How Not to Deal With Difficult People

This week hasn't exactly been the easiest in terms of work. It's been downright frustrating at times, to the point where it is affecting my work because I've been so consumed with my frustration. So, I did what anybody would do in this situation; I googled a solution.

Thank God for Google.. seriously. It recognized my needs completely by finishing my "dealing with" in the search bar with "difficult people". How does it always intuitively know what we're trying to find? What if I wanted to deal with a cockroach infestation? (I have no idea how that was the first thing that came into my head, gross!). Somehow, Google always manages to know what it is we're looking for.. how?

The first result I clicked on looked promising. It had tips on "Dealing with Difficult People and Avoiding Conflict." The tips were as follows:

1. Keep conversations neutral.
2. Accept the reality of who they are.
3. Know what's under your control.
4. Create healthier patterns.
5. See the best in people.
6. Remember who you're dealing with.
7. Get support where you can find it.
8. Let go or get space if you need it.

Honestly, I don't know how helpful this really was. It didn't give me an epiphany on how I can finally get rid of annoyances that distract me from my work. But what it did accomplish was distracting my mind. Instead of focusing on the negatives, I got inspired enough to come up with:

Joty's Tips on How Not to Deal With Difficult People:

1. Run away screaming with your hands in your ears screaming "I can't hear you!"
2. Start a game of shadow when they least expect it.
3. Yell "SHUT UP" really loudly everytime they talk, and then lapse into complete silence.
4. If it's a talkative person you're frustrated with, start telling everyone a random story every time they start talking. A perfect example: One time it was really windy, and the leaves blew off the trees. Then I had to rake my yard. Then look at everyone expectantly waiting for a response.
5. Violence is never the answer folks. In any circumstance.

Considering these are all things I may (or may not) have had the urge to do at one point, all I can say is.. Dont do it. Especially number 5. Or, you may just become the difficult person in question. Now please excuse me while I try to accept the reality of my situation. Ooh look, a donut!

Back From the Dead

Well I've certainly been missing in action for quite a bit now. I guess the combination of going to work full-time as well as taking a full course load finally took it's toll on me as I had my midterms and got prettttyyyy sick which is always a fun combination (Not!).

I guess the one good thing though about getting sick was that I was able to keep up with my reading. Looking back, I realize that most of the books I've read were repeats and ones I've read before but hey, you can't go wrong with the classics right? I'll probably end up doing the write-ups for those as well just because I enjoy re-hashing the novels almost as much as I enjoy reading them. My favorite part about re-reading novels is finding small details that I didn't notice the first time around.. or second.. or third. Considering these are books I've read multiple times, thats always an amazing accomplishment by the author!

Until later! Back to work...

The Lucky One

Author: Nicholas Sparks

I decided to read this novel after seeing a preview for an upcoming movie rendition. I don't know about you but I love reading the novels before I read the book simply because I feel if you work the other way around, it limits your imagination.

The Lucky One was a pleasant surprise. I was scared that it would be too sappy, or too melodramatic such as the case with some of his novels (don't kill me!). However, The Lucky One was great in that it did not lead to waterworks until the end of the novel. I feel you have to be in the mood to read a tear-jerker and this book was not one until the very last chapter. But that was okay because reading a Nicholas Sparks novel has to lead to a couple of tears.

I enjoyed the character development and the interactions between the characters. I felt they were believable. I also enjoyed the portrayal of the antagonist (even though I hated him as a person) simply because he did not act out of spite but instead he honestly felt his actions were justified. The storyline is sweet although a little unbelievable.

I really don't want to go into specifics and spoil the novel simply because the movie is set to release sometime this year. I know a lot of people who would rather watch the movie than read the book (although I don't understand why!), so I don't want to ruin it for them. I'll just say that this book is not a hard read as it doesn't make you think. But rather, it is a sweet love story that makes a feel-good novel. I expect the movie will be the same.

Rating: 7/10

Good Reads

My current obsession: Good Reads. Don't you agree that it is so hard trying to find a good book/series to read sometimes? Unless it's a recommendation, or a movie has been announced, it is very hit-or-miss trying to find books that you actually like.

