Changing My Mind
Normally, I hate changing my mind, particularly over the big things. Once I say I've decided on something, I usually leave it at that, period.
The people who really drive me mental are those who state their intentions as a fact, tell you that's what's going to happen, and then change that five times before the event actually occurs. It's not a big deal if their decision doesn't affect anyone else, but when it does, I think it qualifies as misleading people.
My former boss used to be notorious for that. He'd tell me on Monday to not make any plans for him on Friday because he'd be out of town on that day. So, as an employee, I'd tell other people that if they had anything they needed him to do, make sure they approached him by Thursday. Friday would be too late.
After telling everyone this on Monday and Tuesday, I'd overhear him talking to someone on the phone, saying shit like, "Yeah, I'll be here in the office on Friday. Just drop by and I'll sign it then."
This is after I've already told people that he wouldn't be here on Friday, because he told me he'd be in Calgary. Then, when I'd ask him to clarify, he'd say, "Oh, yeah. I decided to not go."
It occurred to him to tell me he was going (and to act/schedule accordingly), but it never occurred to him to tell me he wasn't going.
So then, I'd tell everyone he WOULD be in the office.
Friday would roll around, and he wouldn't show up. No call, no email, nothing. He left for Calgary after all, without saying a fucking word. Then, I'd get phone calls for him, and I'd tell people he wasn't in the office, even though he said he would be.
Then, after all that, he'd show up on Monday and give me shit for telling people he was in Calgary, because he actually went to the Rockies instead.
People like this drive me fucking insane. When you tell me something will happen, I take your word for it. When someone says, "Get stuff signed on Thursday because I will NOT be in the office on Friday," that means you will NOT be in. It doesn't mean you might or might not be. If you tell me you'll be in Calgary, that doesn't mean you'll be in Jasper.
There are a lot of people in my life who do the same thing. They tell you that they've made concrete plans, and then change them without telling you, or they give you five different stories on five different days.
This all came from the same person:
Monday: I'm going to drive to another city to see Jane on Saturday. It's been awhile since I've seen her. I'll leave early in the morning, spend the day, and leave late, and make it home around midnight.
Tuesday: I was thinking that on Saturday, I could get together with Kelly. She only lives down the block, and there's a new restaurant not far from here that we both want to try. That's exactly what I'll do.
Wednesday: My garden is just so disgusting, I haven't done anything with it this year. Saturday is my day to clean it up and get some planting done.
Thursday: So-and-so invited me to her annual pot luck get-together on Saturday, and I told her I'm going to make a macaroni dish and help her with the setup. It should be a good day.
Friday: That museum is having that display on (whatever) tomorrow, and I'm going to go from 1 o'clock until around 7 o'clock. I can't wait.
Saturday: Oh, just hanging around the house doing nothing. I wish I'd made plans.
I know a number of people who fucking do this. My mother is one of the worst culprits, and my ex is just as bad. Maybe I'm just a magnet for morons. I don't know.
Oddly enough, these are the same people who, when you tell them you're vaguely considering something, or when you say 'who knows, maybe such-and-such could happen years down the road', they hold you to it.
When I explained to my mother why I was going back to school, and when I told her that with the qualification I got, I could work almost anywhere in the world, she instantly assumed I'd go work in another country.
I simply said, "Remember Tara (my sister's friend)? She ended up working in Australia. The sky's the limit."
To my mother, this meant that I was going to work in Australia. When I told her I wasn't planning to do that, she didn't even hear me. This was a year ago, and she's still sending me stuff on Australia - where to live, what the cost of living is, and so on.
And, this is the same woman who pretty much does the same shit I outlined Monday to Friday, above.
So, on that note, mind-changing has become an almost-taboo thing for me. I feel like, if I say it, then it's carved in stone, so to speak.
But, I'm changing my mind now.
When I decided to go back to school, I made the decision to take Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT). You can't go wrong with any healthcare job up here. The money is good, the job perks are great, you'll get a retirement package, and it's something I'm truly interested in.
I've already enrolled in the year of pre-tech upgrading, then would have two years of MLT education to complete.
After browsing around on the school's website, I started clicking on the programs that I didn't think I'd be interested in, and discovered Biomedical Engineering Technology (BET). Computers and programming, electricity, instrumentation, as well as the anatomy/physiology aspect. I don't know why I didn't even consider it before.
After doing a ton of research, I found out that biomedical engineering is the fastest-growing field right now. In the local healthcare wage schedule, BETs make the exact same wage as MLTs, so there's no difference there. I'm already technology-oriented, and have a good understanding of the guts of any computer. The aptitude tests said that engineering would be a really good fit for me. It's the same two years of schooling (after the pre-tech year), and the tuition is about $2000 cheaper. And, it's still a healthcare job. With the advances in medical equipment and instrumentation, this career has one hell of a future.
So, right now, that's my goal. If something happens where I can't enrol in BET, and have to take MLT, that's fine, but I'm going to shoot for BET.
Now, the problem is, I'm afraid to tell people. I've already told them that I was taking MLT. I know it's my prerogative to change my mind, and I know it's not a criminal offence to do so, but I still feel like a liar. I was certain I was going into MLT.
If I tell people that I've changed my mind, are they going to think I'm a moron, or that I can't make up my mind?
