clevermanka: default (bonecruncher)
clevermanka ([personal profile] clevermanka) wrote2012-12-19 11:49 am
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People in this town drive in a very counterintuitive manner

Monday night, I finally made the time to see Cabin in the Woods. This movie was made for me. Seriously, seriously. WHY DID NOBODY TELL ME I HAD TO SEE THIS MOVIE. I mean, like, why did nobody take me by the shoulders and say "SEE THIS. SEE THIS NOW." I am looking at you, [livejournal.com profile] orrin. I am looking at you hard.

Tragically, I can't talk about it, because I want everyone else to see it, and talking about it even a little bit will completely ruin it. You need to go into it completely unspoiled to get the full effect. It's just...it's just so good.

THE META, Y'ALL. THE FUCKING META.

I am now convinced of Joss Whedon's capabilities when it comes to stand-alone movies. I remain ambivalent (at best) in regards to his television shows. But his movies? SOLD.

Marginally related to the themes of the movie (one of which is what you do determines who you are) is this absolutely amazing, brutal, and spot-on analysis from Cracked about why some people are successful and some people are not, even when both groups are nice people.

"If you want to know why society seems to shun you, or why you seem to get no respect, it's because society is full of people who need things. They need houses built, they need food to eat, they need entertainment, they need fulfilling sexual relationships...the moment you came into the world, you became part of a system designed purely to see to people's needs...Either you will go about the task of seeing to those needs by learning a unique set of skills, or the world will reject you, no matter how kind, giving and polite you are. You will be poor, you will be alone, you will be left out in the cold."

This is the first time I've read something that supported my stance of not giving a shit what people think of me as a person but caring very much what they think of me as a competent adult. Sure, it's nice to be liked, but when it comes down to it, I don't give a fuck if the people I work with think I'm a good person. I just want them to respect me in my capacity as a good secretary. Every other article I've read or conversation I've had regarding this topic results in my impression that such an attitude is seen as terribly Machiavellian. When really, it's just practical.

It's not all about your job, though. In fact, the author of the article does well to point out that what you do doesn't necessarily mean your job. Rather, he emphasizes what you can do. At the beginning of the article, he asks the reader to name five impressive things about him/herself. Not things about oneself, but things one can do. My five:

1. I know how to present myself to my best advantage.
2. I cook good food.
3. I sew quality clothing.
4. I can organize just about anything.
5. I speak my mind when it's appropriate to do so and I STFU when it isn't.

Note: these aren't things I always do, but they are things I can do.

What are your five? Would any of them help save you if you were trapped in a horror movie?

I have So Much More To Say about this, but I just got handed a substantial task and I'm already swamped with application stuff. Duty barks.

[identity profile] etcet.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 06:07 pm (UTC)(link)
You're about to get your happy ass quoted on my LJ bio page.

This is the first time I've read something something that supported my stance of not giving a shit what people think of me as a person but caring very much what they think of me as a competent adult. Sure, it's nice to be liked, but when it comes down to it, I don't give a fuck if the people I work with think I'm a good person.

[identity profile] clevermanka.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 06:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, god, but edit the typo...there are two "somethings" in that sentence. I deleted in the original, above.

[identity profile] redheadfae.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 06:35 pm (UTC)(link)
My five?

1) I can find almost anything for anyone.
2) I can walk into any new situation and see what needs to be done, and then do it.
3) I can not only follow instructions, but can adapt them for the task or materials at hand.
4) I can sew, cook and clean, if not greatly, at least well.
5) I have numerous fix-it skills, including basic automotive repairs, some of which may help me survive in a horror movie.

Some of these skills I may have not been as forthcoming as I can in sharing with the world at large, and I might need to work on that.

But I'm with you, I'd rather be appreciated for my skills than to be liked. This probably has a lot to do with why things went badly for me at my last job. My skills were secondary to how some of the others felt about me as "fitting in" with them.




[identity profile] clevermanka.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 06:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Image

My skills were secondary to how some of the others felt about me as "fitting in" with them.

That's what happened with me at Color-Art, too. Remember that hell? GOD.

[identity profile] saffronhare.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 06:44 pm (UTC)(link)
That cracked.com article has been posted to every refrigerator in my life, literal and metaphorical, since I first read it a couple of days ago. AMEN.