During the winter holidays when I had time off from work, I found myself trying to find a new book series to read because I had a lot of free time on my hands.  Ultimately, there comes a point when I need to move on from re-reading the Harry Potter series for the umpteenth time. After convincing myself I should create a website that takes the books you've read and gives you recommendations based on your likes and dislikes. Imagine my surprise then when Google introduced me to Good Reads.

This website asks you to rate up to 20 books that you've read (more if possible) and it gives you recommendations based on ratings. It then sorts the recommendations by genre so you can pick and choose what you'd like to read more specifically. Want some light reading? Choose a Chick Lit. In the mood for some Comedy? Classics? Romance? Just go to the appropriate "bookshelf". What I also like about this site is that you can also review books, and read reviews before you go out and get the book. If you're like me and buy books on impulse, you won't have to shell out money for a book before you get an idea on what it's like.

30 Things About Me - Part 2

I know this is longgg overdue.. but I have finally finished my 30 things!

16. My writing style changes every day. If someone were to do one of those tests on me where you can recognize a person by their handwriting, I would fail.

17. Before last year, I had been to a gym maybe twice in my life. I hate working out in a gym setting as it just seems boring to me. I’d rather go hiking, snowboarding, biking, or whatever the weather permits but that won’t be as consistent. However for about nine months now, I have been consistently going to the gym twice a week and scheduling one or two other fitness activities each week. If there’s one good thing that came out of my accident, it’s this.

18. I have a slight obsession with shoes. It’s not that bad, I swear. Let’s just say that my dad told me that if I buy another pair he’ll beat me with them. Gotta love brown parents and their sense of humor!

19. I also have a slight obsession with nail polish. Giving myself a self-manicure while watching a movie on the weekend is one of my best relaxation techniques.

20. I live in British Columbia, Canada. I have been to India 4x, Florida 2x, California 2x and have random trips to Washington State as I live about 20 minutes away, sometimes just to pour gas in my car. However, I have never been anywhere in Canada outside BC except for a short 3 hour stay at Toronto International Airport on my way to India. Strange eh?

21. I once went to Camp with my grade in Grade 7 and twisted my ankle the very night. It happened not once, but twice on the same foot minutes within each other. Imagine me falling, getting up and falling again. Because I chose to stay and not come home (it was the first night of my first time camping ever!) I had to be carried around by the Principal. True Story.

22. Because getting carried around by the Principal was not an option for more than two days (and that too because I was forced), on my last day at camp I decided to pretend I was okay and started walking around “normally” to make it seem like I was fine. Big mistake as now I still have problems that flare up with my ankle from time to time. This was a little over 10 years ago.

23. My dream is to one day live in an apartment in Downtown Vancouver, and work for a Publishing Firm or as an English/Humanities teacher at a high school. I would love to be able to do both, probably not at the same time though. Let’s see where I am in 5 years. Oh and have Canucks Season Tickets. Considering there’s a 5 year waiting list on those, I should probably apply now.

24. I love dogs. I have a 2 year old Husky Cross named Bowser who is not going to be pleased when he finds out he’s #24 on this list. We really don’t know what he is crossed with as we were told Australian Shepherd when we got him, but we think there’s at least one other breed. His breed isn’t important though as it was love at first sight with the little monster.

25. I’m also allergic to dogs. I used to have a Boxer named Tyson but I learned the hard way that I had allergies about a month after we got him. He now lives with my friend. With Bowser I’m okay though because he only sheds twice a year, and for those two weeks I stay far, far away.

26. I wish I had a penguin. Now I realize it’s not possible because they need ice and ocean and all that great stuff. But they are just so cute! Don’t worry though; I have the next best thing: a (stuffed) Penguin named Hugsy who guards my room from my sister (he’s never really liked her).

27. I went to a high school where the initials were PMS. There’s a reason why I didn’t buy any school sweatpants. Its claim to fame was that Jazzy B, a famous Punjabi singer, was a former dropout many years before I was there, and a former Physics teacher was charged with murdering his wife. I never personally had this teacher, but he was the “adult supervisor” on a school snowboarding trip I went on. Scary stuff.

28. My memory skills are strange. Recently I’ve been horrible at memorization especially with vocabulary terms (for my Latin class!), but give me a song from 12 years ago and I’ll be able to sing all the words no problem.

