Is It An Anecdote? Is It A Metaphor?
Every other Wednesday we have a Student Affairs meeting (not as cool as it sounds- actually has nothing to do with having affairs with students). This week, we had a very special Student Affairs Staff meeting about harnessing our creativity when we "slide down the dinosaur." "Sliding down the dinosaur" refers to leaving work to go home to do what you enjoy. For example, at the beginning of every episode of The Flintstones, Fred would hear the whistle/bird blow at the end of the day and slide down his dinosaur/backhoe to head home. The term was coined by one of the Student Affairs Staff Members that works in the Wellness Center.
Anyway, we divided up into groups to do some teambuilding based on the concept of actually leaving work and how you do that (as opposed to continuing to work after you leave the office, which, incidentally, is actually a major part of my job, but whatever). The facilitators posited that this is best done by harnessing your creativity. The best part of this activity was the fact that I got to open a present which held the materials for the actvity. To my sheer excitement, not only did I get to open a present (it doesn't take much for me) but there was also an envelope included that we weren't allowed to open until the end.
The activity itself was fun, and while I'm not sure I really learned anything, I did enjoy working with my team members. But perhaps most importantly, I was pleased to find out that I am still delighted with the simple pleasure of opening a gift. The surprise and intrigue is the best part, if not finding that the goodies inside are even more exciting. While the inside of the present is important, the opportunity a wrapped gift signifies is far more exciting to me.
Then there's the concept of the "do not open until later" gift, or in this case, the envelope we couldn't open until the end of the activity. There is something about knowing that you will get to reveal a surprise eventually, but must first delay the gratification of immediately knowing that surprise. Is that asinine? Or is it that you always want what you can't have? Regardless, it's one of those simple pleasures in life that I like to take advantage of when ever I get the chance. (In other words, get me more presents!)
All that being said, the delay of gratification, the excitement of finding what is inside; I still love it when I'm allowed to open something early. I think that's part of what makes presents exciting, there's always the off-chance that mom or dad will go outside of the "rules" and let you open just one present on Christmas Eve. Part of the excitement of gift giving and receiving must be the effect it has only moments before you figure out the surprise.
As it turns out, the envelope that we had to wait to open at the end of the activity only said what the day's goal was, and nothing more. Regardless, it was still fun to wait and still fun to open. The Hallmark moral of the story? Buy people more cards and more presents, if nothing but for the sheer excitment of wondering what will happen next, and sometimes, let them open them early.
Anyway, we divided up into groups to do some teambuilding based on the concept of actually leaving work and how you do that (as opposed to continuing to work after you leave the office, which, incidentally, is actually a major part of my job, but whatever). The facilitators posited that this is best done by harnessing your creativity. The best part of this activity was the fact that I got to open a present which held the materials for the actvity. To my sheer excitement, not only did I get to open a present (it doesn't take much for me) but there was also an envelope included that we weren't allowed to open until the end.
The activity itself was fun, and while I'm not sure I really learned anything, I did enjoy working with my team members. But perhaps most importantly, I was pleased to find out that I am still delighted with the simple pleasure of opening a gift. The surprise and intrigue is the best part, if not finding that the goodies inside are even more exciting. While the inside of the present is important, the opportunity a wrapped gift signifies is far more exciting to me.
Then there's the concept of the "do not open until later" gift, or in this case, the envelope we couldn't open until the end of the activity. There is something about knowing that you will get to reveal a surprise eventually, but must first delay the gratification of immediately knowing that surprise. Is that asinine? Or is it that you always want what you can't have? Regardless, it's one of those simple pleasures in life that I like to take advantage of when ever I get the chance. (In other words, get me more presents!)
All that being said, the delay of gratification, the excitement of finding what is inside; I still love it when I'm allowed to open something early. I think that's part of what makes presents exciting, there's always the off-chance that mom or dad will go outside of the "rules" and let you open just one present on Christmas Eve. Part of the excitement of gift giving and receiving must be the effect it has only moments before you figure out the surprise.
As it turns out, the envelope that we had to wait to open at the end of the activity only said what the day's goal was, and nothing more. Regardless, it was still fun to wait and still fun to open. The Hallmark moral of the story? Buy people more cards and more presents, if nothing but for the sheer excitment of wondering what will happen next, and sometimes, let them open them early.
posted by Megan at
5:23 PM
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