[identity profile] apocalypticbob.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 06:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Cabin in the Woods. So Much Love for that movie.

Read that article myself, and it definitely has my thinky wheels turning.

[identity profile] clevermanka.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 07:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay on both counts!

[identity profile] etcet.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 07:32 pm (UTC)(link)
oh, right, yes

[identity profile] clevermanka.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 07:34 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm so glad I didn't include proofreading in the Things I Can Do.
ext_12541: (Default)

[identity profile] ms-danson.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)
1) I can talk people down from emotional freak outs.
2) I can fight with swords.
3) I'm capable and competent at organizing, planning, and getting people moving to complete tasks.
4) I can write entertaining and informative short works.
5) I can pick up new skills (to fill in gaps) quickly.

I'm more likely to survive in a group where I could make the other people more effective and keep them level headed.

[identity profile] clevermanka.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 08:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Those first two are especially good, IMO.

[identity profile] etcet.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 10:13 pm (UTC)(link)
It's in my skillset. I am actually waiting on a check for partial payment of the book I'm editing; you'd probably spit-take over the first installment, "Touched" by AJ Aalto (available in all the usual locations, in both dead tree and pixel flavors)

[identity profile] etcet.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 10:13 pm (UTC)(link)
(note: i did not edit Touched, but after browbeating the author over some of the typos, she hired me for subsequent installments. i half expect to die horribly later in the series)

[identity profile] clevermanka.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 10:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Ha ha ha ha ha!

I'm better at proofing other people's stuff than my own. I imagine that's pretty common.

[identity profile] aprilstarchild.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 10:30 pm (UTC)(link)
1. I can get conversations started with total strangers quite easily
2. I am an asset to trivia teams (usually)
3. I can knit socks
4. I can ride my bicycle as my main method of transportation
5. I can make huge messes with a minimum of stuff....

Yeah, that last one isn't positive, but I've managed to impress people with it.

[identity profile] aprilstarchild.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Ergh, I'm the opposite. My skills aren't all that great, so I get through life by depending on being liked.

[identity profile] clevermanka.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 10:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Ha ha ha ha! I would imagine that last one could come in quite handy if you were in a horror movie.

[identity profile] msmitti.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 10:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Best article ever. And you have posted many good ones. Well done.

Alas, I was unable to come up with five skills. Clearly, I need a little introspection, but I can do these things:
1)organize the sh** out of anything
2)remember where the stuff is because the organization was implemented
3)good with hand dexterity for detail work, say, cutting up dead things for a horror movie
4)cleaning (with toothpicks if necessary, see above)
5)?

A number of years ago I had a conversation with my sister about whether or not it was important for work people to like you. Our conclusion? Sometimes you just gotta embrace the bitch to get shit done. Maybe that is my #5. I have gotten some hard stuff done.

[identity profile] clevermanka.livejournal.com 2012-12-19 10:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I'm happy you got something out of the article.

Developing the ability to care little about what people think of you is a valuable skill. Good for you for getting hard stuff done.

[identity profile] etcet.livejournal.com 2012-12-20 12:02 am (UTC)(link)
If I wrote stuff of my own other than dribs and drabs, I could offer you my own take on this, but... oh, hell, check your DM bucket.

[identity profile] mckitterick.livejournal.com 2012-12-20 12:10 am (UTC)(link)
Intersting article; thanks for the link. I think every 20-something should read it.

Off the toppa my head re: Zombie Apocalypse Survival Skillz:

* I am a good hunter. Probably better at shooting zombies than fuzzy things with big brown eyes, though.
* I am a creative thinker and problem-solver.
* I am a skilled mechanic and builder of things.
* I can tell entertaining stories around campfires built from the rubble of a fallen civilization.
* I am an excellent teacher of all things I know.

[identity profile] clevermanka.livejournal.com 2012-12-20 12:13 am (UTC)(link)
Don't discount the quite-valuable skill of being very good in bed. Since I'll be one of the leaders of the Brave New World, that's an excellent skill set to have.

[identity profile] redheadfae.livejournal.com 2012-12-20 01:07 am (UTC)(link)


You 'n me, babe, you 'm me..

Image

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