Author: Allie P.

Getting back to work and other influencers

by Allie P., posted in Life as I know it
I'm the Zombie in blue. See I even have experience!
I’m the Zombie in blue. See I even have experience!

My throat stopped feeling like I’ve swallowed a sharp rock, my body is no longer alternating between icy chills and oven-like heat, and I am able to pick up and carry the toddler around the house without worrying that my arm is going to give out under his tiny weight. After days of being ill, I am finally back in the land of the living. Huzzah! It’s a good thing too. A few more days of that particular bug and the show-runners for the Walking Dead would have been calling me to act as an extra. In case any of them are reading this – even though I am healthy, I still would be an awesome zombie walker. Call me.

Unfortunately, work and life in general weren’t considerate enough to remain stagnant while I recuperated. Returning to the office, there is now a virtual mountain in my inbox and all my deadlines are now a week closer. To make matters worse, I am now past due on all my month end closing tasks. It’s almost enough to make me wish for another visit by the germ fairy, if only to give me an excuse to hide once again under the covers. Almost.

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/83665636

So now it is time to get back to work, so where do I begin? Well first I guess I will scan through all the hundreds of unread emails and prioritize based on an algorithm factoring in sender, number of other names on the cc list, and whether or not it can be answered with a quick yes or no answer. Excellent. Next I’ll shuffle through one pile of papers and see what I can immediately recycle. I’m making progress now! Now I’ll look at my other messages. Wait? What is this? I’ve been tagged in a Facebook game about books I’ve read? Stop everything. This needs to be addressed immediately.

While the list of my favorite books of all time is somewhat different, the following is the list of the ten books that most influenced me growing up:

  1. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein – It taught me to never accept defeat without a fight. Opportunities will always exist for those who are able find new uses for things that others deem worthless.
  2. The Last Battle: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis –  This remains one of my favorite series finales. It taught me that all things have a way of being connected on some level and that everyone makes mistakes, even if they have the best intentions in mind.
  3. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury: This novel not only opened the door to the world of Science Fiction and Fantasy, but also taught me that as evil doesn’t care about your age, you don’t have to be at least 18 years old to stand up against it.
  4. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett – which taught me there is always a reason to laugh, even if it is the end of the world.
  5. The Awakening by Kate Chopin – This one opened my eyes to the feminist movement, which later led me towards my current views on gender equality
  6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – What can I say, it’s a classic. This shaped my view on what a romance should be, witty insults and all. I loved that there were no characters without some individual flaw and yet together they were perfect
  7. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas – A well thought out plan is awe-inspiring, but be warned that a plan that does not allow flexibility can break you
  8. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman – It taught me to trust in myself and that even experts can be wrong sometimes.
  9. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien – even the most unlikely hero can still rise to the occasion.
  10. 1984 by George Orwell – The novel that showed me the power of words

Honorable Mention – The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan,  The Dragonriders of Pern (and spin-off novels) by Anne McCaffrey, and the Belgariad and Malloreon Series by David and Leigh Eddings. No single volume out of these epic series stands out far enough alone for my list, but considering how much of my free time was spent reading these books I would be remiss not including them as a major influence.

So now it is your turn. How hard is it for you to get back into a work routine after an extended absence? How do you prioritize?

Or – you can procrastinate like me and answer what books influenced you the most.

 

Putting priorities under the microscope

by Allie P., posted in Life as I know it
How to prioritize in 15 stesp
How to prioritize in 15 easy steps

We had received an email from school warning us that a stomach virus was going around my son’s class and was therefore not surprised (nor excited mind you) when kiddo succumbed a few days later. Poor little thing. Luckily after a mere 24 hours the fever had broken and he was once again nearly his boisterous self.

Then we received another note from the school. I am beginning to develop click dread. This one stated that a parent had confirmed their child had been infected with strep, a particularly nasty bacteria that can knock an adult flat on their hind quarters as well as lead to several other complications if left untreated. Awesome. I felt my throat tickle at the mere threat.

By the time I had gotten that note, tested kiddo, and put him on antibiotics, it was already too late for me. We hadn’t treated kiddo for strep, only for a 24 hour GI bug as was previously advertised. Did you know that strep manifests itself similarly to the flu in 4-6 year olds? They might not ever even complain about a sore throat or display any other outward symptoms. Sneaky buggers. Did you know they can remain contagious 2 – 3 weeks if left untreated? I didn’t. I guess you learn something new every day. Within a week I was rocking a moderate fever and my biggest accomplishment was getting dressed for the day.

