Dive

[Diver, Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, Boston; 8/25/12]

Last Saturday we took the T over to the waterfront once again, this time to watch some of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, which had divers executing perfect acrobatics between the cantilevered roof of the Instititute of Contemporary Art (ICA) 80 feet down into Boston Harbor. The area was packed with people, so we couldn't get very close, but from two different vantage points we were able to see the divers launch themselves from the roof, twist, tuck, pike and then vanish just before entry into the water. A helpful big screen TV provided scenes of actual splash downs. D and spent much of the time trying to capture the dives with our digital cameras. My "burst" setting captured a number of fun stop-action sequences that are a bit grainy with speed and distance, but at some point I'll try to stitch together.

[View from Commonwealth Pier to the ICA]

[Braving the platform to sing the national anthem]

It was actually a beautiful day, sunnier than it appears in the above photos, with a heat-sparing light cloud cover.

[View from Fan Pier]

It was a bit of an upsetting week as I was blindsided by a call from a rather difficult client on Wednesday. But the fault was all mine, a rather egregious, embarrassing mistake on some copy I'd provided to them awhile back, a result of sloppy thinking and trying to do things too quickly. I spent the evening diligently rechecking all my work and sent back fixes that night. I've not heard one word back from them, which is not unusual for this client. I have to assume that remedied the immediate issue. But it shook me up, imagining my reputation and career taking a dive, and not a nicely executed one at all but rather an ungainly flop ending in a painful, conspicuous splat. I did realize that this attitude wasn't going to help and I did my best to focus for the next couple of days on careful work for my main client these days, who are far looser in their needs, in no small part I'm sure because their audience is internal. Nevertheless, I know that a large measure of my service to them has been to wrestle their content into order and save them from their own disorganization. So I've tried to remind myself of all the good work I've done, to try to pile it up on the scale against the small but weighty glaring error on the other side. And know that while I'll never be perfect I can at least avoid making a similar mistake in the future.

[Tightrope walkers over Fort Point Channel, near the Boston Children's Museum]

Comments

[Jean]

Oh, Leslee, you're brave to share this, and it's so helpful to be reminded that indeed this happens to the best and to everyone!

I don't suppose there is anyone, however skilled and conscientious, who doesn't make a mistake in work occasionally. We're not machines, not buit to function perfectly, and of course this is the same quality that makes us able to do many things that the most sophisticated computer cannot.

And it's so easy to believe this and say it, isn't it, when it comes to someone else, but still such a painful feeling when it is oneself. Really important to share and discuss these experiences, I think.

What terrific photos - and the tightrope walkers are delicious, both aesthetically and allegorically.

[mm]

Oh, the awfulness of these moments! Brings back memories of certain of my bloopers, and I really feel for you. I too have found it is much easier to make allowances for others when they trip up rather than for oneself.

Time and distance from the mistake help in my experience, and as you say, just focussing on doing a good job in the present moment, irrespective of the feelings that may be swirling around. Everything passes ......

Love the divers!

[Relatively Retiring]

Yes, so brave of you to go public on your mistake, and you will gain a lot of sympathy and empathy as a result. I really believe that we learn so much more from mistakes than from simply getting it right all the time (not that I have any experience of getting it right all the time).
Wonderful photos, as ever.

[Leslee]

Thank you all so much. It's been a tough few days and I appreciate your sympathy very much.