Search This Blog

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Transparently inadequate

I have started about 5 posts…none deemed good enough for publication. Then I ask, what does “good enough” mean anyway? This one is for sure not “good enough” for publication.

I want to write about two related (unrelated) issues. First, it is my desire to live a congruent, transparent life, but I am so far from that aspiration. Secondly, I often feel as though I am falling short.

I am going through some chaotic issues in my own life. At some level I want to share these with everyone, I want to be heard, yet at another level the possibility or being misunderstood, or judged, keeps me from being 100% open. What does a transparent life look like?

Related to this, these chaotic issues are probably affect my teaching and participation in other activities. I am slow at grading and getting students feedback; I always have a long list of “to do’s” for my committee work and joint research. I could blame these shortcomings on my chaotic life, or I could just say that I am completely incompetent. The reason isn’t really the point. The point is that I feel as though I am often falling short. Does everyone feel this? Is it a feminine characteristic?

3 comments:

  1. Falling short is a decent description of my life. I have many fronts where I'm falling short. Fortunately, I don't have all of the university responsibilities that you have-that list intimidates me. As I focus on one aspect of my life, others fall by the wayside leaving a trail of chaos, nothing done well. I seem to do just enough so I can move on. It's a little frustrating. We should have a grading party-

    ReplyDelete
  2. I too wonder if it is a feminine trait. I feel it too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What's weird about your feeling of incompetence is that you're so the opposite of that, as evidenced by the impressive gleaning project presented by your students. I am puzzled by why I too often feel a disconnect between what others perceive as competence in abilities and in what I perceive as competence.

    ReplyDelete