It's said we all have a double, or doppelganger. More than likely, this person is halfway across the world, so we'll never meet them, and they'll never disrupt our lives in any way. That is not the case for me. It seems that my doppelganger lives right here in my very own city. Not only that, but she apparently visits the same shops, restaurants and other establishments I do. Shop owners frequently insist they have seen me before, and even say they remember what day it was and what we talked about. Since I don't remember recently having had discussions about quantum physics or cigars, I'm sure they have me confused with someone else.
I used to think I just had a common face, but it's becoming difficult to dismiss this as "coincidence."Even when I took a job in another town, one to which I'd never been before, I routinely met people who swore they'd met me. It's now down to three possibilities, each more baffling than the next: the doppelganger theory, split personality or astral travel. Of those, the doppelganger idea is definitely the most plausible. There's one thing that really perplexes me, though -- I know she's the one following me, so why does she always get there first? And what kind of damage might she do to my reputation? So far, she's apparently been an upstanding, law-abiding citizen, but what if she decides to wreak a little havoc? I could find myself with some explaining to do.
"Glass half full" person that I am, though, I'm starting to see some advantages to this situation. After all, how many people can legitimately use the "evil twin" excuse ?
The Week in Facebook Quizzes
Yes, I am a quiz-a-holic. No point in denying it; after all, my Facebook friends are subjected to my endless stream of quizzes on a more or less daily basis. Besides, they're fun and some of them are actually pretty accurate. (I don't think I should reveal which ones, though.
So what did I learn about myself this week? Here are a few of the highlights:
1. What kind of girlfriend are you? "Best friend"
2. Who were you in a past life? "Queen"
3. What's your dream job? "Homicide detective"
4. How will you get famous? "Teen idol"
5. What animal are you? "Llama"
So what did I learn about myself this week? Here are a few of the highlights:
1. What kind of girlfriend are you? "Best friend"
2. Who were you in a past life? "Queen"
3. What's your dream job? "Homicide detective"
4. How will you get famous? "Teen idol"
5. What animal are you? "Llama"
I'm not superstitious...
...well, maybe just a little. But that's an occupational hazard. Writers, indeed anyone considered "artistic" or "creative," can be a superstitious lot. There are phrases you can't say, phrases you must say, complicated rituals to complete before work can begin. I expect this superstition from fellow writers and artists; after all, our industries are unpredictable, and these superstitions help us feel that we're doing a little something extra to ensure our good luck. But lately I've noticed rampant superstition among my friends and acquaintances. Upon noticing that these people have significantly better fortune than I do, I wondered if they might be on to something. And wasn't it my journalistic duty to conduct an objective investigation of their beliefs? For the most part, the superstitions centered around a couple of principles:
1. Be careful what you wish for.
I have one friend, "Amelia," who refuses to express even the slightest desire that something occur. Not only will it occur, she says, but it will be all wrong and get you into all sorts of trouble. As an example, Amelia had this old car, a real clunker. One day she became so infuriated with it that she wished it could just disappear. And it did disappear -- the very next day. Stolen while she was in the auto parts store, and found the day after that, at the bottom of a lake, stripped.
2. Don't say that - you'll jinx it!
Another friend, "Henry," believes our words possess great power. If you talk about something you hope will happen, like a job offer, it won't. The same theory is true for what you don't want to happen, Henry insists. If you're afraid of some impending doom -- like a demotion -- tell everyone you know, everyone who will listen, about your fear. The more you talk about it, the less likely it is to occur.
3. Don't press your luck!
This may be the most powerful of the three. Have you noticed that in the movies, when someone says "How bad could it be?" or "It can't get any worse," things inevitably spiral downward? In fact, I'm a little nervous at having written those phrases. But as I said before, I'm not superstitious. I think these are just self-fulfilling prophecies, and if people stopped believing in them, they would have no power. And that's why I am not at all affected by these silly superstitions.
Knock on wood.
1. Be careful what you wish for.
I have one friend, "Amelia," who refuses to express even the slightest desire that something occur. Not only will it occur, she says, but it will be all wrong and get you into all sorts of trouble. As an example, Amelia had this old car, a real clunker. One day she became so infuriated with it that she wished it could just disappear. And it did disappear -- the very next day. Stolen while she was in the auto parts store, and found the day after that, at the bottom of a lake, stripped.
2. Don't say that - you'll jinx it!
Another friend, "Henry," believes our words possess great power. If you talk about something you hope will happen, like a job offer, it won't. The same theory is true for what you don't want to happen, Henry insists. If you're afraid of some impending doom -- like a demotion -- tell everyone you know, everyone who will listen, about your fear. The more you talk about it, the less likely it is to occur.