Thankfully, having a good idea what my condition was in advance helped me seek out treatment sooner. All I had to do is rest for the next 48 hours while the antibiotics took hold. Amoxicillin, how I love thee.

Unfortunately I wasn’t the only victim. The hubby, too, developed a lovely case, leaving only the toddler in the clear. We had at least had the foresight to keep them separated. I guess the family that develops antibodies together stays together. Therefore he and I found ourselves in a frightening situation. We had two perfectly healthy, energetic little boys, who are too young to take care of themselves, and absolutely no energy to do just that.

I was told that having children will help teach you where your priorities lie. You find out what you are willing to sacrifice (i.e. spontaneous vacations, shopping sprees, watching first release movies at the actual theater, etc.) This is true – to a point. Those are all luxury items. Being sick with kids is actually the better teacher. That’s the situation when you learn what non-luxury items aren’t really that essential after all. I found out that I can survive in an extremely messy house. I don’t care if the kids’ shirts don’t match their pants if they can dress themselves. The toddler’s potty training can wait a few more weeks, he’s obviously not that into it. The kids only want to eat mac n’cheese or spaghetti? Fine. Deal. Here’s a multi-vitamin to chase it with.

Who knew that something like microscopic bacteria could teach me so much about myself?

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Communication failure – kindergarten style

by Allie P., posted in Life as I know it

My eldest son noticed that we changed the calendar at the house and asked me what month it now was. “It’s September now,” I told him. You could see the gears inside his head turn as he processed this news. “So next is October, and then November?” he asked.

“You got it.” I replied, happy that he was remembering his kindergarten lessons so well.

“That means it is almost my birthday!” He announced. “I need to start working on my wish list.”

I gave him some paper, moved his pencil and crayons within reach, and continued working on my own task. As he scribbled away, I occasionally overheard him verbalize a few of the items he was adding to his list such as Legos, transformers, along with various other toys he had recently seen in various commercials.

Several minutes passed. Eventually he must have been satisfied that he captured everything as he proudly showed me the list of his must have items.

the wish list
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To say that somethings may have gotten lost in translation was a bit of an understatement. I had been expecting crude letters, or pictographs at the very least. Instead his list was made up of various colored circular bullet points and squares where text should be. He smiled as he pointed to each bullet point. Communication Failure. Clearly the list made perfect sense to him, but it was gibberish to me. I didn’t want him to think I was somehow judging his artwork, but I had to ask some clarifying questions. Otherwise he is in danger of having a disappointing birthday celebration. Luckily he didn’t seem to mind. He had mom’s full attention, and that was what he ultimately wanted.

At my day job, we have a phrase we use whenever someone has been given an unclear task or unclear need. We call it being handed a red rock. For example, a customer calls and says that they want a red rock. You excitedly hang up the phone, eager to put the order on the sales board. Only then do you realize that you have no idea how to fill the request. Did the customer want a crimson rock, or a scarlet rock? Did they want a rock they could fit in the palm of their hand, or one that they could use to prop a door open against a gusty wind.  What is their primary motivation, really? Is it truly about the rock, or is there some deeper need. In these cases, it is usually best to go back and ask for additional clarification rather than make assumptions. No one wants to disappoint a customer if they don’t have to.

When it is our turn to ask for something, how do we get want we really want on our wish list? How do we better communicate?

I am expected to give a presentation in front of approximately sixty to eighty people in three weeks, and am a wee bit nervous. What I do not want to do is provide a series of handouts that look like gibberish to my audience or go over talking points that sound like a foreign language. Communication strategy is high on my mind at the moment, and I’ve been doing a little homework as I get ready for the big event.

Some of my favorite communication tips (for home or for work) are:

  • Eliminate unnecessary details. Imagine you are limited to 3 sentences to get your message across. Make each one count.
  • Be specific. Don’t just say you want a report on your desk, explain what should be in the report and when it is due.
  • Don’t rush. Give the person on the other end time to process your words and put them into their own.
  • Match your tone and pitch to that of the person you are engaging. They will be more likely to respond to you positively and stay engaged.
  • Ask open-ended questions rather than yes or no questions. These help better identify motivation. For example, do not say, “do you have any questions?” Instead ask, “what questions do you have for me?”

