Category / psychology

by Diane Tate

Euphemisms (cntd.)

Lying Loopholes and, as such, I simply can’t get enough of them: they are so useful!!!

I used to reserve most of my geek love for economists….but rhetoricians are starting to move up!


Talk. To. Me.

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by Diane Tate

Smile And Nod

I learned the value of this Standard Operating Procedure from a colleague of mine at Schwab. It entails never pushing back regardless of how unreasonable the request, and only later surfacing the constraints. That way you become the invaluable go-to person and never get pegged as a naysayer.
This morning I embraced the SAN SOP when I agreed to join my friend’s running group.
Let’s clarify: I run. I just don’t do “endurance” runs. But, I figured, how hard can a little extra distance be?
Only in the car – en route, committed – did John throw out these remarks:
  • “If you studied the trail posted online…” (“study” the trail? ah…right…)
  • “The grade ascends consistently for the first 6 miles.” (note the use of “first”)
  • “There is an extension option because the main course is only 11 miles.” (note the use of “only”)
  • “The fact that it’s trail running sort of selects out who will be there.” (I had no idea what this specifically referred to, but got the sense that trails must be scary)
Smile And Nod. Smile And Nod. No problem!
But, in merciful face-saving fate, the Running Demon of Sun*Sans*Shade led even the “ultra” runners to condescend to their own humanity and join me in stopping at various points along the way.
So really, I am just like them. I could do a 50K in my sleep. Dreams, that is.
This is not me.
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by Diane Tate

May I have some opiods to chase my dopamine, please?

My highly social nature + my incessant need to uncover truth has traditionally been a source of pride, enabling me to be a journalist, sleuth and master of no trade (aka “generalist”).

But pride cometh before the fall: thanks to current networking technology, I can now feed my social and search beasts at alarming rates. It started slowly with email….escalated with Facebook….and was fueled to whole new levels by IM, Skype messaging and Twitter. Now I have services like FourSquare which text my phone to immediately notify me who is going where and subsequently permit me to research, add tips, stalk others … the ADD possibilities for those seeking external stimulation are endless!

Specifically, I’m noting that my capacity for reading and writing beyond a short email or tweet is eroding; that my Facebook activity steps up considerably when I am forced to read through a document longer than one page; and that I must multitask with my human-computer interface when encountering a simple human interface, lest I neglect my extroversion of any possible input.

So it was with great relief that I had the patience to read all of this piece (yes, first seen as a friend’s post on Facebook but actually a normal-length article from Slate…which still writes articles vs. being pure post redux). It neutralized my neurosis by stating it in concrete and physiological terms.

And that’s good enough for me. Just proud that I finally finished this post!

This very post is a cry out for intervention. Sponsored by AT&T.

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