That's an interesting idea, Amy. I wonder, though, how potentially awkward it could be to play the game with people you don't know very well. I imagine that some people might not want to share their views on, for example, sex or wealth. Or maybe I'm wrong, and it would lead to good discussion.
This is an interesting game, although I would rather play it as a thought experiment. The categories seem to be overlapping too much, but that is my subjective experience and my redefinitions probably wouldn’t work for others. The idea that I might unintentionally ignore some categories because I prioritize others is one I’d like to explore more. Overall: great post!
Thanks, Claire. I absolutely forbid you to do this as a thought experiment! 😉 I mean, that's all it is, really. I would be interested to hear which categories you think overlap too much. And if you want to share about which ones you feel you neglect, I'm sure we'd all be interested.
I'm generally not a "game girl" but I like this. My comment is about the category career, as you defined that it doesn't have to be connected to money. If I read that correctly. I think of career as always connected to money/income. Something one achieved and stayed with over time. Anyway as an artist/writer (but not making money) I would place those "beans" on creativity. Just some thoughts. Look forward to playing.
Thanks for your comment, Brenda! I see "career" as something that is not _just_ about making money. There are lots of people whose self-conception is fundamentally tied up in the work that they do ("I am a researcher", "I am a painter", "I am an entrepreneur", etc.) Many of these people do in fact continue doing what they do after they retire and thus stop making money at it. At my old university department, we had a Shakespeare scholar who retired at 65 (as is mandatory in Sweden) but came to the department to work nearly every week for the next twenty years. For him, it wasn't about the money, it was about his calling in life. (Or maybe he couldn't stand his wife, but I hope that's not it.)
As I am also a writer, I would also place my beans on Creativity. This is because I write because I want to write, and not "because I am a writer", if you see what I mean. I suppose it's possible to think of it as momentum, as you suggest. Some people get so good at doing something that they continue doing it because that's "who they are". Those of us who are reinventing ourselves don't have that kind of momentum, and so it's not so much about Career as it is about other things, I would say.
The concept of limited resources and having to allocate them is quite familiar to people with debilitating chronic diseases — called there the “spoon theory”. You get up in the morning, with a number of spoons - say 12 which represent a days energy after a good night’s sleep - and you have to decide what you’re going to do without exhausting yourself. Showering is 2 spoons, dressing and just brushing your teeth might be 1 spoons. Do you not shower and save a spoon to cook a meal later? Life is entirely about this on the micro and macro levels.
I thought of the spoon theory as well, but the way I interpret Gregory's resource allocation game is a little different, I think. When I have no spoons to spare to get lunch, for instance, that is not because eating lunch is something I decide to place less importance on – it's simply a matter of not having the resources (and unfortunately, that also leads to fewer spoons later on, but that's by the by). This game seems to me to be more about reflecting on what each of us thinks is worth investing resources on, regardless of whether we are going to have the resources or not.
Very good point, Linnéa! I think that, in a sense, you are both right. I would say it's a bit like the distinction between strategy and tactics. Nineteen Beans is about thinking about how you would like to plan to allocate your limited resources over the long term, while the Spoon Theory is about how to allocate limited resources on any given day.
I'm glad to hear that. Do you really mean how the categories should be defined, or how they should be applied to your life? Are you dissatisfied with how I defined them?
Being in my 30s means spending a Friday night playing a bean-centered "board game" to figure out how I can conserve energy and maintain my mental stability as life keeps throwing more at me. Yep, I'm all in... I'm definitely playing. In fact, it might be a good idea to make this a recurring activity to track how (or if) my priorities shift over time.
What a phfun idea & fascinating concept. Perhaps we play it together at our next Living Room gathering?
That's an interesting idea, Amy. I wonder, though, how potentially awkward it could be to play the game with people you don't know very well. I imagine that some people might not want to share their views on, for example, sex or wealth. Or maybe I'm wrong, and it would lead to good discussion.
I suppose we could swap out categories in certain settings...but yes, it could spark some very interesting discussion, too!
