I was listening to a radio station I don't like (but I listen to it anyway so I can hear other people's point of view...) and this phrase was used.

"Unacceptable interruption".

BINGO! I think I locked onto a diamond.

With all the distractions, interruptions, tasks, honeydoos, etc. we have, it appears attaching the phrase 'unacceptable interruption' might be what we need to hear, as far as paring down all the imagined multitasking we do, all the work we extend as a LEO and all the unleft 'chores' in life. If I am looking at something and think, "Ya know, that is an unacceptable interruption, ...." and then I do something to eliminate it, either permanently or until it returns, then maybe life can be simplified. Remove as much unacceptable interruptions, recognize that which is acceptable (calls from the family, cutting the lawn, organizing areas of my life...) and simplify, simplify, simplify.

Caveat: Working patrol, a walking a beat or simply showing up at the department and the work that's there does not qualify as a number of unacceptable interruptions. Cop work is inherently interruptive.

Ok, without giving much more rambling, does this phrase make sense to you? I already know I have an incomplete thought here, but fill in the blanks...

"Unacceptable interruptions"

fplasencia says ...

"Unacceptable interruptions"... Huh?

Sarge... I'm scratching my (bald) head on this one... Can I think about this for a while...?

+++++++++++++++

Sure.

Ok, here's a basic unacceptable interruption.

We're sitting down to dinner and we get a call on a cellphone, not the house phone.

So, do we look at it and see who it is with Caller ID? Do we put it on Silent, turn it off or just ignore it? Should we have made our mealtime at home sorta 'sacred' by not answering a call that is now deemed unacceptable because it is interrupting our dinner?

Do we always HAVE to have the cell, iPhone, Blackberry (aka 'Crackberry) or other device turned on? Do you freaking jump out of the shower because you hear the phone ringing and feel you'll miss something?????

Do you feel you absolutely have to answer the front door?

Do you feel compelled to always check your email? Get on the internet? Spend endless hours Googling?

Can you even read a book without feeling like you gotta check something on the computer?

bcontradication09 says ...

 I totally get it! There are exceptions to every rule, but I had to implement the "Unacceptable Interruptions" rule with friends this past semester. They didn't understand that outside of family, my school work and working out were my top priorities. After one particularly inane call, I rang the friend back up and told them that had been an unacceptable interruption. Lucky for me, she got it, as did most of my friends and life has been much simpler since.

+++++++++++++

Cool.

I like it ! I shall begin to use that phrase. I don't think ignoring the work phone while on PL would be acceptable to my boss though !!! But , kiddo's interrupting converstions with my husband will now just get "this is an unacceptable interruption, go AWAY" UNLESS the house is on fire or something like that !!!

Got it...!!!

And... Yes, unfortunately I am one of those... Yup, gotta try to improve on that...

Note: It may have something to do with the days when on a personal ex: 10-63, THAT radio just DID ring... LOL.

 I like it! It is now a part of my vocabulary.

I think that a great term to use.

BSL, I like your idea. I'm a night shifter also and I hate when I get home and falling asleep and the dang phone starts ringing.

BUMP

I rund into this all the time at work.  I am going to start using this phrase.  I am at work as I type.  I have had 4 unacceptable interruptions already this morning.  I use to refer to them as "Painintheass" calls.. 

I LIKE IT!

Working night shift, sleeping during the day, and the phone rings in the middle of it.  I understand that I am on a vampire schedule, but I need my sleep.  How about I call you back at about 2 a.m.?  Sorry, let me cut this off before I get on a rant.

How about another unacceptable interruption.

A heart attack.

Or an injury that takes us away from our mind bending, break-neck, hell-bent, high speed-low drag, gotta-get-there-now, haven't-taken-a-breath-in-two-weeks lifestyle.

Ever consider that most things around us are just a collection of interruptions?

MarlyB said....

Ok - Here's one.  You mount the long walk to the hilltop.  You come to the steps of the Parthenon and gaze up in wonderment, absolutely awed to stand in the birthplace of democracy.   It is hot and sunny day and a light breeze blows fluffy clouds across the skies over Athens.  All around you, cell phone are going off and people are taking calls right and left. 

I actually grabbed someone's phone at the Acropolis and tossed it over the side .... 1998...  then got into argument in English, and then I switched to Greek which shocked them because they were Greeks... told them they ruined the visit there for everyone because Greeks believe they have to shout into the phone, in order to be heard.  So Marley.... let me know before you go back to Greece and I'll phonetically spell out your response...  and even tell you what it means in English... Deal?  btw, what year did you see fluffy clouds in Athens? Summer is when all Athenians leave for the islands or their family village because of the nefos... black pollution clouds that hang over the city, since Athens is in a basin... that's why I always go in October.... it's also after tourist season

UI's are why Caller ID was invented... I'm a very strong supporter of CID and, when I place a call, I block my # from appearing on the other end.... even when I don't block my #... it just says Virginia.

And, here's the best phone # in the entire universe to use for any solicitation call 1-212-479-7990.... This is the Telephone Rejection Hot Line. If a solicitation phone call comes in, I tell them I'm in the process of moving to NY and the phone's about to be cut off, so please call me at the following # after 2 days.... they get a very nice message and can even choose which rejection message they'd like to hear. It's a free service and I've passed it on to many.

Try it... you'll laugh out loud... it's very professional.   

Oh NO ELENI!!  DON'T TAKE AWAY MY FLUFFY CLOUDS!! 

Were they just a memory-figment of my jetlagged brain??? 

Guess I'll just have to go back and look! 

MarlyB says ...

Ok - Here's one.  You mount the long walk to the hilltop.  You come to the steps of the Parthenon and gaze up in wonderment, absolutely awed to stand in the birthplace of democracy.   It is hot and sunny day and a light breeze blows fluffy clouds across the skies over Athens.  All around you, cell phone are going off and people are taking calls right and left. 

I hate when that happens to me....