Gaaaahhhh.
The people who really drive me mental are those who state their intentions as a fact, tell you that's what's going to happen, and then change that five times before the event actually occurs. It's not a big deal if their decision doesn't affect anyone else, but when it does, I think it qualifies as misleading people.
My former boss used to be notorious for that. He'd tell me on Monday to not make any plans for him on Friday because he'd be out of town on that day. So, as an employee, I'd tell other people that if they had anything they needed him to do, make sure they approached him by Thursday. Friday would be too late.
After telling everyone this on Monday and Tuesday, I'd overhear him talking to someone on the phone, saying shit like, "Yeah, I'll be here in the office on Friday. Just drop by and I'll sign it then."
This is after I've already told people that he wouldn't be here on Friday, because he told me he'd be in Calgary. Then, when I'd ask him to clarify, he'd say, "Oh, yeah. I decided to not go."
It occurred to him to tell me he was going (and to act/schedule accordingly), but it never occurred to him to tell me he wasn't going.
So then, I'd tell everyone he WOULD be in the office.
Friday would roll around, and he wouldn't show up. No call, no email, nothing. He left for Calgary after all, without saying a fucking word. Then, I'd get phone calls for him, and I'd tell people he wasn't in the office, even though he said he would be.
Then, after all that, he'd show up on Monday and give me shit for telling people he was in Calgary, because he actually went to the Rockies instead.
People like this drive me fucking insane. When you tell me something will happen, I take your word for it. When someone says, "Get stuff signed on Thursday because I will NOT be in the office on Friday," that means you will NOT be in. It doesn't mean you might or might not be. If you tell me you'll be in Calgary, that doesn't mean you'll be in Jasper.
There are a lot of people in my life who do the same thing. They tell you that they've made concrete plans, and then change them without telling you, or they give you five different stories on five different days.
This all came from the same person:
Monday: I'm going to drive to another city to see Jane on Saturday. It's been awhile since I've seen her. I'll leave early in the morning, spend the day, and leave late, and make it home around midnight.
Tuesday: I was thinking that on Saturday, I could get together with Kelly. She only lives down the block, and there's a new restaurant not far from here that we both want to try. That's exactly what I'll do.
Wednesday: My garden is just so disgusting, I haven't done anything with it this year. Saturday is my day to clean it up and get some planting done.
Thursday: So-and-so invited me to her annual pot luck get-together on Saturday, and I told her I'm going to make a macaroni dish and help her with the setup. It should be a good day.
Friday: That museum is having that display on (whatever) tomorrow, and I'm going to go from 1 o'clock until around 7 o'clock. I can't wait.
Saturday: Oh, just hanging around the house doing nothing. I wish I'd made plans.
I know a number of people who fucking do this. My mother is one of the worst culprits, and my ex is just as bad. Maybe I'm just a magnet for morons. I don't know.
Oddly enough, these are the same people who, when you tell them you're vaguely considering something, or when you say 'who knows, maybe such-and-such could happen years down the road', they hold you to it.
When I explained to my mother why I was going back to school, and when I told her that with the qualification I got, I could work almost anywhere in the world, she instantly assumed I'd go work in another country.
I simply said, "Remember Tara (my sister's friend)? She ended up working in Australia. The sky's the limit."
To my mother, this meant that I was going to work in Australia. When I told her I wasn't planning to do that, she didn't even hear me. This was a year ago, and she's still sending me stuff on Australia - where to live, what the cost of living is, and so on.
And, this is the same woman who pretty much does the same shit I outlined Monday to Friday, above.
So, on that note, mind-changing has become an almost-taboo thing for me. I feel like, if I say it, then it's carved in stone, so to speak.
But, I'm changing my mind now.
When I decided to go back to school, I made the decision to take Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT). You can't go wrong with any healthcare job up here. The money is good, the job perks are great, you'll get a retirement package, and it's something I'm truly interested in.
I've already enrolled in the year of pre-tech upgrading, then would have two years of MLT education to complete.
After browsing around on the school's website, I started clicking on the programs that I didn't think I'd be interested in, and discovered Biomedical Engineering Technology (BET). Computers and programming, electricity, instrumentation, as well as the anatomy/physiology aspect. I don't know why I didn't even consider it before.
After doing a ton of research, I found out that biomedical engineering is the fastest-growing field right now. In the local healthcare wage schedule, BETs make the exact same wage as MLTs, so there's no difference there. I'm already technology-oriented, and have a good understanding of the guts of any computer. The aptitude tests said that engineering would be a really good fit for me. It's the same two years of schooling (after the pre-tech year), and the tuition is about $2000 cheaper. And, it's still a healthcare job. With the advances in medical equipment and instrumentation, this career has one hell of a future.
So, right now, that's my goal. If something happens where I can't enrol in BET, and have to take MLT, that's fine, but I'm going to shoot for BET.
Now, the problem is, I'm afraid to tell people. I've already told them that I was taking MLT. I know it's my prerogative to change my mind, and I know it's not a criminal offence to do so, but I still feel like a liar. I was certain I was going into MLT.
If I tell people that I've changed my mind, are they going to think I'm a moron, or that I can't make up my mind?
Gaaaahhhh.