Today's Small Thing is to communicate clearly. Say what you mean instead of expecting people to infer, figure it out, or use ESP. I try to be clear, but I don't always succeed.
One of my husband's favorite sayings is "Words mean things!"
To which I promptly respond, "Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe."
It drives him nuts, thereby making it one of my favorite forms of entertainment. *gg*
In truth, words mean different things to different people. We're a subjective population, not an objective one.
One of the lessons drummed into me during my Communication studies is that it is the speaker's responsibility to make sure that the listener understands -- to a point.
For instance, when I tell my 12yo daughter to do her Algebra homework, I have to assume she understands that I mean for her to do ALL her Algebra homework.
But when I tell my 9yo son to clean his room, I know that it's easier for him to understand if I break it into sections, i.e. "Pick up all your laundry, then put away all your Snap Circuits. After you've done that, come talk to me and I'll let you know what else you need to do."
You tailor your communication to meet the needs of your audience, then everyone is happy!
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