I can’t decide: does my situation best go with Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, or Laura Numeroff’s If You Give a Moose a Muffin?
I think I’m going to go with the moose. The rabbit hole is tempting, but the moose situation is probably more accurate.
On occasion, I lead hikes for the local Land Trust here in north Alabama. Like most people who do that sort of thing, I enjoy being outdoors, I enjoy being with people outdoors, and I enjoy talking with people about the outdoors. Plus I’m a willing volunteer–that’s my number one qualification for the job.
For better or worse, I’m a teacher. If I know something, I want you to know it too. Fortunately, I have social filters and can detect when other people don’t want to know what I know, so things usually work out okay.
Anyway, back to the moose conundrum.
If you ask Tim to lead a hike, he’s going to probably say yes.
If he says yes, he’s going to want to do a good job telling people about the area.
If he’s going to tell people about the area, he’s going to do some research.
If he does some research, he’s going to find a way to best communicate what he’s learned.
If he’s trying to best communicate things to a group, he’s going to make visual aids.
If he’s making visual aids, he’s probably going to spend most of the weekend before the hike making something like a map. A big map.
If he spends most of the weekend making a map, he probably won’t finish the baseboard molding to wrap up his kitchen floor installation.
Or do much else, for that matter.
On the bright side, I’m pretty happy with how the map came out!
Yet There is Method 
Nailed it with “For better or worse, I’m a teacher. If I know something, I want you to know it too.” That’s the most truthful statement I’ve read in a long time. I take it you like hiking better than home improvement projects. Cool map, BTW. And if I’m ever in Alabama I want that hike.
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Thanks, Glenda–if you’re ever in my neck of the woods, just let me know!
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I love your format; it is perfect. That sounds like me with my book club. My friends make fun of me because I go all out and do their best to follow my plan.
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Thanks, Heather!
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I agree with the moose! And that molding can always wait! I bet you make a wonderful guide!
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Thanks, Leigh Anne!
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I love this! It was the perfect way to tell this story. That map is very nice! “Fortunately, I have social filters and can detect when other people don’t want to know what I know, so things usually work out okay.” I chuckled at this. There are so many people out there who are genius or experts in a subject who just don’t have those social filters.
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Thanks, Andrea! I do my best to keep quiet unless prompted. If I am, then watch out!
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Oh, yes, to everything you’ve said and done! I hope and I should have written that in capital letters that your land trust for which you volunteer truly appreciated you! The one thing I’ve learned over decades of volunteering (and being exceedingly prepared to do a good job, such as you (and, I) have done) is that you absolutely need to feel appreciated. I hope that is the case for you.
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Carol, I’m happy to say that our Land Trust is good like that!
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Nice to hear!
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“Social filters” are key! I think you did a magnificent job with your choice of book to model AND your map. The baseboard molding will still be there next weekend. The map was necessary TODAY!
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It was necessary–yes! 🙂
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