3. Don't press your luck!
This may be the most powerful of the three. Have you noticed that in the movies, when someone says "How bad could it be?" or "It can't get any worse," things inevitably spiral downward? In fact, I'm a little nervous at having written those phrases. But as I said before, I'm not superstitious. I think these are just self-fulfilling prophecies, and if people stopped believing in them, they would have no power. And that's why I am not at all affected by these silly superstitions.
Knock on wood.
The Thursday Thirteen - Why I Like Being a Freelance Journalist
Sure, I'll play. I've seen this meme on other blogs, and thought it looked like fun. Every Thursday you make a list of 13 things on the same subject. And away we go!
Thirteen reasons I like being a freelance journalist:
1. I get paid to learn about everything from art to historic preservation.
2. I meet people I would never meet otherwise.
3. Sometimes, these people become friends.
4. Since I work from home, my "coworkers" are my dogs and cats.
5. Every day is different.
6. I can ask all the questions I want without being considered "nosy."
7. Plus, people don't notice that I rarely talk about myself. Ha! Aren't I sly?
8. I help people tell their stories.
9. I can spend all day at a museum and call it "research."
10. I've written about so many subjects, I can make small talk on almost any topic.
11. This makes me seem A LOT smarter I am. ; )
12. I can do my work at midnight if I'm so inclined -- and I frequently am.
13. Sometimes I get free stuff!
Thirteen reasons I like being a freelance journalist:
1. I get paid to learn about everything from art to historic preservation.
2. I meet people I would never meet otherwise.
3. Sometimes, these people become friends.
4. Since I work from home, my "coworkers" are my dogs and cats.
5. Every day is different.
6. I can ask all the questions I want without being considered "nosy."
7. Plus, people don't notice that I rarely talk about myself. Ha! Aren't I sly?
8. I help people tell their stories.
9. I can spend all day at a museum and call it "research."
10. I've written about so many subjects, I can make small talk on almost any topic.
11. This makes me seem A LOT smarter I am. ; )
12. I can do my work at midnight if I'm so inclined -- and I frequently am.
13. Sometimes I get free stuff!
So tired, tired of waiting...
You squirm uncomfortably in your chair. Is it getting hot in here? The Muzak is about to drive you over the edge. Oh no, not "Seasons in the Sun" again! The people around you are coughing, sneezing, hacking. Too many bodily fluids, too little space! Your only distraction is a stack of crumbling, yellowed magazines covered with sinister-looking stains. You cry out in agony: "Oh, what have I done to deserve this?" No, it's not Purgatory, silly. It's just the doctor's office waiting room. Instead of waiting in misery for your impending doom, make the most of this time. You can actually get a lot accomplished without bosses, spouses or kids interrupting you every five minutes. There's no end to what you could do! Stuck in Waiting Room Hell with no chance of escape? Try these suggestions to keep your mind occupied. (And off all those germs swarming around you just looking for a way to invade your body.)
1. Meditate.
2. Write your memoirs
3. Read "War and Peace."
4. Learn Latin.
5. Ponder the meaning of life.
6. Balance your checkbook.
7. Knit a sweater.
8. Read the waiting room magazines to see what life was like in the 19th century.
9. Count the stains on the floor.
10. Try to guess what illnesses the other patients have.
1. Meditate.
2. Write your memoirs
3. Read "War and Peace."
4. Learn Latin.
5. Ponder the meaning of life.
6. Balance your checkbook.
7. Knit a sweater.
8. Read the waiting room magazines to see what life was like in the 19th century.
9. Count the stains on the floor.
10. Try to guess what illnesses the other patients have.
Five Things I Learned This Week
I usually do my "Things I've Learned" entries at the end of the week. But this time, it seemed more appropriate to start the week off with a few things I've learned recently. After all, it was an eventful week.
1. When putting in new contacts, take out the old pair first.
2. Never ask a question on Facebook or Twitter unless you REALLY want it answered.
3. Sometimes, absence really does make the heart grow fonder. But it almost always helps the mind grow clearer.
4. That "Aha!" moment is often quieter than you'd expect. And it's not always pleasant.
5. Be yourself. There's a reason that's a cliche. :-)
1. When putting in new contacts, take out the old pair first.
2. Never ask a question on Facebook or Twitter unless you REALLY want it answered.
3. Sometimes, absence really does make the heart grow fonder. But it almost always helps the mind grow clearer.
4. That "Aha!" moment is often quieter than you'd expect. And it's not always pleasant.
5. Be yourself. There's a reason that's a cliche. :-)
Adventures in Dog Training
My dog was not man's (woman's) best friend. He demanded unlimited dog biscuits in exchange for letting me share the bed at night. His unruly behavior made me the laughingstock of the local doggie park. Friends refused to visit my home because he was so unpredictable.
