Casa Del Maya B&B

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Change

Change


Change: make or become different, alter in terms of, take or use another instead of, move from one to another, give up (something) in exchange for something else, remove (something dirty or faulty) and replace it with another of the same kind.
Synonyms: alter, make/become different, adjust, adapt, amend, modify, revise, refine;
Noun: the act or instance of making or becoming different.


                I’ve been noticing recently how much humans love the word “change”.  We use it all the time, in many different situations.  We are going to “change” our lives.  We are going to “change” our diets.  We are going to “change” the world.  I’m struck by how much the word is used…maybe over-used.  Here are some of the types of “change” I have come across:
Transformational Change
Change Management
Management Change
Change Ahead
Time for Change
Climate Change
Momentum for Change
Political Change
Personal Change
Change your Life (yeah, but how?)
Change is in the Air (really, can you smell it?)
Developmental Change (what, one step at a time?)
Transitional Change
Transformational Change (doesn’t this really just mean “change-change”?)
Temporary Change (if it’s temporary, why change it?)
Permanent Change (well, make up your mind!)
Planned vs. Emergent Change (oooooo, that’s deep.)
Change.org (yeah, right.)
Episodic vs. Continuous Change
Incremental and Core Change
Performance Change (I’ve been trying to do this for years!)
Change in Leadership (A really popular one.)
Change in Attitude (You need to change your attitude, young man.)
Thought Change (aren’t there police for that?)
Social Change (what, as opposed to anti-social change?)
Biological Change (I won’t even go there.)
Change your mind
Change the baby (you mean you don't like this one?)



There are untold numbers of books with “change” in the title.  Here are a few:
“How to Change Things When Things Are Hard”
“Leading Change”
“Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change”
“Change Management Masterclass”
“Influencer: The Power To Change Anything”
“The Truth About Thriving in Change”
“Viral Change”
“Immunity to Change”
“Making Sense of Change Management”
“The Heart of Change”
“Game Change”
“Game-Changer”
“Change is Here To Stay”


You might be amazed at how many songs are titled, simply “change”:
Change, by Taylor Swift
Change, by Blind Melon
Change, by Banks
Change, by Tracy Chapman
Change, by Tears for Fears
Change, by Bleach
Change, by Poets of the Fall
Change, by Carrie Underwood
Change Your Life, by Iggy Azaela
Change (In the House of Flies), by Deftones
Change Your Life, by Little Mix
Be the Change, by MC Yogi
Never Change, by Denace




                So after all this change in the world, why are we still looking to change things?  Why haven’t we perfected things, yet?  Well, I’ve been thinking (for a change) and come to realize that all this talk of change is just that: talk.  Change is an abstract term; it gives us no guidance about who, what, where, when, and how to change. 
“Change your life.” 
Sounds good, but exactly how do I do that?  What change do you want me to make?  What are the steps?  
And here is where they get us.  They don’t tell us.  They just prod us to make a change.
“He’ll bring Illinois the change it needs”
What change?  A change in taxes?  A change in interest rates?  A change in our paycheck?  To what change are they referring?  A change in the hour and a half it takes to get to O’Hare Airport?  A change to your status when you become governor?  

Why do we allow them to get away with it?



“Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have.”
Margaret Mead

                Thank you, Margaret.  That’s a great quote, and I believe you.  But give me something to work with, here.  HOW do I change the world?

I guess we’re going to have to ask them, from now on.  When a politician says “I’m for change”, we must ask, “Exactly what change are you referring to?  What changes are you going to make? (and please be specific)”

When Principal Skinner tells me to “change my attitude”, I gotta’ ask him how I do that?  What specifically about my attitude and thinking needs to change? 

When Ford or General Motors says they have made “changes for the better”, they better tell me what those changes are and how they came into being.  How do I know they are changes for the better unless they explain them to me in precise detail.

I am certain by now that you have picked up on my disdain for the ways in which people use the word “change”.  Start paying attention to how many times a day you read or hear the word “change”.  I bet it will blow you away how often it’s thrown around.  It’s so easy to say, “We need a change”.  It’s easy to say, and it promises nothing.  So please stop using “change” and replace (change?) it with specific things we need to change.  And make them meaningful.  I can change my socks, but is that a life change?