29. I love, love, love Vampire Diaries! In recent TV history, it’s the only show (that I’ve watched) that has continuously gotten better over time. Usually shows begin going downhill after their second season, but Vampire Diaries is in its third season and still going strong. My favorite part is their ability to add cliffhangers to the end of every episode because it keeps you interested in waiting for the next episode, but it’s also my least favorite part for obvious reasons.

30. One of my biggest pet peeves is ppl who talk lyke dis. Does it really make a huge difference in the time it takes to type if you take out one letter! And the worst is when the new version of the word is the same length or longer than the original (see: lyke). By no means am I the grammar police, but let’s just say, when I read something written in that style I can feel my brain cells dying.

TGIF

What a crazy week! I started feeling sick on Sunday, and missed two days of work this week all because I had the aches/shakes/chills. Horrible! In good news though, I finished a unit on each of my three classes at work.. so no homework to do at home!

TGIF.

30 Things About Me - Part 1

I got this idea off today’s twitter trends. The fact that it’s even trending makes no sense to me as you really can’t fit 30 facts about yourself in 140 characters. I guess it’s just an excuse for people to bring up their tweet count up by 30 in one shot! I figured this topic would be more interesting as a blog post as it would be fun to write up and see what I can come up with but as it would be insanely long, I'll do it in two parts.

1. I’m an extremely sarcastic person. Those close to me are used to this and take everything I say with a grain of salt. I’m also one of those shoppers that make fun of half the clothing on the racks in the malls. This has gotten me into trouble when someone is standing behind me holding up the same flowery shirt I was just making fun of. Maybe I should look around a bit more?

2. I’m really quiet around people I don’t know. Once I get to know you though, have fun trying to shut me up. I think this is because I like to get a sense of a person before I let my true colors shine… mwahahaha. Just kidding.

3. I’m quite obsessed with hockey, to the point where I let the playoffs run my life. I’ll be one of those fans that believe until the final buzzer, but if my team loses a series God help me. I was a hermit for at least a week after Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals last year. Go Canucks!

4. I’m not generally a superstitious person, unless it’s the playoffs. It’s never something that continues through the seasons, but rather something new every year. Last year it was nail polish. I was convinced that my Canucks Green nail polish was the reason we won games. I even yelled at a nurse in the emergency room through my morphine induced haze after a major car accident because she had to take the polish off on one of my fingers. The blood pressure machine wasn’t reading through the polish, but we lost the next game. I have my priorities straight, I swear.

5. I was once told that I have the ability to talk my way out of any situation. I took this as a compliment at the time, but sadly this ability has only led to my family naming me the go-to girl when a service provider messes up one of our bills or the service doesn’t work. At least I’m saving my family money?

6. I hate talking about myself. I’m only on #6 and I’m already stuck.

7. I’m one of those people that actually do lose my phone every day. I think some people believe I’m making it up as an excuse that I don’t want to talk to them, only because I ‘lose’ my phone every day but I’m telling the truth. To solve this problem, I now have a lime green case on my blackberry. It’s helped… a little.

8. If I say “I will never do something,” don’t believe me. Chances are I will do it at some point in time. I once said I will never make a twitter account, or have a blackberry. I am now the proud owner of both. Don’t question me at the time though; I will be convinced I’m right. I always am.

9. My sister calls me cheap. I like to call myself a “smart shopper.” I don’t understand paying a lot of money for things I really don’t need. This ideology does not apply to shoes.

10. I have the attention span of a fly. If I’m reading a good book or watching a movie/ favorite TV show, chances are I’m not listening to you.  Also, if what you’re saying really isn’t that interesting to me, my mind will wander.You have been warned.

11. If I like a song, I will listen to it on repeat until I get sick of it. I will then find a new favorite song and do the same. I can also watch my favorite movies over and over and not get sick of them. Sadly, my limit before I get tired of a movie is far beyond anyone else’s, so I am usually watching them myself.

12. I’m Hindi movie obsessed. I absolutely love them. I’m also obsessed with Hindi songs. They make up the majority of the music I listen to.

13. I am not an “Apple” fan. I believe that it is made up of average products that are comparable to a lot of other products on the market, but Apple has a leg up as it has amazing marketing. I had an iPod once, and I now use an average mp3 player and I can’t really find a difference, besides the price. I probably shouldn’t say never though, as you should not be surprised if I’m carrying an iPhone this time next year (See #8). I doubt it though; I’m too much in love with my BlackBerry to cheat on it.

