Thanks, Rich, glad you enjoyed it. 
I had an afflatus recently (yes, yes, but it's such a great word, isn't it? Means something like 'moment of inspiration') about the terminology I was using.
I'd already decided that I wanted my office to be exciting, not just functional. I look around the room and I can see lots of purple folders and boxes, and I'm sitting at the most funky glass desk you can imagine. I did this because I work from home, and I've had some serious problems with procrastination. So I thought that I'd make it as enjoyable as possible to be here, in hopes that this might reduce the tendency to do something else (it does).
But just recently, I realised that, despite all my purple folders, and despite my glass desk, I was still describing the basics of my system in very mundane, utilitarian, boring terms. Now I'm not a fan of pop psychology or any of that nonsense, and I don't credit all those "think yourself rich!!!" gurus who favour positive affirmations. Yes, I can be an old crankypants sometimes, but 20-odd years spent in the rigorous world of mathematical academia can make one dubious about the benefits of standing in front of a mirror mouthing platitudes.
But I digress. I'd forgotten to apply this principle to the terms I used for my system, so I was still thinking of my system in very drab terms. Did you know that manila is a colour that registers almost no emitted energy? I don't want a manila system because I don't want a manila life.
So along with the Nice/Nasty distinction (which always turns up in my mind sounding like Blackadder when drunk), I've replaced my Inbox, Waiting, Pending, and Someday/Maybe boxes with Mystery, Foot-tapping, Ignoring, and Dreaming. Words have some power, and as with the Blackadder link, these words have connotations that bring a little life into the job.
Yes, it's fairly trivial, but it works, and it makes me smile. And I'm not going to be all purse-lipped and disapproving and determined to be serious about work. It's no fun, and gets me nowhere.
And yes, Rich, one of the strings to my rather bedraggled bow is that of writer. Well spotted.
Cheers,
Alison
I had an afflatus recently (yes, yes, but it's such a great word, isn't it? Means something like 'moment of inspiration') about the terminology I was using.I'd already decided that I wanted my office to be exciting, not just functional. I look around the room and I can see lots of purple folders and boxes, and I'm sitting at the most funky glass desk you can imagine. I did this because I work from home, and I've had some serious problems with procrastination. So I thought that I'd make it as enjoyable as possible to be here, in hopes that this might reduce the tendency to do something else (it does).
But just recently, I realised that, despite all my purple folders, and despite my glass desk, I was still describing the basics of my system in very mundane, utilitarian, boring terms. Now I'm not a fan of pop psychology or any of that nonsense, and I don't credit all those "think yourself rich!!!" gurus who favour positive affirmations. Yes, I can be an old crankypants sometimes, but 20-odd years spent in the rigorous world of mathematical academia can make one dubious about the benefits of standing in front of a mirror mouthing platitudes.
But I digress. I'd forgotten to apply this principle to the terms I used for my system, so I was still thinking of my system in very drab terms. Did you know that manila is a colour that registers almost no emitted energy? I don't want a manila system because I don't want a manila life.
So along with the Nice/Nasty distinction (which always turns up in my mind sounding like Blackadder when drunk), I've replaced my Inbox, Waiting, Pending, and Someday/Maybe boxes with Mystery, Foot-tapping, Ignoring, and Dreaming. Words have some power, and as with the Blackadder link, these words have connotations that bring a little life into the job.
Yes, it's fairly trivial, but it works, and it makes me smile. And I'm not going to be all purse-lipped and disapproving and determined to be serious about work. It's no fun, and gets me nowhere.
And yes, Rich, one of the strings to my rather bedraggled bow is that of writer. Well spotted.
Cheers,
Alison