jay: (Default)
jay ([personal profile] jay) wrote2003-08-22 08:18 am

Being responsible

The past couple of days have been more upbeat... I felt down after receiving something-chastising from a friend, and a note about another friend's change in plans, but those both lifted in a few hours. And I had mostly misread the former, anyway. I need be less obsessive over possible future implications or between-line-reading, and just relax.

Work-wise, I went out Wednesday and bought $2500 of computing and communications gear to ship to Spain, and spent that night configuring it in my bedroom before [personal profile] hopeforyou came by and picked it up yesterday. Only two of the US-permitted 11 802.11b channels are legal in Spain. And I got a gold star from Carol! (grin) And my travel next week was approved without hassle, and my orders to Spain outbound likewise. All good.

I miss not being at alt.polycon in Toronto... but I haven't posted there in 6 months, and lurk infrequently. Some of the session topics look attractive, and I'm slightly social-interaction-hungry at the moment (haven't been around adults in three weeks, other than [profile] patgreene and work). But I would have had a problem attending apc10 anyway, given the prominent role(s) of certain other individuals. Disengagement extends from online interaction to realspace.

Socially, I need to note for myself (not seeking responses) that I caught myself Wednesday unconsciously trying to *not* be responsible for my actions... as I said above, I was feeling a bit people-deprived. There was a local event that evening of which I'd been made aware. My reaction, late that afternoon, was (typical) "no sense in going there, they wouldn't want me around anyway. " (don't react to this, please wait ;) Then caught myself for some reason. What was *really* going on? I was foisting off on others the responsibility for my non-appearance -- and assigning them motives and reactions. No wonder some people wince at this, when I'm heard saying something similar. I knew that there would be at least some friends at that gathering, and they would have (in reality) probably been happy to see me. The *real* reasons for not appearing? I leave work too late (7pm, and this was most of an hour away), I needed to assemble and test the newly-purchased computer gear at home, and the host had seemed vaguely pissed at me in an online interaction that afternoon. But these were *my* reasons, I owned them, and any resentment that I couldn't go out and play had to be pointed back at my own decisions, not some amorphous unaware group. Being responsible. I will need to try to intercept this group-finger-pointing reflex in the future, it's a bad habit. Even if no one else knows, regarding some event or opportunity.

Now on to work, and lunch later ;-).

[identity profile] anisoptera.livejournal.com 2003-08-22 08:52 am (UTC)(link)
Wow, good catch and good processing. A+ on your emotional homework.

[identity profile] brian1789.livejournal.com 2003-08-22 09:54 am (UTC)(link)
It was written down here to remind myself to catch it in the future, not in search of praise... but thanks, in any case!

[identity profile] anisoptera.livejournal.com 2003-08-22 10:01 am (UTC)(link)
I realize that, but frankly I'm proud of you and having been in a similar place myself just felt like saying something.

Catching stuff like that and doing my emotional homework really got me on the path to feeling more comfortable with myself.

[identity profile] mactavish.livejournal.com 2003-08-22 08:59 am (UTC)(link)
And just so you know, those particular hosts are, so far, on the list of people who are least likely to hold grudges of anyone I know. (I would have liked to see you last Wednesday.)

[identity profile] princeofwands.livejournal.com 2003-08-22 09:34 am (UTC)(link)
And so far as I know, have had no grudge to hold anyway. But yeah, what Mary said(on both counts).

[identity profile] brian1789.livejournal.com 2003-08-23 10:54 am (UTC)(link)
Okay, thanks (smile). I'll come by some Wednesday, when I can plan ahead and leave work early (say, 6pm).

[identity profile] brian1789.livejournal.com 2003-08-23 10:55 am (UTC)(link)
I would have enjoyed seeing you likewise ;-).
geekchick: (affection)

[personal profile] geekchick 2003-08-22 08:59 am (UTC)(link)
But these were *my* reasons, I owned them, and any resentment that I couldn't go out and play had to be pointed back at my own decisions, not some amorphous unaware group.

Who are you, and what have you done with [livejournal.com profile] brian1789? ;) *duck*

Seriously, I am glad to read this. Go, you!
ext_2918: (Default)

[identity profile] therealjae.livejournal.com 2003-08-22 09:08 am (UTC)(link)
Yep, yep. Very impressed with all of this. That is all.

-J

[identity profile] brian1789.livejournal.com 2003-08-22 09:50 am (UTC)(link)
Who are you, and what have you done with brian1789? ;) *duck*

Pttttttt! :-P

[identity profile] sinboy.livejournal.com 2003-08-22 09:34 am (UTC)(link)
) Then caught myself for some reason. What was *really* going on? I was foisting off on others the responsibility for my non-appearance -- and assigning them motives and reactions.

Well done!

[identity profile] serenejournal.livejournal.com 2003-08-22 09:54 am (UTC)(link)
*beam* Love it. Sorry you missed the get-together, and that you're not getting as much social interaction as you want, but yay you for continuing to examine stuff and make it better.

[identity profile] brian1789.livejournal.com 2003-08-23 10:57 am (UTC)(link)
(hug) thanks... once I start poking and prodding something, I'm likely to persist until I figure out how it works. A greater challenge, IMO, is remembering and using these nuggets in relevant future situations. Not backsliding...

[identity profile] serenejournal.livejournal.com 2003-08-25 08:16 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, I know how that is. I can know what I want to do, and what is best for me, and then a situation will come along and I get caught up in it, or I get flustered, and the way I wanted to behave flies out the window.

[identity profile] futabachan.livejournal.com 2003-08-22 09:58 am (UTC)(link)
I miss not being at alt.polycon in Toronto...

Oh, poo. Another cool person not here. I'll have to pick your brain about Nunavut some other time, then....

[identity profile] p3aches.livejournal.com 2003-08-25 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
yay for your self awareness.