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[thepurpleone]

"You're conversing with Donatello-

...
.....

Just kidding, you got my inbox bu~t if you leave a message I will get back to you as soon as I possibly can."

Comments

[thepurpleone]

I mean, trying is something. I'd rather be doing, why put in the effort if you're not expecting much out of it?

So long as you learn from those ten times. Continuously throwing yourself at a wall isn't going to change things, no matter how persistent you are. You have to change your approach, your tactics, your mindset, otherwise you're just going to exhaust yourself.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[Velocity shrugs again, but she's still got a little lingering smile in her voice]

You aren't wrong, but... Every time is different, though, even if it doesn't seem like it to other people. The emotional and physical context is constantly in flux, and building on itself. Sometimes that's what someone needs. To try and try and try again, until something clicks and you figure it out.

Or at least it was, for me.

I took my medical exams ten times. The first nine times, I tried changing up my studying habits, when I got in and out of recharge before the exam, what chair I sat in, asking for time extensions... And nothing worked. I tried nine times, I failed nine times.

It was after that last time when it just... something connected in my processor differently than it had every other time, and I realized that what was wrong was that I was trying to do my exams the same way as everyone else. I needed to take a verbal exam, instead. And I passed, with a 97%.

But... that was me. I'm not everybody. So maybe it doesn't apply to everybody.

[thepurpleone]

You know, a great American inventor of our world went through many supposed failed versions before finally successfully producing a working light bulb. He didn't see them as failures, but famously said, and I quote, "I have not failed 10,000 times—I’ve successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work."

It's a matter of perspective. So you're right in that the same method won't apply for everyone, but mindset is still an important factor. It changes everything- sometimes you just have to look at things a different way.

There are times when I'd come across a problem, something not working right and no matter how many time I rewire or take things apart, it's not functioning the way I want it to, so I have to remember to take a step back and shift my focus for a while, come back to it with fresh eyes.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[There is a small whir of actuators as Velocity shifts her weight back and forth for a few moments]

I don't think I've heard that sort of thing before. So it's just... steps in a process? Maybe?

[If she sounds uncertain to the point of dubiousness, it's because she is. Along with...]

Does it help? Returning to things after a break? Usually I just... attempt to power through until I have to stop. That's how I managed to write all of my papers and tests for school. The words might have wanted to wiggle off of the page, but if you concentrate hard enough, they... well, they still wiggle, and give you a headache for your troubles, but there'll be less of them to deal with. Probably.

[thepurpleone]

Everything is part of the process. The failures, the breakthroughs, right up until completion.

[He thinks it makes perfect sense. The rest, he considers.]

I feel like it does. There can be external influences or experiences that can be rather eye-opening. I can't say I haven't taken the approach of pushing through to finish something, but...the resulting is never really as satisfying. Like. A nagging feeling that I could have done something differently, something better. Maybe others can't tell, but I always can.

[tenthtimeisthecharm]

[Velocity didn't know what to think of this different perspective, but... it did sound like it would weigh less upon you, didn't it? If everything linked up together, if even the failures weren't failures but just a way you learned not to do something. It was very tempting. As was what he said next]

That does make sense... after submitting things, I always found places where I would have gone into more detail or come to different conclusions.

[Another thoughtful frown, and she hesitated as a very small wish bubbled up in her chest, but...]

Do you think... do you think I could work on some of these things nearby you, sometimes? Ratchet said I ought to keep writing research papers to keep myself stimulated, and, well... I don't go very many places with anyone, aside from the medibay and the library. It might be nice.

[thepurpleone]

Sure, I wouldn't mind.

[It might seem like his answer's too quick, too casual. From his perspective it isn't a difficult thing to decide. It's some form of asking him to help with a problem, isn't it? It's a refreshingly different sort of problem, although at the same time, kind of strange since he might not really be doing much of anything except just. Being there.

Huh. He'd never really thought about it in that sense, even though it's something their father had taught them early on.]

Just let me know, yeah?