Following directions. Something I definitely have a problem with, and I’m not sure why.
Long long ago when I was in college and rode on the college’s equestrian team, I was competing in a horse show. At the end of the class, when we were lined up and waiting for the ribbons to be awarded, we were instructed to dismount in order to get out of the ring faster so the next class could enter. Well, I dismounted. Unfortunately, I was the only one to dismount because I missed the rest of the instructions. Dismount AFTER our names were called if we won a ribbon.
DOH!!!
I felt like a fool, like everyone was staring at me.
Luckily, and ironically, I won the blue ribbon, so people probably thought I was pretty cocky and sure of myself to dismount before my name was called first. So, I guess that kind of worked out for me, but if I’m only followed directions I wouldn’t have looked so foolish.
I’ve messed up more recipes because I don’t follow directions completely.
And this weekend I did it (or didn’t do it) again.
I’m taking an online writing class and I messed up the first exercise, which should have been so clear. If I’d read the directions all the way through. We were to do write flash fiction, which is a challenge in itself, so I wrote some flash fiction and posted it. Then a few hours later I read the directions.
We were supposed to write flash fiction using one of several prompts listed. Oops. Missed that part. I’m sure my instructor is going to wonder why my exercise is in the POV of a zombie, which had NOTHING to do with any of the prompts. And of course I couldn’t delete the post. I had to write and post something quickly. Hopefully that’ll save me, but I’m sure I’m going to get some rolling of eyes.
So, please follow directions. And thank God I’m not in a career where following directions is a matter of life or death. We’d all be screwed.
Cerian Hebert 