14. I get hurt, a lot. I usually find myself in strange situations that I can never explain looking back. And the majority of the time, I get hurt in some way. It’s usually minor cuts/scrapes/bruises and the odd sprained ankle, but there’s always something. I really don’t mind it though as it makes for fun experiences and great stories.

15. I’m a proud Carnivore. I don’t think I could ever be a vegetarian. Again you’re probably thinking I will someday as never say never (See #8), but this one I’m sure of. Once, I saw an animal being slaughtered and skinned right in front of me. This was while I was stuck in traffic in good, old India. Understandably disgusted at the time and vowing never to eat meat again, the very next day I went to McDonalds and had a burger.

Winter Love

Vancouver may just have the worst winter weather anywhere in the world.

Most places usually fall into one of two groups with their winter weather. You either have the areas that get snow and are cold, or you have the naturally warmer areas that continue on with their warm weather. Vancouver gets cold enough for snow, but doesn't actually get any. Surrounding cities a mere 45 minute drive away have had school cancellations because of the amount of snowfall they have received. In Vancouver, you could still see the ground after the 'first major snowfall of the year'.

Being a winter baby myself, I love snow. I'm clearly in the minority as our "major snowfall" led to some very angry people coming out on Facebook. What I don't love is the slush-y aftermath that always follows a beautiful Canadian snowfall. Considering we had a "winter weather warning" where it rained all day long (it is Vancouver after all), the little snow we had is now gone.

Today, fed up with the horrible winter, I decided to give myself a manicure to put myself in a summer-y mood. Guess I won't be keeping my hopes up for a snow storm anytime soon. What do you think of the colors? I'm loving the blue!

Latin.. Why?

Question of the week:

                Mom: So where do they speak Latin?

                Sister: I don’t know, in Europe?

                Mom: That’s why Joty’s taking that class, so she has an excuse to go to Europe!

I wish Mom, I wish. My decision to take Beginner’s Latin this semester had more to do with needing a Humanities course and this being the only one available online, but I like how you think! I’m kind of regretting my decision at the moment because let me tell you, Latin is hard! I don't know why, but I had thought that if it's a dead language and there is no oral/verbal component to the class it would be easier than learning other languages but I was wrong. But hey, if it gives me an excuse to convince my parents I should be allowed to go to Europe, I'll gladly take it. Thanks Mom, for giving me my motivation.

Hello!

I'll be honest, I've attempted many times to start a blog and I've failed.. so why the most recent attempt? Although you can't deny the fact that I'm persistant, I've always really wanted to have a blog. Previous, I had a habit of starting things half ass (pardon the language), and then just forget about them. In the last year I've gone through a lot of changes and tough times, both physical and emotional. Some were health related including a major accident and a surgery, both unrelated to each other. Others, more personal. Overall the last year has shaped me into a whole new person.

I'm only 22, so you're probably thinking how much could you possibly have changed in the past year to feel this way? Don't worry, I used to think the same way. I used to think that the people who claimed to have undergone a dramatic life change were just full of it, especially at such a young age. What I've learned though, is that I was wrong, and there are certain moments in your life that have the ability to change you in an instant.

Before I totally go off and starting rambling (I tend to do that sometimes, hence the name), what I'm trying to say is that I want to re-attempt all the things I have tried to do previously and failed. This includes this blog. First, a bit of a warning: I'm the type of person who likes to say what's on my mind. I feel that we have to censor our thoughts and words a lot in the real world for the sake of relationships and the like. This is not exactly real life, so its my place to actually give my true opinions and real feelings on topics. Also, I actually mean the title Random Musings. I have a lot of random thoughts about topics that tend to convince people I've lost my mind. I also write random one-piece articles for the heck of it. It's one of those "when inspiration strikes" sort of deals but I do find them pretty funny to read back on. I'm a movie obsessed, hockey crazed, book loving, 22 year old university student who just really wants to enjoy life to the fullest, because the most important thing I've learned over the past year is that Life is too short to be anything but happy. So, laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can't change. Kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything and have no regrets. - Unknown.