Planning Fetish?

[Meadbh]

Zero, was your boss a little autistic? Asperger's syndrome perhaps?

[Lsbcal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero ...(snip)... Never had children. I guess that would have interferred. And his wife had numerous boyfriends (not sure he kept statistics on that). All in all, one of the happiest people I have ever known. I think it truly is "whatever floats your boat".

It's interesting that your boss was very happy. Makes me feel better about my very modest obsessions -- like logging my run miles in a calendar. I'm happy too.

[Zero]

This boss seemed perfectly normal to me and seemed like a normal engineer. Which, in reality, is not that far from Aspergers but luckily not yet identified as a malady.

He was very routine oriented and one sign of his fetish was that we had two meetings per day that he attended and said not a word. He would arrive with a large journal (yearly planner 8.5x11 size) and carefully place it in front of himself, remove his twist ball point pen from his shirt pocket, draw a line under the last meetings notes, date it, list the meeting time, give it a title. He then spent the meeting taking copious notes, which he typed up afterwords and handed out to anyone interested.

When required to turn a page in his journal, he had the most deliberate actions which included using his middle finger to carefully catch the page top edge, then carefully lift the page and very deliberately use the other and to slowly turn the page and then smooth the pages with both hands.

His office had bookcases wall to wall and had journals from the first day he arrived.

He never seemed unhappy or ruffled. The numbers, organizing, note taking, etc., must have been a nice grounding for him.

At this moment, I don't know where my house keys are, I have no idea what I spent today, nor yesterday, the temperature at the airport doesn't interest me at all and no plans for tomorrow. I feel happy though.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero This boss seemed perfectly normal to me and seemed like a normal engineer.

Sorry to here that Zero. It's a terrible burden to have to go through life with. I wish him the best but usually there's nothing that can be done for folks in that condition.

[Zero]

Maybe the image I've portrayed of my boss was harsh but calling him an abnormal engineer would be an untruth.

I can confirm that I never saw him wearing a pocket protector in person, only in old company photographs.

[Lsbcal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero Maybe the image I've portrayed of my boss was harsh but calling him an abnormal engineer would be an untruth. I can confirm that I never saw him wearing a pocket protector in person, only in old company photographs.

Being serious for the moment, I've been an engineer all my working life and never met anyone quite like you described. Not even anyone close to this. This guy sounds like a very abnormal engineer.

[BTravlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danmar Our friends think we are nuts but we both love this stuff. What do you guys think? Maybe too much? But can't imagine doing it otherwise.

Hey, if it works for you that is all that matters but are you really living your lives or recording them?

My wife used to be like that but I have managed to partially cure her over the years. She still breaks out in a sweat when I suggest impromptu things like hopping in the car and driving to Cincinnati for the weekend at the last minute.

[ls99]

DW claims I have fetishes. I do not plan them.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero And his wife had numerous boyfriends (not sure he kept statistics on that).

I can imagine that she needed them really seriously.

Ha

[Danmar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BTravlin Hey, if it works for you that is all that matters but are you really living your lives or recording them? My wife used to be like that but I have managed to partially cure her over the years. She still breaks out in a sweat when I suggest impromptu things like hopping in the car and driving to Cincinnati for the weekend at the last minute.

I think it's mostly planning not recording. If you travel maybe 15-18 times a year you have to plan. Most of the recording is financial stuff I think I need. Some motivational recording of weight and workouts but nothing like that engineer.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danmar Thanks for the replies. I was wondering if we were really that far off the norm? What others think isn't that important to us for something like this but I am always surprised how unplanned/unprepared some of our friends and relatives are.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danmar I think it's mostly planning not recording.

My perspective may be a bit burned out right now, having spent the last week going through my father's files, but I guess it depends on what you're doing with it.

If you're collecting information because you feel that you won't be able to get it from somewhere else when you need it, then you're creating a backup system.

If you're collecting information because you feel that you won't be able to remember it when you need it, then that's a different kind of backup system... but still essential.

