Crucial Conversations

I've been in a training class for two of the last three days learning how to handle crucial conversations--the ones where there's high stress, high emotions, and high stakes. We were encouraged to use examples from our lives, both professionally and personally. I'm kind of excited to start using my new skills at work and at church--somehow I don't think my cats will be that responsive. Since part of it has to do with paying attention to others, I've been using my tv as a training tool as well, although I do tend to watch more scripted shows than reality shows. But people are people, even when acting, so the same types of behaviors come out.

I used to read a lot of these types of books, 7 habits for highly successful people, lifebalance, even the myth of self esteem, but it's been quite a while since I've read anything, or even taken a class that would help with my relationships with others. I think my last class was something about relationships, and the one before that was another work-related course on the essentials of supervision. Not sure why I've dropped that ball, but I'm hoping this gets me back on my way to being a better communicator.

Meanwhile, since I last wrote, I'm managing to get back to being healthy. I still cough, espeically when I laugh to much (Raising Hope is SO FUNNY--the baby barked! it was hilarious! Ok, so the kid was in a daycare that only had dogs with her, so she was learning how to be a dog and that was kind of what the episode was about, but it was so cute), and every now and then my sinuses need cleared, but for the most part I'm getting there. I had to miss our blood drive at work this month, but my church is holding one at the end of the month, so hopefully I'll be able to do that then.

last weekend I went out and saw Secretariat--I'd recieved a free ticket from Regal Theaters (gotta love the members' card) so I decided to use it. That is a really good movie. I love the horse, he was great. It's amazing the things that happened, truly. And if you don't want to go see it now, you really should think about it. Course, I think it's out of the theaters now, but it will be on DVD in a few more months. I'm hoping it makes the list at Oscar time, it was really good.

Other than that I've just been trying to take care of work and keep up my house and not think too much about my not being able to go visit my sister for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year. 8 years. That's how long they were on the East coast. Before they came, I never went anywhere, and now I suppose I'll return to that. Somewhat. Time to get stock in an airline or something.