“The world only goes round by misunderstanding.”
— Charles Baudelaire, French poet of Decadent and Parnassian Movements
Crossed Wires by Laurie Buchanan
Recently I had an experience—a missed luncheon—when the two parties involved—myself and a friend—said in unison, “We must have gotten our wires crossed!” and then had a good laugh.
Oh, I thought you said…
I must have misunderstood
You didn’t actually mean?
I was certain you said…
Obviously we have a miscommunication
But I distinctly remember…
Oh, I’m so confused…
I wrote it down as…
When was the last time your wires got crossed?
“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan
www.HolEssence.com and our Facebook page
© 2011 Laurie Buchanan – All Rights Reserved
Tuesdays with Laurie 
It would only be an excuse. My wires don’t get crossed!
Jeff – That’s huge — half the battle is know that about oneself 🙂
Good photo 🙂
Sorren – Thank you. I took the photo between the walk from where we park our car and the back door of our healing studio. That jumble of wires at the top of the pole, against that gorgeous sky was too much to resist. I’m glad for your visit to Speaking from the Heart and I hope you’ll come back again soon.
I am constantly amazed at how two people can be having what appears to be the “same” experience, yet their perceptions of what was said, done, decided, etc., are different. We can never stand inside another person’s experience. As such, I am simultaneously amazed that we manage to get things done and cooperate to the extent that we do!
Barbara K. – Ain’t that the truth?! When you think about how many of us there are, and how different we each are, it’s a wonder how in blue blazes we do manage to get things done “as a team” (so to speak). It’s a wonder not more of us keel over from “friendly fire.”
I would have to say that in the fast paced world of health care it is amazing that wired get crossed so much. You would think everything is so straightforward and simple, not!
With practices, methods, technology, computer enhancments, and hundreds of other challenging changes, it is no wonder anyone keeps up.
There are untold times that we put new processes, SOP’s, changes. etc and then when we visit that site, they have no idea what we are talking about. We finally had to now record every communicaton with thier response back that they did get it. That way there is no excuse when the dates are documented that they got the bulletin.
I wonder if this would work with everday conversation, as Laurie you are right. Two people having the same conversation can come out with all kinds of wires crossed. Or not having any conversation and let thier minds take over what the outcome is? HummmmI should ponder that one…..
Kim – You bring up a great workplace example! I think in everyday life there’s a lot of crossed-wire conversations. Most of it is completely accidental, but I think some of it might be due to “selective hearing.”
It happens all the time. I jump to rash conclusions — leaving my husband, and others, stratching his head, “Um, how did you get that?”
Strangely, sometimes it’s not my wires that are crossed. : )
Leanne – You strike me as a person who is clear, concise, and articulate. I can well imagine that there are plenty of occasions where misunderstandings have nothing to do with your wires 🙂
As a group create on a facebook group posting, there was a request to visualize love and gratitude in the water and it would change the water. I was so excited about this new discovery and watched a couple of youtubes on this phenomenon performed by scientists. I added my energy to the group healing and also filled up a bottle of water and put it in my car with the concept it would put love and gratitude to those on the road and bring safety. I am sure this works. I was thirsty driving and drank out of the bottle reserved more as a symbol and prayer. There is something to this as I felt better after drinking and the person I was having lunch with said, you feel so safe to be around. I am but it was cool to hear out of the blue, something I “put” in my car.
Kathy – I, too, make a paper “sleeve” for the Mason jar I drink out of and write words on it so their frequency (vibration) is imbued into the water. I’ve been doing this ever since I read “The Miracle of Water” by Masaru Emoto. Another great book to read about water is, “Your Not Sick, You’re Thirsty” by F. Batmanghelidj, M.D.
How many times do we misread the meaning in what someone writes? The writer can mean one thing, but depending on the reality of the reader at the time it can be taken very differently. Crossed wires… 🙂
Ann – You’re oh-so-right that it can happen with the written word, not just the spoken word. When I type emails I’m careful what I emphasize and what I write in all caps so people don’t think I’m shouting.
