Wednesday 9 April 2014

it's inherited!

Breakin' news out of my family room...

Okay, maybe not out of the family room, really.  Only kinda out of the family room but that is where I heard it first.

Breakin' news from the University of Colorado Boulder...

Okay, I don't actually know if it's breakin' news and even if it is, I didn't break the story first but...  well...  I'm tryin' to paint a picture with my words, here.  MOUSES!

Anywho...  I was walkin' past the family room last night after enjoyin' a mid-evenin' snack, when I happened to overhear the news broadcaster on CBC talkin' about the news that could be breakin'. My ears perked up immediately 'cause I just knew I needed to report upon this.  After listenin' to what needed listenin', I trotted into my office and told Ol' Peepers I would require the computer.  I had a blog post to write.

Apparently, some peeps over at the University of Colorado Boulder have written a paper on procrastination.  These peeps:  Daniel Gustavson, Akira Miyake, John Hewitt and Naomi Friedman, have found some sort of connection between the tendency to procrastinate and impulsive behaviour. Not only do they believe that perpetual procrastinators are impulsive but they also believe that that procrastination is genetic.  It's in our genes.  IT'S INHERITED.  MOUSES!

Interestin'...

My Peep #1 is definitely a perpetual procrastinator.  She's a PPP...  a Perpetually Procrastinatin' Peep.  This likely explains why I'm writin' today's blog post, today.  MOUSES!

That's right.  Like I said earlier, I told the peep that I needed the computer last night to write this post but Ol' Peepers was busy doin' somethin' silly and said, "Why don't you do it tomorrow?" MOUSES!

So here I am, writin' my blog post the mornin' it's due, due to Ol' Peepers' condition of bein' a PPP.   Again I say...   MOUSES!

Luckily for me, I did not inherit the peep's PPP.  First of all, I'm a cat.  Cats don't get PPP and, I believe you'll find that, there's no such thing as PPC.  Nope.  Never heard of that one, at all.

If there's a nip mouse that needs to be played with, I'm right on it.  If there's a snack that needs to be snacked upon, I'm there.  If there's a nap that needs takin', I'm nappin' in an instant.  No sirree...  no procrasitnatin' for me.  I'm a cat of action, I am.  Immediate action, for sure.

Now about this impulsiveness.   The peeps from the University of Colorado Boulder believe the two traits are linked.  Peeps who tend to procrastinate, tend to also be impulsive and make rash decisions.

This makes a lot of sense to me.  If you put everythin' off until the last minute, you kinda have to be impulsive if for no other reason than the fact that you've run out of time to really think things through. On the other paw, some might call this, decisiveness.  What exactly is the difference between an impulsive and rash decision and a decisive one?  Probably the end result.  MOUSES!

Peep #1 says she works well under pressure.  I think she thinks that makin' those impulsive and rash decisions works out for her.  Well, she has certainly had enough practise!

My question is, which came first?  Was it the chicken or was it the egg?  Or, in this case, the tendency to procrastinate or the workin' well under pressure bit?  I mean, if you put everythin' off for forever, you're gonna have to make some split-second decisions 'cause let's face it, you'll only have seconds to make 'em.

But what if you're a cat like me and you know you're capable of makin' those split-second decisions in the first place?  Then, it would seem perfectly reasonable to do the other stuff you wanna do, first, and put off makin' those other decisions until the last minute.  In the cat world, we call that time management.  

We must also take into account environmental factors.  For instance, as a cat livin' with a peep who has PPP, said peep's tendency to procrastinate may very well cause me to make impulsive and rash decisions.  It was all Peep #1's fault that I didn't get today's blog post written last night.  It was all because of Peep #1's PPP disorder that I am being forced to feverishly write my post this mornin', barely makin' my deadline.  Peep #1 may have inherited the gene to procrastinate but I, Nerissa the Cat, have somehow managed to inherit the peep!

This whole inherited procrastination subject is very confusin'.  I think the best thing for me to do will be to have a little snack before takin' a nap.  I'll figure out the procrastination stuff, tomorrow. MOUSES!

37 comments:

  1. Cute pics!! It's been a long time since I commented:-(

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  2. My peeps keep putting off procrastinating, but they will get around to it eventually!

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  3. dood....just pleez due knot end up makin a rash dee sizzion coz ewe will bee scratchin N itchin poss a blee for dayz....N if ya haza lotta itchin frum de rash dee sizzion; ewe will mizz out on nappin !!! N snax ....

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  4. Our Lady has the opposite problem, she can't leave things done. Maybe this book will help your peeps. Solving the Procrastination PuzzleA Concise Guide to Strategies for Change Timothy A. Pychyl - Author. A friend just told our Lady about it (Dr. Pychyl was one of Lady's profs 87 million years ago).

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    1. The thing is... I'm thinkin'... I'm thinkin' the peep might put off readin' it. MOUSES!

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  5. Why is it all peeps have this PPP problem???

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  6. Procrastination does not run in my human's family... but she sure can do it well!

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  7. Mummy Janey has selective procrastination...most notable when we want snacks NOW.
    The REAL Maple Syrup Mob xxxxx

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  8. Yes my peep has it to. But she's getting better. I try never to let her sit for too long. She says I keep her on her toes!

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  9. We aren't sure what Mommy is. Is there such a thing as a selective procrastinator?

