graded

[forgotten_aria]

I need to be graded again. I need to know where I stand, and if I'm getting better or worse.

Sadly, this is not how life works, it's just how we are trained.

I think this is why I like puzzle pirates and DDR.

Comments

[thomb.livejournal.com]

DDR = German Democratic Republic (East Germany)?

[forgotten-aria.livejournal.com]

Dance Dance Revolution. You get one rock point for asking about one of the most influential and talked about parts of my life over almost the past three years.

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

is that "rock" like "you rock!" or like "dense as a rock"?

[forgotten-aria.livejournal.com]

As in "what rock relative to my life have you been hiding under?"

In hindsight, it might now have been the best name, but it's a not a what point, since there wasn't a convertsaion going on, so I don't know what to call it.

[thomb.livejournal.com]

See, the sad part is that I've barely gotten the chance to see you in three years. I did know that you were into the floor-mat dancy game, but I didn't remember its name well enough to parse the acronym.

[forgotten-aria.livejournal.com]

Sorry if it came out harsh. It was a poor choice and that was not my intention.

[thomb.livejournal.com]

No no, it didn't come out harshly to me at all.

[binkbink.livejournal.com]

In a way, this is how life works, but your score is measured in the negative.
Your flood has been averted, your house doesn't have chunks blowing off it, your car runs well enough, your cat hasn't starved, your husband hasn't run away, a pile of [laundry/books/newspapers/toys] hasn't collapsed on you in your sleep, you aren't without [meals/clothes/shoes/shelter], you aren't being treated for [depression/diabetes/anxiety], you (and your family) are not ruining your life with [drugs/alcohol/tobacco/gambling/shopping], and many many more.
In the positive score category, you are fit, healthy, and active; loving, generous, and intelligent; clean, groomed, and dressed in daywear when you go out. I suppose the problem is that these things don't come with point scores and you have no access to the scores of others with which to compare your progress.
I wonder if this is why so many people hold onto attitudes that can be expressed as "At least I am better than [name of person/religion/cultural group]" or else they use money as a counter of personal success. This need for scoring might also account for why, although money is a good way to keep track of value for exchange purposes, many also come to believe that wealth and demonstrations thereof express some kind of personal worth.
Or why some folks are disappointed when they don't get Orkut tokens; when they get lots of smiley faces and ice cubes but no hearts, for example.
And why magazine and online tests are so popular--they have become a kind of Life Score.

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

Life really isn't like school. Which is a shame, since I knew how school worked, and was pretty good at it :)

I've been using a variety of techniqes to solve this problem. One of them is to make a list of priorities (not specific stuff, but broad categories like Money and Relationships and Community). When I'm deciding what I want to do for the next while I think about my list and if I'm making progress in those areas or not. It helps me feel like I'm working toward something if I see that I'm more successful in those arenas.

I do get frustrated that I don't have a purpose though. I need to remind myself that avoidance of suffering is not a sufficient motivation for life and I need to keep finding positive things to pursue.

[longueur.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know exactly what you mean.

And then I think of the damage caused to all of us by raising us with grades and getting us used to that method of evaluation.

[testing4l.livejournal.com]

Your sailing will save us all!