This is an interesting game, although I would rather play it as a thought experiment. The categories seem to be overlapping too much, but that is my subjective experience and my redefinitions probably wouldn’t work for others. The idea that I might unintentionally ignore some categories because I prioritize others is one I’d like to explore more. Overall: great post!
Thanks, Claire. I absolutely forbid you to do this as a thought experiment! 😉 I mean, that's all it is, really. I would be interested to hear which categories you think overlap too much. And if you want to share about which ones you feel you neglect, I'm sure we'd all be interested.
I'm generally not a "game girl" but I like this. My comment is about the category career, as you defined that it doesn't have to be connected to money. If I read that correctly. I think of career as always connected to money/income. Something one achieved and stayed with over time. Anyway as an artist/writer (but not making money) I would place those "beans" on creativity. Just some thoughts. Look forward to playing.
Thanks for your comment, Brenda! I see "career" as something that is not _just_ about making money. There are lots of people whose self-conception is fundamentally tied up in the work that they do ("I am a researcher", "I am a painter", "I am an entrepreneur", etc.) Many of these people do in fact continue doing what they do after they retire and thus stop making money at it. At my old university department, we had a Shakespeare scholar who retired at 65 (as is mandatory in Sweden) but came to the department to work nearly every week for the next twenty years. For him, it wasn't about the money, it was about his calling in life. (Or maybe he couldn't stand his wife, but I hope that's not it.)
As I am also a writer, I would also place my beans on Creativity. This is because I write because I want to write, and not "because I am a writer", if you see what I mean. I suppose it's possible to think of it as momentum, as you suggest. Some people get so good at doing something that they continue doing it because that's "who they are". Those of us who are reinventing ourselves don't have that kind of momentum, and so it's not so much about Career as it is about other things, I would say.
So I think this is a great exercise, but wonder how it might be adapted for those of us that are retired, ie career is no longer a goal…?
I would say: don’t put any beans on Career! 😁
The concept of limited resources and having to allocate them is quite familiar to people with debilitating chronic diseases — called there the “spoon theory”. You get up in the morning, with a number of spoons - say 12 which represent a days energy after a good night’s sleep - and you have to decide what you’re going to do without exhausting yourself. Showering is 2 spoons, dressing and just brushing your teeth might be 1 spoons. Do you not shower and save a spoon to cook a meal later? Life is entirely about this on the micro and macro levels.
I thought of the spoon theory as well, but the way I interpret Gregory's resource allocation game is a little different, I think. When I have no spoons to spare to get lunch, for instance, that is not because eating lunch is something I decide to place less importance on – it's simply a matter of not having the resources (and unfortunately, that also leads to fewer spoons later on, but that's by the by). This game seems to me to be more about reflecting on what each of us thinks is worth investing resources on, regardless of whether we are going to have the resources or not.
Very good point, Linnéa! I think that, in a sense, you are both right. I would say it's a bit like the distinction between strategy and tactics. Nineteen Beans is about thinking about how you would like to plan to allocate your limited resources over the long term, while the Spoon Theory is about how to allocate limited resources on any given day.
Yes, exactly, Sharon! This game is very much akin to the spoon theory. I just never understood why anyone would have that many spoons!
LOL
Raised as I was by Lennart .. all my beans are on that plate of meatballs, sadly
OK, in your case, I allow you to play with meatballs. 😊
Well .. they won’t last long. And if Atticus is around, they’re gone before you recall they were there
Kind of like the years you spent raising him?
Oh we’ve still got him! He’s home shortly.
This appeals to me, a lot! It will take a bit of time to decide on how the categories should be defined, but I don't see that as a weakness.
I'm glad to hear that. Do you really mean how the categories should be defined, or how they should be applied to your life? Are you dissatisfied with how I defined them?
Being in my 30s means spending a Friday night playing a bean-centered "board game" to figure out how I can conserve energy and maintain my mental stability as life keeps throwing more at me. Yep, I'm all in... I'm definitely playing. In fact, it might be a good idea to make this a recurring activity to track how (or if) my priorities shift over time.
I love that, Cassandra! Thanks for being "game".