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  10. I am definitely a PPP but I was a good mother to my cats!!Would you think of running for Prime Minister in the UK you'd be brilliant! Love always Nissy.Hope your peeps have got your birthday party planned MOUSES!!XXX

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    1. Do you have to be a UK citizen to run for Prime Minister there? I could run for PM of Canada although I'm thinkin' I might like a Senate appointment. purrs

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  11. Immediate action is totally required in this house, too, or else I"d miss the snacks and stuff. Maybe if I lived alone, I'd be a PPPer. Rocky PPPs on everything. - Crepes.

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  12. I live with a PPP, and it sucks, Nissy!!! ;)

    PeeEss you wanted to know about my half a reader?? Wellllllllll, I think I might have to blog about it ........ tomorrow ....... !! ;)

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  13. Like your Peep, it makes me feel better knowing that we inherit PPP. Thanks for writing this story for your procrastinating human.

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  14. Well hello! So nice of you to drop by our place!! Our human has a serious procrastination issues!

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  15. M is the queen of procrastination. If she can possibly put it off, she will do that. I think I inherited it to because I'd much rather take a nap than worry about meeting a deadline!

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  16. I'm with your peep on that one!!! I am a procrastinator deluxe!!!!!
    ღ husky hugz áƒ¦ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!

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  17. Thank you Nissy. Reading your blog makes me smile & giggle. xo

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  18. Yep, I know a few PPP's. Personally, I have a different kind of issue all together. I don't put things off until the last minute, but I do find one project, that leads to another project, that leads to another project, etc. This results in perpetually being late.

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  19. My domesticated woman has the opposite problem : everything is organized, planned, so well planned that's there is almost no time left for the unexpected ! As unexpected things always happen, she has finally always to rush to finish everything ! Purrs, Zorro

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  20. You do suffer with your peeps don't you!! I have to say I am a dog of action a bit like you, if someone needs barking at I'm there. if a nap needs taking it i'm a taking it...um ....naps...what a good idea!

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  21. Hi Nissy! My Mom isn't a procrastinator, she's a do-it-now-er and I guess I am too......if I see food in my dish that needs to be eaten - I'm there.....if I see a butterfly that needs catching in my yard - I'm all over it......if I notice Mom's lap is available for a nap - you can count on me to occupy immediately. So no PPP'ers in my house - just "DO-ERs" !!

    Hugs, Sammy

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  22. We really like Brian's answer! Mamma used to be a PPP before kids came around...

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  23. I turned over the Cats of the CB Calendar page and there is the exquisite Rushton! So I rushed over to say happy calendar day, before I forgot or put it off. Because tomorrow is another cat...
    xxoo

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  24. OMC! You have not even MET a true P3 until you have met my Human!!! As a student she p'd and p'd and P'd some more! And now as a teacher, it's gotten even WORSER! Yes, REALLY, it has! Sometimes she's still writing a quiz like 10 minutes before the class she has to give it to. Can you even IMAGINE? Really, I don't care about all that. But when she puts off getting my breakfast....well, then sometimes things get ugly around here.

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  25. Gosh Nissy that must make things a bit confusing at times in you 'ole House,I am glad my mum and dad aren't like that,very organised they are,xx Speedy

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  26. Seems like there's a bit of ADD in there as well: Oh, look, a mouse! I live in a house full of procrastinators. I think Nerissa has a point though, that even though researchers say it's inherited, procrastination may also be contagious. ;-)

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  27. It seems that my Nat à Chat is like your Peep. She is really good at procrastination. She always says that there is no hurry, that she needs time before doing things. What I think is that … she is lazy.
    Like you I am the opposite. I am not going to wait forever to go hunting. Lizard hunting season is now !
    No time for “lézarder au soleil” ….

    Ronrons
    Hisia

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  28. Whew! Nissy I am happy to tell you that in no way whatsoever have YOU inherited that gene from your Mom cat. We cat's plan every single thing we do well in advance, why I even have a list where I check off the stuff I get done as I do it. And on said list...right there...is my planned nap for tomorrow morning in bed when the humans are having their coffee...see...bet you have that exact same planning list...we are cats after all

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  29. Well, shoot. I knew I missed somebody 'pawtant in my rhyme. What rhymes with Nissy, though--you wouldn't want Sissy, or Missy or Dizzy, right?

    So let me work on it. Perhaps a haiku just for you would assuage your wounded feelings?

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  30. Wow Nissy what a quandary! Our mom is much the opposite, she constantly worries about not blogging and not checking and commenting on our friends blogs! Maybe we could have them bonk heads and mix up some of those brain cells so they even out :)
    Marty

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  31. Our human doesn't work well procrastinating and under pressure. All she does is worries. On the other hand, when she plans ahead she second guesses all her decisions. It's a lose - lose for our human. Hehe, good thing she has us. We don't know if procrastinating is inherited, but we lets our human know that some things just can't be put off. Like our meal time and litter boxes? Nope, can't put that off. We do like to relax and sit back when we see our humans do it so much though : /

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  32. Our old Peep, the Dad, has a bit of the PPP fur sure. Why just on Friday the 11th (Think you are the only cat with time bending whisk tek MOL) Miss Fitz went on about Dad going at the wrong Time.
    By the By Happy Birfdays on the 15th. (Whisk again)
    Purrs
    Timmy

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I love hearin' from my pals. I really, REALLY do. PURRS.