Monday, January 30, 2006
One of the many ways in which relocating is a really strange experience, is that life decisions that usually take months and are prompted by natural occurrences, happen all at one time in a big hurry. In many ways, this changes the very nature of these decisions.
Example. You become pregnant or enter the process of adopting a first child. Or your pediatrician announces he/she is retiring. You then go on the hunt for a new pediatrician. You ask around, check insurance, compile a list from ivillage posts on What To Look For In A Pediatrician, perhaps even conduct interviews. The process can take awhile. And usually, it's a high priority in your life for that period of time.
But in the relocation process, this same task is one of a long list of high priorities that you must take care of in short order. A coworker suggests someone, turns out they accept your insurance, and you think, well, if I have to pick a primary care doctor, what the heck! I can always change it! And just like that, you've picked a pediatrician. You probably won't even remember his/her name a day later.
I am not sure what I think of this decision compression. On the one hand, it leaves no room for obsession, which is very likely a good thing. On the other hand, if one can only count on one's gut for 80% of decisions in life, then there will be a painful getting-rid-of-the-kinks process. And if the gut is right more than 80%, this means that prior to this, the obsession-based method has wasted whole bunches of time.
I think I will do some research on ivillage re: How To Properly Obsess Over Snap Decisions...
