Check out today’s Teatime Titbit: Monday Motivation: overwhelm
“to be so bad or so great that a person cannot deal with it; to give too much of a thing to a person” is one of the definitions of the word in the Oxford dictionary and we, the human race, are increasing becoming overwhelmed by the number of ‘distractions’ vying for our attention at any one minute.
So what to do? Bury your head in the sand, move to a desert island, or do like the Wheezywaiter: https://youtu.be/ve37Bg4-hPc – live without the net for a month.
Yeah, thanx, Dave, you’re the one banging on about ‘overwhelming’ people and you just gave us another distraction to add to our list.
Ok, yes, I admit. Guilty as charged, your honour. Look on the bright side, though
- He did the (painful) research for you.
- You may be inspired to try it out – I’m doing my annual Christmas internet detox programme CIDP this year starting 14 Dec – 7 Jan. – no blog, FB, Linkedin, Xing etc.
- You get to know a great vlogger, with loads of hilarious vids.
PUBLIC WARNING: Don’t watch his vid on the train, tram or treadmill.
- You get to improve your (listening to) English.
Now, if that isn’t Monday Motivation, I don’t know what is!!
QOTD Want to join me in my CIDP? What are you still allowed to do online or would you go the Full Monty?
To overwhelm sb (auf jdn einstürzen), distractions (Ablenkung/Zerstreuung), to vie (wetteifern), to bury one’s head in the sand (den Kopf in den Sand stecken), desert island (unbewohnte Insel), to bang on about sth (die ganze Zeit von etw reden), to admit (etw zugeben), “guilty as charged” (schuldig im Sinne der Ankla, your honour” (Euer Ehren), detox programme (Entzugsprogramm), hilarious (komisch), treadmill (laufband), go the Full Monty (aufs Ganze gehen)
Sorry, I won’t join in. Internet is my window to the world as my health doesn’t allow me much real life interaction. I don’t need social media (ok, xing account exists but you won’t find me on Facebook, Instagram etc), only teatime titbits, emails and the www to stay current with what happens in the world, i.e. regarding the fields of politics, local news, medicine, technology, education etc. just to mention a few examples.
However, in principle it appeals to me pulling the plug for a certain period. I used to do so during holidays, too, whenever I was travelling – one should look at the overwhealming landscape instead at a display.
I understand and agree with you about pulling the plug too. I use the time to take stock and think about new material, subjects etc – any ideas?
Since you’ve already addressed a broad variety of topics that’s a difficult question. Politics, sports, grammar, tips for emails or conversation, travelling, experiences, customs etc. – everything’s covered which is great. But I’ll think about it and let you now.
Thanx, a report on my desk by Friday if you please.
Hm, maybe something like „understanding and avoiding cultural pitfails“. What where typical situations and/or experiences when you made your first steps in Germany and directly put a foot in it? Vice versa: what have you observed back home in England when people from abroad started their lives in the UK? I’m always curious about such stories. 🙂
Will do, thanx for the ideas.
Next idea for a topic: Social interaction at/after work
Are there any typical customs and traditions? What are you supposed to do, what do colleagues expect, what’s deterrent? I think of occasions like birthday, Easter, Christmas, debut, promotion, getting married, weekly pub visit after work etc. I’m interested in the does and don’ts.
All good things come in 3:
Idea #3 taken from real life: raising a child multilingually and multiculturally
I’m not interested in general advice but rather in your own very subjective point of view and your experiences you’ve made with Matthew so far.