I thought writing my first blog or post or whatever you choose to call it, would be really hard. It was hard but in a good way. So now what’s next? I begin page number two. I knew that writing here, placing words on a page, telling a story was what I needed to do. So how do you write when you are not a writer? The answer is simple, just tell a story. My story this week will focus on distraction.

As I told you earlier I am an air traffic controller. What does this mean in everyday life? It means that when I’m working there is no room for distraction. Controlling airplanes in and out of an airport is what I like to call controlled “chaos”. Picture this. Controlling airplanes is like having ten or eleven conversations going on at the same time. Your job is to hear all of the conversations and then figure out in order which one is the most important and needs your attention. At this point is where you become problem solver, decision maker and whatever else it takes to provide a solution. Did I mention that we have to do all this error free? Sometimes errors are made they just have to be corrected before they become a real error. It’s kind of like writing a check without enough money in the bank. It doesn’t bounce if you get funds in your account before the check is processed! Of course this is not everything there is to being an air traffic controller. If this is an area that you might have questions about feel free to ask. There are a few jobs that stretch to your limits on a daily basis, this is definetly one of those.

There is life at work. Then there is life outside of work. I hope that being good at one, makes me better at the other. I began this by talking about distractions, and this week has been full of them. I have been wanting to write these few paragraphs since I finished the first one. I am a multitasker except when it comes to writing. When I write it’s kind of like meditation. I need to be alone and I need silence. Distractions don’t give you either. For example just as I began to write tonight the dog got into the cat box. I won’t give you the details, just use your imagination. After a few minutes of problem solving, yes I use some of the techniques from work at home. Cat boxed cleaned, dog back in crate, and dirty blankets in washer. So now where was I? Oh yeah distractions. Some have to be dealt with right away, others when you get to them. The bottom line is that distractions are part of life, but they don’t rule your life.

This last paragraph is dedicated to my “mom” who would have been seventy-four today. She was lost to breast cancer over thirty years ago. I have a loving family and friends who have made a difference in my life, but only one mom. Happy Birthday Mom. I love and miss you everyday.