Paradigm Shift: Congratulations on the Baby!

In line with my earlier blog post about blogging my paradigm shifts..here is one that happened a few years back. This is one that if it has not happened to you, probably will not because it is just common sense 🙂

Location: Wegman’s Supermarket, Rochester, NY

Date: Unknown Weekend

A little background…..Met her and her husband at an Allegheny College gathering at the Art Gallery in Rochester, NY. Her husband was a year ahead of me and I believe she was in my class, though I never actually met her there. So, we chatted then and then one random weekend, while I was working part time making subs at a local supermarket chain (Wegmans)I saw her and her husband enter the store. He came over and chatted with me while she went off shopping. I noticed that she had a bulge in her lower abdomen, and knowing how skinny she was just a few months before in the fall, it being the spring now, I said “Congratulations!” He replied “For what?” “For the baby” I replied. He said nothing and turned and walked away. His expression was rather a emotionless one, almost like a deer in headlights appearance.I thought to myself, man, I really screwed up. She gained weight over the winter and I just really insulted the husband. I was glad though that I did not say that to her!My ability to determine baby vs additional belly flesh was revealed to be flawed. I no longer mention pregnancy in any conversations. If they are pregnant and want to divulge, she will say so.I do like my polls…here is another one. Have you ever made this mistake before? Have you had any paradigm shifts in your life?   P.S. – I saw the 3 of them in the fall later that year. No, I was not referring to her as 2 people, they were pushing a baby stroller! While I was right, I think my decision to not presume is the best. I am not sure his expression to this day, but perhaps they were not ready to tell everyone, or he was not really all for the idea of a baby, I will never know.

Paradigm Shift: Sir?

I hope I am not the only one and I think this is the second time this has happened to me.

Location: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Date: July 2007

It was just a normal day volunteering at the National Air and Space Museum helping visitors locate the IMAX film schedule, closest bathroom and food court. Quite often there are those visitors that look completely lost, staring at the scrolling schedule on the plasma screen or at the countless brochures on the counter. Usually I cheerfully say “Sir, can I help you?” or “Maam, can I help you?.” So here I go, a visitor staring aimlessly at the countertop approaches from the east…..okay, so I am not being hunted, but you get the idea. Now is my chance…. “Sir, can I help you? SHE looks up and says “No thank you.” OUCH. Haircuts and visitors from all corners make it hard these days. Of course if she had asked for help or said hello before I adressed her, I could have figured it out, (well most of the time).My shift went from “men and women are easy to tell apart” to “when in doubt, leave out.” 🙂 In other words, when not necessary, leave out the “sir” or “maam.”Have you ever made this mistake? Let me know.  

Effective?

Over the years I have had various cracks at a journal. I do hope that this one will go on longer than my previous paper ones. I would think that would depend on the money making of this site and also my interest.Georgetown University has a number of traning classes, many of them are free for those who work there. One of these classes is based on Steven Covey’s best seller, “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” For more information on the this and the training classes, visit Franklin Covey.With that said, I have always been efficient. While that is great for getting tasks done quickly, many of them routine, it does not relate at all to effectiveness. Should I be spending the time on a task even though it is completed efficiently? In the class we talk about Paradigm shifts, changes in your personal view of the world. In fact, Steven Covey goes sofar as to say that you react how you want to react to a situation. For example, if you get upset when your children don’t do something you ask and start yelling at them….that is your response to the situation. If you pause before responding, you can gather your thoughts and think about how not to get all worked up. In this case, you could simply “go to your room.” While this seems like a punishment, you have removed yourself from the situation, can calm down, and your children will likely calm down.Now that I have mentioned a little background, I am going to blog my paradigm shifts.