If you're collecting information to turn it into plans or solutions or products, then you're processing it. You could probably throw away the info after you've created the plan or the solution or the product.

If you're collecting information because you enjoy it, then you're living your life according to your standards. But for gosh' sakes, make sure you label the damn stuff so that your family & heirs know whether to save it or whether it can be thrown away.

If you're collecting information because you feel compelled to collect something, or because you're afraid what'll happen if you don't collect it, then you need to think about getting help.

Up until last week, I felt that I "needed" to have every tax return that I've ever filed. Having a big Rubbermaid box of returns going back to 1976 seemed kinda cool. I never did anything with it, but it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling.

Then last week I found that my father is the same way... only he has every tax return back to (at least) 1959. Suddenly it no longer seems cool. If it doesn't seem cool for him to do that, then why should it seem cool for me to do it?

So now I think I'm going to start throwing away tax returns older than 10 years, or at least scanning them to a PDF.

Someday when I get a bit more courageous then I'll think about throwing away my Navy Leave & Earnings Statements. It's been nearly a decade since I ER'd, and I'm beginning to think that maybe the pay people aren't really going to come after me.

[Lsbcal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords ...(snip)... So now I think I'm going to start throwing away tax returns older than 10 years, or at least scanning them to a PDF. ...

I chuck the support documents, receipts,etc. But the amount of paper in the actual tax return document is pretty small. So keeping even 30 years of fed + state returns shouldn't be a burden. Personally, I'd prefer paper over PDF's.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BTravlin She still breaks out in a sweat when I suggest impromptu things like hopping in the car and driving to Cincinnati for the weekend at the last minute.

Cincinnati? I think I understand her sweatiness.

Ha

[rescueme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero He did similar things with food consumption (precise times, precise portions, calories, etc). .... Never had children. I guess that would have interferred. And his wife had numerous boyfriends (not sure he kept statistics on that).

He controlled what he could; those things he could not (e.g. wife) was probably causing a part of his "problem"...

[donheff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero At this moment, I don't know where my house keys are, I have no idea what I spent today, nor yesterday, the temperature at the airport doesn't interest me at all and no plans for tomorrow. I feel happy though.

Sounds familiar, what was your father's name?

[KingB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero He would then weigh his kit (running shoes, shorts, teeshirt and socks), enter that.

I would think that this should remain constant or have very little change. I wonder what he does with the data.

[BTravlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danmar I think it's mostly planning not recording. If you travel maybe 15-18 times a year you have to plan. Most of the recording is financial stuff I think I need. Some motivational recording of weight and workouts but nothing like that engineer.

Okay, yeah I can see more detailed planning is necessary with that level of traveling. Just keep an eye on each other so you don't cross over into OCD land!

[RetirementColdHardTruth]

VisiCalc - The killer application that is responsible for the computer revolution. Lets face it guys without VisiCalc we would have no interest in computers, there would probably be no laptops, no iPods, iPads or smart phones.

Our addiction to SpreadSheets has to say something about how we are wired as human beings. It is something that the para-psychologists should study. I think it works on the same receptors as Crack.

Hi My Name is RCHT and I am a Spread-Sheet-Aholic.

[BTravlin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha Cincinnati? I think I understand her sweatiness. Ha

Well it could be Indy or Nashville or St. Louis or anywhere really. Sometimes it's nice to just go get a hotel room in a nearby large city and check out some of the restuarants, museums, other attractions and even the shopping . DW thinks this requires planning beginning two weeks ahead of time. I say just google a few on things on the way there.

[Danmar]

Nords. I am certainly not a collector or hoarder. Tax returns 6 years. Only record stuff I need like securities ACB etc. Planning mostly relates to travel. Once we go it becomes part of our financial plan for future reference. If I were to drop tomorrow my executor (DW) would be able to carry on given the data I have. Enjoy analysis and planning not collecting. Cheers.