"Will This Matter a Year From Now?"

Time for a Randy Rant/Randy Story/whatever you want to call it. I haven't posted one of these since Randy's V, where I blogged about what it's like to be in Randy's shoes for a day. I feel like this year has been such a number crunching exercise due to how competitive the League has been. The administrative and statistical duties I've had to endure have been a-plenty, so my usual leisurely activities, such as reading, have been limited. Mr. Fucking Randy loves to read, and you should too.

Anyway, I picked up a book off Amazon the other day (for a buck ninety-nine, might I add); it was the first time reading off a Paperwhite so I was skeptical as to how I would like it. Generally, books are read by Mr. Fucking Randy off of freshly printed pages, tangible and crisp. There's something about running my fingers cover to cover that I love; it's a sensation that cannot be replaced. One of my small joys in life is taking a freshly printed book, reading it carefully through and through, to the point where the oils and moisture from my hands - over time - sink into the pages, creating ripple effects on the edges, making the book a little denser, crisper and rugged by the end of its read.

Unfortunately, reading a book off of a Paperwhite does not have the same effect. But, there are benefits from reading off an e-book so why should I be complaining?

The book I bought for a buck ninety-nine was Don't Sweat the Small Stuff - Richard Carlson. Essentially, the book comprises of 80 or so life tips. They are technically 80 chapters as opposed to tips, but calling each tip one chapter is kind of far-fetched, considering you can finish a tip in about  three minutes.

"Finishing a tip in three minutes? Sounds like a very, very talented lady," said Dick Burns.

I must admit; a lot of the stuff in the book is common sense and nothing Earth shattering. There's a lot of "take time for yourself" stuff and "be nice" advice. I wasn't thrilled with the simplicity of the book at first, mostly because I tend to like sweating the small stuff; thinking thoroughly about each and every detail can go a long way for many people, and I personally like detail work. That being said, I could understand the author's perspective. I mean, we all live once, so we should consider what we do with our time since there isn't much of it.

While the majority of the book was mediocre, there was one tip that I really liked and can actually apply to my life. It was a simple, tangible exercise. 

Whenever something gets to you (large or small), just ask yourself, "Will this matter a year from now?" Dick Burns once told me that his New Year's Resolution was to worry less, aka. not let small things get to him. I never followed up on how the Resolution went for Dick, but I think using this simple question can really facilitate becoming less frustrated/stressed about stupid shit that doesn't matter.

Let's say you're stuck in Cairo traffic. It can be fucking brutal (per Safari), annoying and frustrating. But, does it have a direct impact on you, or is it temporary? Will it have substance a year from now? If the answer is no, well, then maybe you don't need to let it get to you.

Another situation: you're making dinner and you burn the garlic. I've been there, and it's pretty easy to get mad; you've ruined perfectly good garlic, disrupted your cooking rhythm and your kitchen probably got smoked. But will this matter a year from now?

If there are things that will matter a year from now, then fine, maybe you are allowed to be mad, frustrated or stressed. But there are a lot of things that aren't. The exercise of asking "Will this matter a year from now?" has worked for me so far; it has allowed me to quantify things that don't matter. I've always tried to worry less, but it has never worked well because it is in my nature to over-think, which leads to remembering every small detail. I'm all about efficiency too, so when something doesn't quite work out I get pissed that I wasted valuable time. 

Maybe you select-GM's aren't as effed in the head as me, and small things don't get to you. If that's the case, I applaud your strength. However, if some of you experience the same things as Mr. Fucking Randy, I urge you to give this a try. Learn to think big picture, and let go of things that don't matter.

"Life is too short to be mad about traffic and garlic," said Dick Burns.

Wise words, Dick.