Guitars and Life

delighted that the pressure valve worked! i am no...

2012-05-25T20:57:36.753+01:00

delighted that the pressure valve worked! i am not feeling the compelling urge to write often these days - and have considered just giving up the ol' blog. but when i need to write? it's good that it's there... here's to a very good weekend for you and the family! i hope there's music in it!

Oh gosh, I'm sorry it sounds as if you've ...

2012-05-25T20:13:03.567+01:00

Oh gosh, I'm sorry it sounds as if you've been having a frustrating work week or two as of late, but it looks like you've managed to put it all into perspective now - don't let the buggers get you down, eh?

Glad you're in a "better space". Lif...

2012-05-25T18:11:09.784+01:00

Glad you're in a "better space".
Life is too serious to be taken seriously.

Glad to hear things are looking up...sure sounds l...

2012-05-25T16:43:11.189+01:00

Glad to hear things are looking up...sure sounds like progress to me. I can always relate to a lot of what you say, but particularly the work stuff. Love that diagram you posted last time. I'll keep you in my thoughts and sincerely hope you continue to speak up and find satisfaction in your job. Take care.

I read this with the goofiest smile upon my face! ...

2012-05-25T16:36:02.225+01:00

I read this with the goofiest smile upon my face! I am truly happy for you.

Brilliant to read this :-)

2012-05-25T13:48:11.732+01:00

Brilliant to read this :-)

I read your last post and one of the first things ...

2012-05-25T13:34:41.183+01:00

I read your last post and one of the first things that occurred to me was "Could you imagine having that shitty of a work experience with a hangover??"

My gratitude check is always that no matter how bad my day, week, month might be, it is a vast improvement over the days when I existed with my head in the toilet.

Have a good day, F.

I think many of us have been in a similar situatio...

2012-05-25T01:11:53.092+01:00

I think many of us have been in a similar situation, but keep on, stumbling on, day to day.

The most useful skill I learned was when to say NO, and even to say DEFINITELY NO, closely followed by, F*CK OFF, I SAID NO.

It does make life much easier.

my I am putting my old manager head on here and I ...

2012-05-24T21:18:42.791+01:00

my I am putting my old manager head on here
and I must say your self awareness is leaps ahead of most employees I have come into contact with.. which is half the battle
chin up and well shared x

Great that you wrote it here, it's a brilliant...

2012-05-24T20:44:18.831+01:00

Great that you wrote it here, it's a brilliant place to let it all out. Sorry you feel this way though, at least you know your what you are like and your reactions to situations - you are half way to solving things if you know yourself.
Best wishes to you, it sounds an uncomfortable place to be right now and in the end quality of life is the most important thing...

I wonder if it helps to know how often you help th...

2012-05-24T16:42:56.384+01:00

I wonder if it helps to know how often you help those of us out here in the blogging world? I come here and your insights bring me clarity and peace and a sense of calm. It may not help you right now, while your feeling turmoil about your work, I just wanted you to know that you make a difference here. Today. FWIW.

DR spot on - shared this here. Rolled up my sleev...

2012-05-24T16:25:26.457+01:00

DR spot on - shared this here. Rolled up my sleeves and typed up two documents. Held two important meetings where I made it clear what the strategy was to be (one person described one of them as "strangely productive") and then had a review with one of my bosses (there is a point of stress straight away - multiple bosses) and he admitted we'd failed to get funding for at least one of the major projects he's been jumping up and down about...
Although I don't really believe - maybe God does listen when I speak...

I think that is one of my problems Nic - frankly I...

2012-05-24T16:23:14.530+01:00

I think that is one of my problems Nic - frankly I'm really not all that fussed about the work, I've figured out in my nearly 50 years on this planet that frankly we do little of value in work it is only with family and friends we achieve much of note.

However the bunch I work with - you'd think everything was going to save the planet ... well to be fair some of it might but... they get so het up about it all... my slightly laid back appearance may not help either ... although inside the desire for me to be the "one and only best in the world" drives me nuts!

i know "Imposter Syndrome" well. and fa...

