Fog!!!

I couldn't drive far to admire it, but my friendly South Farm (one of the large university research land plots) afforded some photo play. Until my camera battery died, that is. Extras show more fog.

I am still decompressing from my recent end-of-semester efforts. It occurred to me today, that no single human being actually knows what I do each day. I teach, take classes, advise and mentor students, participate in 2.5 writing groups and other professional development, have a family, run a house, help out with my son's cub scout pack, etc. None of this is heroic; I bet many blippers squeeze even more into their days. But it is a lot for me.

Ever so often, I need some validation of all this, an "atta girl" pat on the back. A specific and precise recognition of all the bits that I do and am. As nobody but me knows what I do each week, I am the only one who has the fully informed "atta girl" giving power... Huh... I bet I am not alone in this head-scratching dilemma.

While I don't know what everyone else does each day either, I can certainly make a point to offer specific and precise "atta girl" and "atta boy" when I see any given aspect of other people's life going well.

I say "specific and precise" in contrast to the phrase "thanks for all you do". The latter is a kind and generous sentiment, but imperfect in delivery, because, theoretically, it may hide a complete ignorance of another's efforts. I am venturing a guess that situation-specific acknowledgements carry more weight for the receiver because they mean that somebody is really paying attention. And in our fast-paced reality, attention became a very valued commodity in a very short supply.