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| Admit it. You're losing patience just thinking about whether or not you've won. |
So on Monday of this week, we were waiting to hear the results of a major writing contest Kate had entered. We have had it on our calendar for a couple of months since in January we thought it was being announced, only to find out that the novel writing contest was a national award and the other categories were regional. After watching Kate (and Stacy for that matter) anxiously await the announcement at noon, only to be confused by being told simultaneously that she hadn't won and that the novel awards will be announced in May, I decided that there was a need for a new blog award. Thus, the Perfect Patience Award was born.
To be clear, I am not awarding myself the award. I'm far too impatient for that. I am just doing the inaugural post so I can nominate people who seem far more patient than I am. Or at the very least, they are people I think are clever and have interesting things to say. On to the actual award!
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You have shown exceptional patience in the face of a frustrating situation. You are the embodiment of graceful waiting. The rules are simple:
1. Post this picture on your blog.
2. Answer the 5 questions I've asked.
3. Tag 3 friends whose patience knows no bounds (or from whom you want to hear, patient or not).
1. Is there something on the horizon that will arrive soon, but not soon enough for you?
The first thing that comes to mind is the next season of "Sherlock." How can you have such a wonderful program, only produce three episodes (which really are more like 6), and then make me wait TWO YEARS to resolve a cliffhanger? What kind of sick, cruel production team are you?! Also, I'm looking forward to the next Mumford and Sons album (arriving in May). Oh, and I recently found out Daniel Craig is doing another Bond movie. Yeah, I want that to happen soon. Oh, oh. John Mayer is reuniting the trio for another album, too. So, I have lots of things that need to happen soon.
2. What are three things that absolutely try your patience?
Illogical arguments drive me batty. I don't care if your opinion is different from mine in the end IF you have a logical reason to hold that opinion. Or at least own the fact that your belief is based on nothing more than a hunch or a personal "gut" feeling. Be honest about where your opinions came from.
Racism and bigotry are intolerable. Hate them both.
I also can't stand the "we've always done it this way" argument for anything, especially when it hinders progress or new discovery. Reference my thoughts on illogical arguments. If the old way makes sense, by all means keep doing it. If there is a chance to improve a situation through innovation, PLEASE consider it.
3. Do you have any nervous habits or rituals that may not be obvious to anyone around you, but that help you stretch out your patience?
I get chatty. Just ask my wife about me accompanying her to OB-GYN appointments. Have you seen that episode of "Friends" where Ross goes with Susan and Carol to the OB for the first time and he touches EVERYTHING? Yeah, that's me.
4. In professionally-produced articles or writing, which makes you crazier: grammar errors or spelling mistakes?
Spelling drives me crazier, but only slightly. I can accept, on some level, that writing can approximate our speech, and so many of us speak well, but not perfectly correctly, so it seems natural that there will be some dangling participles and sentence-ending prepositions scattered about. But there/their/they're? C'mon people!
5. Sherlock Holmes or Sheldon Cooper? Which roommate would try your patience more?
Sheldon Cooper in a landslide. At least I'd have some great adventures with Sherlock. Plus, his brand of brilliance is more my speed. Something about how he just doesn't care one bit about what anyone thinks is very cool.
Now that your patience has been sufficiently tried, I nominate Kate, Stacy, and Emily for the Perfect Patience Award. Enjoy!
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Here's what I wanted to say to Kate earlier this week, which then spawned this award. You're welcome.
"Monday must have been especially frustrating since we've had that big date marked on the calendar since the last time we thought the Scholastic Awards were being announced. Sometimes the life of the writer seems to be filled with hopeful anticipation and guarded optimism, so I'm especially proud of how well you are showing patience. This award won't make the actual announcement come any sooner, but maybe it will make you smile a little longer."
6 comments:
1. Is there something on the horizon that will arrive soon, but not soon enough for you?
It's trivial, but I signed up for a NatureBox subscription. They have tasty snacks that are supposed to be healthier options to vending machine snacks. If you sign up, you can get a free box of sampler snacks. The sampler box was very tasty, so I'm looking forward to my first real box of five different snacks.
2. What are three things that absolutely try your patience?
1. People who are extreme when they're making arguments, whether it's political points or anything, really. I'm a pretty moderate person and it really does try my patience when people are extreme on either side. It makes me shut down and stop considering their point.
2. I like Facebook, but there are several Facebook practices that I could start listing that try my patience. This is a whole other post that I won't get into now though.:)
3. I think #2 counts for #3 too.:)
3. Do you have any nervous habits or rituals that may not be obvious to anyone around you, but that help you stretch out your patience?
I don't think so. I start tapping my foot when servers at restaurants stay and talk too long. I guess that's another thing that also tries my patience. I'm happy to do some simple chatting, but there's a point when it's been too long.
4. In professionally-produced articles or writing, which makes you crazier: grammar errors or spelling mistakes?
They both drive me a little crazy, but I can allow for them. I'm more annoyed by such mistakes by people who are publicly berating others about making grammar or spelling mistakes. My favorite is a Facebook status that somebody wrote with a rant about a grammar mistake that she was tired of people making, but within that status, she used the wrong "you're."
5. Sherlock Holmes or Sheldon Cooper? Which roommate would try your patience more?
Sheldon Cooper!!! He's fun to watch on a television show, but I always think that if I had to know him in real life, I'd always want to punch him in the face.:)
LMW, don't get me started on Facebook. I have SO many complaints--the system, posting habits, etc. And the grammar mistakes while correcting other people's grammar? Yikes! Just don't!
Thanks for nominating me! :) I don't normally think of myself as a patient person, but I guess certain things are easier to wait for than others.
Ooh, I'm going to have to steal your answer about "Sherlock" for the first question. That was the first thing that came to mind before I even read what you wrote.
Kate, whether or not you consider yourself a patient person, you seem to be very patient. I'm sure there are plenty of things that try that patience, though! And steal away! The timing of those Sherlock seasons borders on inhumane.
First off, I'm so excited for the official announcement. Whatever they say, I think you have some literary gold on your hands.
1. Selling our farmhouse!!
2. A group of people not making up their minds on something, like where to eat. Flakes, flakes, flakes. Obtuseness/bigotry/sexism/racism/lots of -isms.
3. Deep breathing, writing, talking/venting.
4. Both!
5. Sheldon might try my patience more, but I think he'd be less dangerous to live with!
LMW, I'd love to hear your thoughts on that! That sounds like a fun treat to get in the mail regularly. That's a fun kind of surprise, right?
I'd love for you to get a blog and write out your diatribe on Facebook etiquette!
TMV, I have to admit that I used to think of you as being patient, but I don't know . . . :P
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