hard worker, I put in alot of effort into what projects I have been assigned. In fact i take alot of pride in the work I do. Given that I'm not perfect and that I do make ridiculous mistakes at times. But as some one once said, " Excellence doesn't demand perfection." On to the third incident.
Incident three.
I had recently decided to go back onto the ground to work. Namely because there were two other people in the office learning the administrative ropes. This basically translates to alot more people being in the office than needed. As such I thought a little ground work would be good for the organisation. Myself too. I like ground work, it's uncomplicated, doesn't require great oodles of foresight or brain juice. Clockwise tighten, anti-clockwise un-tighten.
So I was on the ground for a day (after that day they asked me to go back in, something required my immediate attention, but i digress) getting all nice and greasy, a little dirtier than I would like to, but it was nice being a grease monkey for a day.
This individual came up to me while I was washing up, and told me; " Just because a person is dirty doesn't mean, he's worked hard." A cunningly calculated statement, the sort you can't get mad over for fear of being "too sensitive". Of course I had like 3 things I wanted to say in response to that. But as I mentioned this person is in authority over me, meaning that I have to show some respect or self restraint towards this person even if he doesn't seem to show the same courtesy towards anyone else.
Further it's statements like this that really inspire me to go the extra mile in my work. My gosh with such encouraging words it's little wonder he's so popular amongst the general population. Why with such a high level of people skills, what's to stop this person from starting his own political party and with a little luck, who knows? One day he just might be able to find one supporter that isn't directly related to him or under death threat.
It's times like this I wish certainly leaders in this organisation would get it into their heads that whilst they desire their underlings to be proactive and go the extra mile for the organisation it all starts with that crucial commodity; energy.
Energy to say to one self "Hey this shouldn't be like this, I should do something about this". Rather than " Hey this shouldn't be like this. Aren't I smart to notice? I'd better get out of here before someone else tells me to work on this."
This closely ties in with getting people to do things. The only way to get a person to do something is if they want to. You can force me to do something by pointing a gun to my head, but i hard ball what else is there to threaten.
So this is were energy comes into play, when people are doing something that THEY want to do, energy is created. When people are doing something that THEY don't want to do, and are coerced into doing energy is lost. The good leader changes the perspective of the people such that they follow in the direction of the organisation because they WANT to and they see the benefit of it. Rather than because YOU want them to and what you'll want to do to them.
Need I mention that people will naturally shun people that they feel are draining their energy and gravitate towards people that inspire and energise them.
That's all I have for now on this theory I'll flesh it out abit more when I have little more time.
Now I am praying that the Lord will teach me to be understanding of this person, perhaps he's just feeling insecure or lonely or feeling power through anal retention. Lord help me, but currently most of thoughts and opinions I have towards this person tend to end in a very "happy tree friends" manner.
Jonathan's gem for today: "The older I get the more it seems that people refuse to believe in Christ simply because they are in love with what they want an inward looking self-absorbed perspective and don't want to play within the rules and confines that the Lord has set. The first sin."
That is all
Jon.P™
P.S To Chris, I've finally figured out my magic system! I must say I've VERY satisfied with it.