2012-05-24T13:16:42.338+01:00

i know "Imposter Syndrome" well. and failure to delegate comes with it... "if i ask for help, they'll know i'm failing!". makes it hard to get out of the cycle.

can you talk with your boss? clearly outline where you think the priorities are, try to get his/her concurrence on what is most important for you to focus on for the near term? it's hard, but it beats drowning. good luck... i'm sure i'm not the only one out here cheering for you!

I know that feeling about the emotional journey to...

2012-05-24T13:02:20.892+01:00

I know that feeling about the emotional journey to work! It used to really get to me a long time ago. Looking back, perhaps I should have pinned a sign on the back door that said YOU'LL FEEL FINE BY LUNCHTIME.

I'm into identifying vicious circles. When one has identified one, one is usually half way to breaking it.

Panic thee not F. I've just started a new vent...

2012-05-24T12:55:00.198+01:00

Panic thee not F. I've just started a new venture myself. It's only 3 days a week, but that was all I wanted. But the bottom line (I know, I hate the expression too) is the same - you get done what you get done. If they heap more on you than you can handle, you request help. Now.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease and all that. Do it.

Let me know how you get on.

J

I hope that you even just publishing this is a lit...

2012-05-24T10:53:08.494+01:00

I hope that you even just publishing this is a little help - part of the honest unburdening. I know it's a bit of a cliche and not of any 'practical' use to know but if it brings any reassurance just remind yourself you're not alone! (Coincidentally - or perhaps not, perhaps it's just the way of things generally for so many - I was reading another blogger's post just this morning which was incredibly similar to yours). Hope very much you'll work it out, go easy on yourself because you are not responsible for the way things are around you, I think the way you feel is sadly a symptom of a system that is already flawed. And, I know what you mean about self-reliance, but I wonder if you can try and simply let yourself rely on other people a bit more (and to occasionally say "no") it will be ok, and you'll find it liberating? Maybe give it a go, I'm thinking how much worse can it be, if you feel like this already? Lots of luck and thoughts your way.

“One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous bre...

2012-05-24T10:49:09.588+01:00

“One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important," said Bertrand Russell.

And I can see what he means. Because it isn't. Believe me, it isn't.

Furtheron, I wish I could say something helpful . ...

2012-05-24T09:53:44.532+01:00

Furtheron, I wish I could say something helpful . . . I doubt that I can though.
My advice would probably be to walk away and find something you enjoy; that's not so easy though in reality.
You could start looking . . . Maybe?
I just hope you feel better soon. x

It's so easy to backslide, no matter the willp...

2012-05-24T03:50:51.950+01:00

It's so easy to backslide, no matter the willpower.

as my brother reaches toward his 4 month sobriety ...

2012-05-24T03:30:57.959+01:00

as my brother reaches toward his 4 month sobriety date, i need to pay close attention. he's doing well. but going through his 3rd divorce at the same time has got to be wearing on him... a good reminder for us all.

There's something quite nice about being at th...

2012-05-24T00:35:42.724+01:00

There's something quite nice about being at the back of the field. It reminds me of all the years I went fellrunning. ALways in the last 10%, I actually came last twice.

Lovely post Furtheron, Obviously the relapse is no...

2012-05-23T23:14:04.875+01:00

Lovely post Furtheron, Obviously the relapse is not lovely, these thing happen . . . but that it served to remind you to be aware and grateful, that's good.
I always tend to think, wrongly, that us "relapsers" have nothing to add to a meeting, so I rarely say anything; though the couple of times I did speak, those people with 5 or 7 yrs, said it was good for them to be reminded of early struggles. Now I see why.
Thanks for passing it on.

Many times I learn more from the newcomer than any...

2012-05-23T23:08:24.431+01:00

Many times I learn more from the newcomer than any old timer in the room. My heart goes out to her, too. But I love that she came back. I never had the guts after my relapses. Too much shame. Brave girl.

this is very insightful. it's good to have th...

2012-05-23T22:43:37.021+01:00

this is very insightful. it's good to have these kinds of reminders so that don't get caught off guard and fall back into old traps.