Recognizing a problem is halfway to solving it.  So let’s start recognizing the way people manipulate us by promising us “change”. 



Finally, here are some quotes from some well-known people.  Ask yourself after each quote, exactly what are they saying?
                Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.
George Bernard Shaw

If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living.
Gail Sheehy

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.
Leo Tolstoy


Progress is a nice word. But change is its motivator. And change has its enemies.
Robert Kennedy

There is nothing permanent except change.
Heraclitus

Change the changeable, accept the unchangeable, and remove yourself from the unacceptable.
Denis Waitley

Change brings opportunity.
Nido Qubein

For changes to be of any true value, they've got to be lasting and consistent.
Tony Robbins

 I thought of ending this piece by trying to come up with a really creative way of using "change" that would be funny, inspiring, and thought-provoking, but I changed my mind.



Thursday, July 10, 2014

5 Is The New 1




We got five things done today.  FIVE!  That’s a new Mexico record for us.

When Steve and I arrived in Merida, one of the first things we noticed was that life moves at a slower pace here.  And that was exactly what I was looking for.  I was never very good at multi-tasking – I’m a linear thinker and can only work on one thing at a time.  When I was teaching and working on something while the class worked on their own project, if a student walked up to me and asked me a question it would take me a moment or two to break away from what I was doing and turn my attention to focus on the student.  They usually had to repeat their question.  I guess they thought Mr. Hines was a bit slow.

But life in Mexico has really agreed with me.  I move from task to task, working at my own pace, and have learned to slow down in some areas of my life. (Not walking, however…I still walk like there’s a fire behind me.)  So the fact that you can usually get only one thing accomplished each day has actually been a way for me to force myself to slow down.  If I can go to the bank and pay the electric bill, that’s a good day.  Shopping for new shoes?  Takes a day.  Buying groceries: a good afternoon when you add in the bus rides to and from Mega. 

There are other projects, such as sealing the roof, painting the metal staircase, or cleaning the air conditioning filters that allow more leeway.  I can finish three or four of THOSE each day.  The problem is whenever I leave the house.  Anything you must do that involves other people, just plan on completing one project each day and consider yourself fortunate.  And get used to standing in line.  It’s just a way of life, here.  I've stood in so many lines in the past 2 years that now I am drawn to them like the proverbial moth to a flame.  If I don't have anything to purchase when I leave a store, I break out in a cold sweat and my upper lip trembles as I by-pass the checkout lines.  

So, one project per day is the norm.  Still, there are projects that take even longer.  Take renewing your visa, for example.  The first day we went to immigration we were given the forms to fill out and the list of other items we must bring with us when we returned.  The second trip we turned in the documents.  We were told to look online for our appointment date.  Three weeks later our third visit resulted in us leaving with documents to take to a bank to pay our fees.  The fourth trip was to turn in the payment vouchers.  The fifth trip was to turn in our photos (they would not take the photos from us until we had paid the fee).  The sixth trip I was certain we would receive our renewed visas.  Our seventh trip was to have all documents stamped “approved” by someone somewhere in D.F.  The eighth trip we walked out with our visas good for another 3 years.  Yay!

So except for that fast-walking thing, I’ve adjusted pretty well to the slower paced life.  So color me hyper-excited because today I actually got FIVE things done. 

It all started with an appointment with our attorney, who needed some documents from us to file some annual something about our whatever.  From there we headed to Home Depot to pick up a couple of items – we walked out with a dozen in three bags.  Then we walked across Prolongacion and down a side street to catch a bus on Technologico to Costco.  Did our weekly shopping for the B&B, then hopped a taxi stuffed with 4 cases of water and sundry other items, and dropped Steve off at Hacienda to pay our June taxes.  I know, I know…I hear you.  We cheated because while Steve stood in line at Hacienda, I continued home, put away all our purchases, and walked to a copy shop down the street to make more copies of a map we give our guests.  But I DON’T CARE!  We bucked the system – We looked death in the eye – We fought the law and the (Uh!), law LOST!

Five things in one day.  GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL.

A new world record, ladies and gentlemen! 


And I still have time to watch an episode of Modern Family.