Part of the problem was my own unwillingness to lay down the law. Yes, his antics were getting out of hand, but I just couldn't bring myself to dampen that enthusiasm with which he greeted every aspect of life. After all, he was a dog, and who was I to say that he should conform to humankind's standards? Part of what I liked about him was his independent spirit. Plus, I was smitten.
But I had to do something, or risk being banned for life from every doggie park in a 20-square mile radius. We had attempted training before, but our sessions usually ended with me flat on the floor, crying "I give up! You win!" But this time would be different. Those other humans at the doggie park wouldn't have me to laugh at anymore! And after doing some research, I realized my mistake had been going in without a plan. In fact, things went a lot more smoothly once I followed these basic rules:
Step one: Choose a command that's easy to learn.
So this is where I had gone wrong. Believing Fido was too intellectually superior for something as elementary as "sit" or "stay," I had immediately tried to master the more complicated tricks. But Fido had a difficult time trying to jump through those hoops, and when I told him to fetch my slippers he just sat back on his rump and howled with laughter. So this time, I decided to start with something simple: sit. It's something my dog does all the time anyway. We could work on jumping through those hoops later. Maybe in a week.
Step two: Be kind but firm.
Patience is key. For the untrained pooch, being expected to obey a command from some human is insulting. When I first broached the subject to Fido, he balked. But after I sat him down for a little talk about his responsibilities in our canine / human relationship, he expressed his total agreement. As soon as he stopped laughing.
Step three: Reward your dog when it successfully performs the command.
This one's tricky. I'm happy to reward my dog when he does something well, but how on earth do I get him to do that? I've never been assertive, something my dog has picked up on. He doesn't buy my feeble efforts at being authoritative. Sometimes he ignores me; other times he barks and dances wildly around my feet. That makes it a little difficult to employ that whole "positive reinforcement" idea. Take this example from our recent training session:
"Sit," I said in my kindest but firmest voice.
Fido stared at me, his expression blank except for the slightest glimmer of a smile. He seemed to be amused. At least one of us was having fun.
Step four: Above all, don't give up.
Fido and I made a lot of blunders at first. Okay, so I was the one who made all of the blunders. But the important thing is, we stuck with it. And the training process did work. We are no longer caught up in a fierce power struggle, each of us desperately trying to gain the upper hand. No, we've finally come to an understanding: I let him do whatever he wants, and he lets me worship the ground he walks on.
Related Posts:
A Dog's Version of Utopia
Part of the problem was my own unwillingness to lay down the law. Yes, his antics were getting out of hand, but I just couldn't bring myself to dampen that enthusiasm with which he greeted every aspect of life. After all, he was a dog, and who was I to say that he should conform to humankind's standards? Part of what I liked about him was his independent spirit. Plus, I was smitten.
But I had to do something, or risk being banned for life from every doggie park in a 20-square mile radius. We had attempted training before, but our sessions usually ended with me flat on the floor, crying "I give up! You win!" But this time would be different. Those other humans at the doggie park wouldn't have me to laugh at anymore! And after doing some research, I realized my mistake had been going in without a plan. In fact, things went a lot more smoothly once I followed these basic rules:
Step one: Choose a command that's easy to learn.
So this is where I had gone wrong. Believing Fido was too intellectually superior for something as elementary as "sit" or "stay," I had immediately tried to master the more complicated tricks. But Fido had a difficult time trying to jump through those hoops, and when I told him to fetch my slippers he just sat back on his rump and howled with laughter. So this time, I decided to start with something simple: sit. It's something my dog does all the time anyway. We could work on jumping through those hoops later. Maybe in a week.
Step two: Be kind but firm.
Patience is key. For the untrained pooch, being expected to obey a command from some human is insulting. When I first broached the subject to Fido, he balked. But after I sat him down for a little talk about his responsibilities in our canine / human relationship, he expressed his total agreement. As soon as he stopped laughing.
Step three: Reward your dog when it successfully performs the command.
This one's tricky. I'm happy to reward my dog when he does something well, but how on earth do I get him to do that? I've never been assertive, something my dog has picked up on. He doesn't buy my feeble efforts at being authoritative. Sometimes he ignores me; other times he barks and dances wildly around my feet. That makes it a little difficult to employ that whole "positive reinforcement" idea. Take this example from our recent training session:
"Sit," I said in my kindest but firmest voice.
Fido stared at me, his expression blank except for the slightest glimmer of a smile. He seemed to be amused. At least one of us was having fun.
Step four: Above all, don't give up.
Fido and I made a lot of blunders at first. Okay, so I was the one who made all of the blunders. But the important thing is, we stuck with it. And the training process did work. We are no longer caught up in a fierce power struggle, each of us desperately trying to gain the upper hand. No, we've finally come to an understanding: I let him do whatever he wants, and he lets me worship the ground he walks on.
Related Posts:
A Dog's Version of Utopia
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