What tips would you share with me?

Inspiration under September’s sun

by Allie P., posted in Life as I know it

Keep your face to the sunshineThe close of August may mean the unofficial end of summer, but in my area it also means the beginning of the collegiate football season, or gridiron as it is known in much of the rest of the world. I never moved far after graduating from college, allowing me the opportunity to attend a number of games each season. Occasionally the boys come along too, at least once per season. There are a number of rival schools in the area, and we don’t want to risk that they might actually favor one of the alternatives when it is time to apply to college. Indoctrination starts early.

The problem with the season opener is that as much as we complain about summer being over, the mercury tells a different story. Between the sun and the stands packed so tightly, sardine cans look spacious by comparison, it can get extremely hot. This weekend’s game was to be played at twelve thirty on a 90+ degree day (32+C). It was going to be a scorcher.

After finding our seats, I noticed that my son was in need of some additional sunscreen. Rummaging through my bag, I found a left over tube. It was nearly empty, but spending the next several hours uncovered was not an option. I twisted and folded that tube, gratefully scrapping away even the smallest drop until I was able to cover the majority of his exposed skin. I didn’t have as much as I would have liked, but it would have to be enough to get us through the day unburnt.

Inspiration can sometimes be like a tube of sunscreen. Sometimes the tube is brand new, and will flow by itself as soon as the cap comes off. Those are the days I risk being too verbose. I have to force myself to hold back, saving some of those ideas for another day. Other days, the tube is near empty, but I twist it and bend it making use of whatever I can find. Why? Because I want to spend my time in the sunlight, but my skin is less forgiving now.

When you run out of sunscreen, all you have to do is run down to the local corner store and pick up a new bottle. Is finding inspiration or coming up with the next big idea just as easy? I like to think so. Yes, I’ve experienced writer’s block more often than I’d like, but a trip to the store can be just as easily delayed by a lack of gas in the tank.

I’ve been asked how I come up with ideas for what I am going to write about. First, I read. I read a lot. I read books, other blogs, news stories, and message boards. Many times I am participating in a conversation, except the other party doesn’t always realize we are communicating. Other times, I go for a walk. Nature abhors a vacuum. If I clear my mind long enough, something is bound to fill it. Finally I just start typing. I’ve surprised myself more than once.

The next great idea could be just around the corner, you just have to open your eyes wide enough to recognize what it is you are looking for.

Getting back to reality

by Allie P., posted in Life as I know it

When my youngest son graduated from crib to big boy bed we purchased a mattress liner just in case there were accidents. A few days later, I received an impassioned plea from the manufacturer begging me to write a review of their product. They were a small business and lived and died by their reviews. As an independent author, I can relate, but I found myself in a quandary. While the product had arrived on time and fit on the bed, my son had thankfully not given me a reason to test its overall effectiveness. I could write a review, without ever experiencing the full story, or I could wait and write the review after an event that by its very nature would put me in a bad mood. In either case, I doubt the company (or other potential customers) would see a benefit from what I had to say.

You may notice I’ve used some past tense. I arrived home from my business trip abroad just in time to care for my eldest son’s first school borne stomach virus. Yay! Nothing says I missed you mom like the opportunity to clean up the physical evidence of sickness in the wee hours of the morning. As much as I am washing my hands, running loads of laundry, and keeping the children separated, deep down I know that it is only a matter of time before it spreads to the rest of the household. But thinking on the bright side, at least this will give me a chance to drop those extra travel pounds I put on.

So do not fret Everyday Pure, you may yet still have another review in your listing. I just hope your product works as well on my youngest son’s bed as the one on my older son’s.

Speaking of products which might be better off never receiving reviews, if you enjoy toilet humor, you should really check out reviews for Haribo SUGAR FREE Classic Gummi Bears, 1 Lb on Amazon. If you do, be sure to read the review from April 25th, 2014 entitled A day that will live in infamy. My day may not be going as I anticipated, but I just have to read through these to remind myself how very worse it could be.

Some days I wear my author hat higher than the rest, some days my managerial, but today Mom reigns supreme. Due to my present situation, this post is brief, but let me leave you with a quote by William Ward:

Quote by William Ward

or in my case – changes the sheets.