Rule #107 - Know when to abandon ship if it ain't floating.

To me this rule is all about knowing when to give up (I know, not rocket science). While this is a very simple concept I want to write tonight about giving up because it is not something I like to do. Even when all signs point to giving up, I don't. Don't take this the wrong way, I'm not trying to make myself sound like a master of perseverance or anything like that, it's quite the opposite really. I truly believe there have been and still are times in my life when I should have recognized I have achieved the point of diminishing returns. That point in time where I am involved or committed to so much stuff that I can no longer function at a high level. Things start slipping through the proverbial cracks. I can't focus on everything so some things get more attention than others, usually depending on what is most pressing at the moment.

This is how I live my life. The fact that I procrastinate doesn't make this better obviously, but more or less I manage to get things done. The cost of operating like this however is not a small one. In order to do everything at the last second and focus on whatever is the most emergent of my issues I sacrifice many things. Essential things, like sleeping, eating healthy, having a social life, and yes, walking Henry (sorry pup). It gets to be so bad that when I do have "free time" I invariably spend it sleeping and doing nothing of value whatsoever. I know a lot of people do that (weekends for example), but for me it is pervasive. Literally every free moment is spent napping or being a couch potato. So how do I reconcile this? Truth is I don't know.

I was planning on using this rule to rail on the lack of commitment I see everywhere in college. Students commit to things all the time, whether it is a social group, a relationship, or leadership positions. And my experience recently has shown that half the time people then back out, often at the last second, because it is the path of least resistance. Counterintuitive to everything I just talked about in my own life. I keep going (at great expense), they could care less how their decisions affect others and drop out as quickly as they joined. And when people do quit things they don't do it in what I would consider an appropriate manner. Maybe I am old-fashioned (translation: old) but if I were to drop something I had committed to I would tell, face to face, whoever I needed to know. In a relationship, I would tell the girl to her face. In a club I would announce it at a meeting so everyone would know why. But what are people doing? Texting break ups! Emailing resignations! And most damning, not saying anything at all like a coward and waiting until they are asked where they have been to offer their (weak) excuse. Look, I know you are busy. We all are, me as much as anybody. Be a man and fulfill your commitment and if you can't then be a man (sorry for my male-centric language ladies, please insert "be a woman" where necessary) and say it to my face.

So what is the solution here? I guess I need to change with the times and realize that commitments today are as flimsy as Paris Hilton's morals. But I also need to adjust my personal values to ensure I am not harming myself in the long run. To bring it back full circle (it's what I do) if my ship is sinking then it is time to save myself (at least from the trouble and stress that comes with being on a sinking ship)

Also, here is my Photo Recall - Day 10


At Chipotle in Washington DC during my trip to lobby congress on behalf of the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students. As you can tell I look satisfied--this was taken after eating an amazing burrito. I enjoy this picture because it is the first time in a long time that I had eaten Chipotle, and was before we had one built in Stillwater. Actually, upon returning from this trip was when I learned that there was going to be a Chipotle in Stillwater. Also notice that you can see the paunch that results when one downs a 1lb. burrito in about 5 minutes. Infortunately that paunch has decided to stick around...