Saturday, February 9, 2008

when meta-analysis goes bad

aaah, valentines, the time when girls get creative and introspective about how to bid/buy/craft/sautee/cross stitch the perfect gift- and not just for their significant other. the over achievers in the ranks also proffer tokens to their female friends. this year i went with the "thoughtful but cheap" option; personalized mix cd's.

i should have thought about how the super analytical mental health professional recipients would try and interpret the music selection. "youre so vain" was not an observation about my marathon training buddy, but simply a fun song to screech along to in the car, or at mile 15. however, other songs were chosen for the "mope in a bubble bath with scented candles and listen to meaningful lyrics" factor. perhaps i should have asterisked them according to selection motivation.

my own lesson is to be mindful that sometimes others interpret what i do/say more or less than i had intended, as do i with them. of course this should always be considered against the variable of monthly mood swings.

5 comments:

mansuetude said...

This is so true! ! !

Who is responsible? Because sometimes we do intend, especially in "love" we do send little hidden poetic messages in our smallest gesture. All of poetry and literature and so much art IMPLIES the use of intention hidden or punning other implications in the smallest gesture.

Its all open, always, to interpretation... even advertisement works on this subliminal messaging. It must ultimately be up to US< inside ourselves, to guard the door of our own perception!!! ?

Kat Fulton said...

I'm glad you didn't put you're so vain on my cd, but I'm just wondering about the song "broken." Are you trying to say that I'm broken? ugh! I'm so pissed!

;)

Anonymous said...

Thats funny. I recently did a mix cd for my sister who broke up with her boyf. I had to double check all the lyrics before I burnt it.. then of course on 3rd listen (all the way through) I realised some really were not suitable! oops

Anonymous said...

meta-analysis or schmeta-analysis as it has been called is over rated..heterogeneity is the great leveller.... 'Cochrane Rules' OK!!!

Disa said...

oh bloody hell. not bloody cochrane again.