I think I’m procrastinating, but seeing as the last virtue was Justice, and the next is Moderation, neither of which talk about procrastination, I’m good.
The plan for these posts is to discuss how a virtue applied in the previous week, maybe talk about what various great minds say about it, then start thinking about the next one.
Fellow travelers are welcome. Comment here, or link to your own blog, or do something creative.
After we finish Ben’s list, I’ll pick a new one. Suggestions welcome. That way, virtues that many feel are important get done often, and the more obscure ones still get a turn.
Over a year ago, I set myself a goal similar to Ben Franklin’s. Each week, concentrate on a different virtue. These days, concentrate often translates to “blog about”. Not a bad thing, given the sparsity of my blog entries.
Rather than start from the beginning again, I’ll start where I left off.
The last goal was Justice. In Ben’s words:
Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
I’d say the last week was pretty good. I was fairly patient, and did a good-enough job at all my responsibilities. I wish I’d sent out the agenda, such as it is, for a meeting earlier, but all went well anyways.
I’ve been a bit fast with the kids’ bickering. Most of the time I can tell who’se earned less TV time quickly, but twice this week more information has come up later, so I had to re-evaluate things.
I got an email from a member of a trading group I used to moderate, call him Bob. Bob was supposed to pick up an item from Ash, but had an emergency and didn’t. Ash wrote Bob a letter threatening to report Bob. I think I handled it well. I’ve encountered Ash before, and don’t enjoy contact with him. I calmed Bob down, advised him to totally ignore the tone of the letter — better still, ignore the entire letter — and write the apology he would have written anyways, then end the contact. Also, a strike is a strike, and he’d earned one; Ash was right to report Bob for the no-show, since the group is trying to crack down on them and has a 3-strikes system. As for the tone of the letter, Ash isn’t going to change. Reporting it to the moderators would put the moderators in an awkward position, since tone isn’t cut-and-dried.
Without knowing more, it was the best I could do. I don’t want to know more. So, I was as just as I could be.
I have three stories in the queue for telling. I want to do each of them well, “Do them justice.” (Is that stretching it?) I set out a study schedule with lots of extra time, and have stuck to it so far.
We’ve been pro-active every night, so mornings have been good. Keeping on top of that is doing my duty to the family. Need to get better at going upstairs on time to tell Dtr it’s time to stop reading.
Next week’s goal is Moderation.
Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
Interesting pairing. I would have made the second bit a separate virtue, something about not holding a grudge.
Looking ahead, I don’t see any red flags. I have several projects that need many small sessions. Usually when I have a lot to do, I go gung-ho on the entire list, including housework, even though housework should slide a bit on busy weeks. So moderation in the housework. Prioritize, and let the rest slide.
I’m not aware of resenting any injuries. Have to remember, though, to stop talking about the lessons learned from some of them.
Looking further ahead, the virtue starting November 4 is “Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.”
As I said earlier, my goal is a small community. React to my words, or reflect on how the virtue applies to your own life.
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“Ash?”
No more pokemon shows for the kids, it’s getting to you.