Yes, I try to be careful with that as well…only capping limited words and only for emphasis, but not shouting 🙂
I sat at Chili’s for an hour waiting for a friend with whom I had a dinner date. I finally called her on my cell phone and found that she was waiting for me at another Chili’s restaurant. I had no idea two Chili’s restaurants existed in the same market area. We finally connected but from that time I made it a point to clarify the exact location of any pre-arranged date and confi appointments the day before –something that served me well during my career working as an assistant to an officer for a national retailer. His schedule was so challenging that there was literally no time to spare between meetings and travel commitments. It is stunning how many details fell through the cracks even when I had a hard copy confirmation in my hand.
This issue makes for an interesting relationship as my husband rarely confirms anything. He is do trusting.
My husband is totally opposie and never
Chris – What a FANTASTIC example! Who would have thought that two of the same restaurant would be in the same viscinity? It would never have crossed my mind.
Been absent a while, Ailsa got her cast off 2 days ago, and things are slowly starting to return to some sort of normality (in as much as anything in this house is ever approaching normal).
Ailsa & I get our “wires crossed” frequently. When I am working with computers I need to think absolutely logically and literally, with every word having a single precise meaning, so that I can make these machines do what I want them to. Of course humans don’t normally think in such a fashion, and often Ailsa will interrupt what I’m doing and tell me something, and I interpret it literally, and go back to work. Later on when I do something she doesn’t expect, she’ll ask what I’m doing; and I’ll say “what you asked” and say-back the exact words she used, and the interpretation I took from them – which is often wildly at variance from what she meant.
It seems that some of the most creative things I have done have come from misunderstanding what someone else has said or done or written.
Ted – I’m so glad to know that Ailsa’s cast is off and that things are returning to “normal” (your comment about “normal” in your home cracked me up). I can only imagine that when working on computers you have to be absolutely literal. It stands to reason that a conversation that takes place simultaneously would be fair game for “literal” as well. I can see where that might cause a wrinkle in the fabric 🙂
It can happen when an “I see what you mean” person intereacts with an “I hear what you’re saying” person. Somehow the wavelengths are different.
My wires got cross, or shall I say the wires of a good many people got crossed on Wednesday night at Manhattan’s Film Forum, when plans to screen two classic films in the two-week long Robert Ryan Film Festival were compromised by the announcement that the “wrong film” was sent for “Lonelyhearts” even if the other more important film, “Odds Against Tomorrow” was rightly represented. The “crossed wire” scene at the theatre wasn’t pretty, as people were displaying their anger en masse. One wonders in this day and age just how significant a missed movie screening can be in the general scheme of things, but at the Film Forum the rare demonstration of ire was actually amusing. The management offered up the Barabara Stanwyck classic “Clash by Night” as the second feature. I’ve seen that one many times, but another viewing was one of those offersw that impossible to refuse!
That’s a terrific photo there!! Talk about crossed wires!!
Sam – Now that’s a great example that you shared here of wires getting crossed at the Manhattan Film Forum — Yowza! I can well imagine that some folks took the opportunity to display their tempers. Ohhhhhhh, Barbara Stanwyck was one of my favorites 🙂
Tim works with computers, too (I affectionately call him Mr. Logic), so Ted’s experience sounds so familiar to me. I’d say we get our wires crossed at least three times a day but we’ve adapted to the situation and get a little chuckle in about it most of the time.
Barbara R. – Mr. Logic, I love it!
Pingback: Robert Ryan Film Festival, Another Earth, Sarah’s Key, Stupid Crazy Love and Musical Countdown Launching on Monday Morning Diary (August 22) « Wonders in the Dark
Thoughtful and nice photo.
Connie – Welcome to Speaking from the Heart. I’m glad you enjoyed the photo.
Hi,
Great photo of all the wires. Yes every now and then it happens I have got my wires crossed so to speak. I remember one time, a friend said “I’ll meet you on Monday” and off I went on Monday, but you guessed it no friend, she of course meant Monday week. 🙂 To this day I can’t remember her saying that, but with friends it really doesn’t matter, and we had a great day the following Monday. 😀
Magsx2 – Thank you for visiting Speaking from the Heart; I’m glad you enjoyed the photograph. Thank you for sharing your “crossed wires” story.
Pingback: Crossed Wires | Ted Howard NZ's Blog
Pingback: Hurricane Irene, Musical Countdown, Robert Ryan Festival, At-home pre-coders and Don’t be afraid of the Dark and Richard “R.D.” Finch on Monday Morning Diary (August 29) « Wonders in the Dark