A lesson in perception

My cousin shared this great video with me! Not only is it entertaining, but it touches base on gender stereotypes and men's perception of labor pains and giving birth. What makes this video so neat is that the men are hooked up to machines that simulate the experience of labor pains, so their perception becomes an actualization.  It is definitely worth the three minutes!

Labor pains? What labor pains?

My Indirect Mom

My mom has the Minnesota Nice thing down pretty well, and a big part of that is her mastery of indirect language.  Sometimes I don't understand if she expects something from me or is just suggesting it. She says things like, "Oh, it would be really nice if you could make it to__________," or "I've always wanted to go to __________ with Murphy" rather than just coming out and saying, "I need you to be at ________," or "Can I take Murphy to _________ on Saturday."  A lot of our disagreements and miscommunications could be avoided if she would just be a little more direct in her intentions.  I catch myself being indirect with my husband occasionally, but as soon as I realize it, I fix the indirect message to something more direct because I know how frustrating it can be to received an indirect statement. 

An example of jargon

Last night, I was talking with a friend of mine about Holocaust literature (The Diary of Anne Frank, Night, The Book Theif, The Storyteller, etc.).  That turned into a conversation about what we would do if we were in any of the character's shoes, specifically Anne Frank when the S.S. officers came knocking on the Annex door.

image source: http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111031000539/wolfenstein/images/b/b8/SS-soldier-WOF2009.png

 Then, this morning, I was getting a few items out of my school mailbox when some yummy-looking caramel cream coffee fell out with a sticky note that said "Stay Warm..  Your S.S."  It took me a second to realize this S.S. meant Secret Santa! 

image source: http://blog.timesunion.com/savings/files/2013/12/santa.png

Power Talk with Jody: What I learned

Today we had a guest speaker from Minneapolis School of business. Although I found his presentation interesting and relevant, there were two things he said that stood out to me more than anything else, and both of those things had to do with effective listening. 

The first thing he said was that to be an effective listener, you need to hear someone out no matter how much they may go against your personal beliefs. Like he said, I, too, can be a big stubborn and committed to my beliefs, morals, and values.  I am guilty of sometimes putting up that wall he gestured with and blocking the words of someone else. I am especially guilty of this with my dad.  My dad, due to where and when he grew up, is a bit racist and homophobic. He has come a long ways, but he has a hard time hearing me out when I try to "educate" him on how differences aren't necessarily a bad thing.  When he rebuttals, I sometimes tune him out by putting that wall up.  After hearing Jody's response to these situations, next time I am going to try harder to stay focused and hear my dad out.  I will look interested and may even thank him for a different perspective.  It won't be easy, but I think it will ensure that our afternoon ends on better terms than it has in the past when our differences come up in conversation.

Is anyone listening?

As a teacher, I feel like I am not being listened to multiple times a day.  As a parent of an almost three-year-old, I feel like I am not being listened to multiple times a day.  It can get pretty frustrating.  In the classroom, I am guessing the common barriers are distraction and lack of focus.  Would you agree?  What are some strategies you as a student would suggest for me as a teacher to use for more effective listening in my classroom? 

A new culture, a new perception

I am an avid Black Friday shopper and have been for years (pretty much since I could drive).  Although I still went out shopping this year, it was a different experience for me.  My usual shopping buddies were unable to join me: my sister was with her boyfriend in Mankato, and my husband had to work.  I went out briefly with my mom Thursday evening, but I was mostly on my own Friday.  Mostly on my own translates into my son and I.  I realized that having an almost three-year-old with me completely changed other shoppers' perception of me.  While waiting in line at Herbergers with a cart full of presents and my son, people were going out of their way to help us out.  One lady said that I could cut in front of her if my little guy started getting antsy.  The woman behind me said that she would save my place if my son needed to go to the bathroom.  A man offered to carry my framed art if it was in my son's way. 

In the past, I've encountered some pretty cut-throat individuals while shopping.  I'm not entirely sure if it was because it was later in the morning (eleven-ish maybe?), or if it was because I had Murphy with, but the people I encountered seemed to represent a very different shopping culture compared to  last year, and the way people interacted with me was far more pleasant.  Maybe I'll have to take him with next year, too...