Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Super Bowl Week

Had an interesting Monday evening. Ceil needed to take something back to IKEA, so I told her I’d drive her. Left work just after six and picked her up. Ceil had made a chicken and ramen stir fry dish but adding the flavor packet that had an ingredient Matthew is allergic to.
 
Dropped Ceil off and checked out the Northside Drive Goodwill. Found a cute cheap Curious George backpack that will work great on bobblehead games, if I decide to go this year.
Picked up Ceil and drove down Northside past Mercedes Benz Stadium, all lit up on the inside and outside. I wanted to scout out parking spaces. The NFL Experience is in Congress Center building B, the middle building accessed by the entrance between State Farm Arena and Mercedes Benz Stadium. GWCC building C fronts on Northside Drive. The parking lots across Northside are a long walk to building B, plus walkways could be blocked for security – and those lots aren’t open to the public this week.
 
We took Ivan Allen past more parking lots that were being used for other things. Saw a couple of tiny lots on Marietta Street that appeared to be filled. Traffic by the CNN Center was gridlocked, so me made a quick loop past Centennial Park and back by the Aquarium. Parking there was only $15.00, but it was a long walk to the Congress Center. A concert was going on the in park. Ten thousand more crammed State Farm Arena for Super Bowl Opening Night. I turned back onto Ivan Allen, then left onto Williams Street and the downtown Connector home.
 
Our best bet – least walking and quickest commute – may be to ride MARTA. Won’t be in the cold too long. What do you think?
 
 
 
 
 
Professions of congressmen: on social media someone said most were doctors and lawyers. Lawyers perhaps, but not practicing lawyers. According to a Thought.com article, of 535 in congress, about 107 were teachers, professors, school administrators, school counselors, or coaches. Around 214 are lawyers and businessmen. Even more are professional politicians. That adds up to almost 100% with a smattering of other professions: car dealer, rodeo announcer, welder, funeral home owner, software engineer, minister, physicist, engineer, microbiologist, radio talk show host, journalist, accountant, pilot, astronaut, athlete, filmmaker, farmer, fisherman, social worker, stockbroker, doctor, dentist, nurse, vet, optometrist, psychiatrist, and psychologist. So probably less than 20% are doctors and lawyers.     
 
 
Though there are several women in Congress, for simplicity’s sake I use the term congressmen and businessmen. My apologies if anyone is offended.  
 
Interruptions: I was taught, and keep reading articles saying you’re supposed to listen to others talk, not use the time they’re talking to be thinking up what it say. I try to wait until I’m sure the person is finished talking. I get frustrated at interruptions and it slows down my thought process and response time even more.
 
On conference calls it’s even worse. Someone will be talking and someone else will start talking over them. Both will continue to talk, meaning neither is listening nor even realizes someone else is talking. And when two are talking you can’t understand either of them. You’d think  people would learn, since we’re on conference calls almost every day.
 
I think last Saturday afternoon I was in a similar state, kind of “peopled out” so I skipped the meal with Ceil’s friends, instead returning to the hotel to decompress and emotionally recharge to prepare for the evening surrounded by strangers.
 
To be a good listener one should ask questions. I’m not good at this usually. Rob in my small group is great at this (he should be – he’s a vice president of a bank). Rob will ask question after question, so the conversation is never about him. He’s learning about the others around him as opposed to talking about himself the whole time.
 
Most everyone made it in to work this morning, but team member Angie had been feeling poorly yesterday so she is working from home. Plus her kids don’t have school.

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