All of your recent writing has resonated with me, this one in particular, on so very many levels.
As context, it's 8:40 pm and I just finished my day. I started at 7:30 this morning, because we were launching something new on our company website that I was project managing. After I fired off a few emails to the web developer, I took Bibi out for a run. Along the way, I stopped several times to reply back to the web developer, who was troubleshooting over breakfast. When I got home from the run, I frantically worked to iron out the remaining kinks in the project, and finally finished around 10:30. At that point, I had to immediately switch gears to another project that is launching tomorrow. Five hours later, that was wrapped up and I switched gears once again, to a project that we actually finished yesterday but that was unfortunately overwritten by our web developer due to their internal miscommunication, and so we had to redo that work. When that was done, I switched gears yet again, this time to a report that my boss asked me for two weeks ago but that I never have time to do because I am working on so many other things. And when I finally signed off, after 7:30, I had several things still on today's To Do List that I hadn't touched, but I had to quick eat dinner (chips and salsa was the daily special), hang up my laundry, and walk the dog. And that is how I spent the last 13 hours: as a good capitalist worker bee. I think you can see why I, too, would like to live without urgency, and why it will indeed take deprogramming if I'm ever to do so. I'm almost 50, FFS, and I no longer want to climb the ladder; I want to take a nap.
We are indeed a product of our capitalist culture that rewards "rugged individualism" which is American jargon for "work your ass off!". We live duped by the myth that if you work hard, you'll get ahead. We never learned to question what "get ahead" means. Thanks for the reminder to chill the F out.
Every one of your posts makes me so happy that you are no longer copywriting for the corporate world but writing for us (your public) to read! Your writing is so on the mark, so relevant, and so inspirational. And also really moving - you have an amazing way with words
Thank you for this lovely piece. Really gives me a lot to think about. I really enjoy your writing and reading about what goes on in your head. I really resonate with the dandelion analogy and the quote about the Mount Everest climber(s). Moving to Portugal has been tough for me - but mostly from a "letting go" standpoint and also from a social standpoint. I feel untethered and went through a terrible period of anxiety. But, I don't regret moving here. I was STAGNATE in the US and had a myriad of other reasons for leaving. This is a real opportunity for growth, even if "only" as a dandelion. So nice meeting you and your daughter, in person, at our coffee club!
I found your newsletter via Shanna’s, which I found via facebook, as I’m one of the many it seems who dream of ditching life in the states for Portugal. We’ve been daydreaming and talking of it half seriously since we first visited a few years ago and fell in love, but the pandemic has put life into a new relief and our daydreams are taking steps to becoming more substantial. Thanks for sharing your writing.
Beautifully articulated. Clearly your words and experience resonated with a lot of us! And yes, that Mount Everest quote. . . . Thank you for sharing from your heart.
Beautiful piece of writing. I am in my last week of paid work, and frantically trying to get my house in order and my things packed in preparation for an 8/9 trip to Chicago and then on to Lisbon on 8/21. I'm looking forward to retiring, but I know that it's also going to be a huge adjustment. Your post has given me a lot of good things to think about as I move in the next phase of my life - thanks! Although I think of myself as musician and artist at heart, I've spent the last 29 years working in corporate and government IT and am used to organizing my life around projects, deadlines and constantly having more things on my to-do list each day than I can realistically hope to get done. While that can be stressful, it also makes the day go by fast and makes me feel useful...so I'm trying to prepare myself as best I can for the fact that withdrawing from this might be difficult at first.
Boy LaDonna, does this post really speak to me??!!! LOL. As this is the first time I've been unemployed in 22 years, I can certainly relate to what you're feeling. And I'm even more surprised at how much I'm enjoying not working....of course, I'm now filling my days studying for my real estate license. And thank the Lord, it has given me back a bit of the daily "structure" I suddenly realized I was missing after no longer needing to login to work every morning at 8:30. But admittedly, I'm looking forward to the relaxed life, and a little bit less structure, and having little else to do in a day but simply enjoy and relax! It can be a challenging concept for the American mind to embrace. :)
All of your recent writing has resonated with me, this one in particular, on so very many levels.
As context, it's 8:40 pm and I just finished my day. I started at 7:30 this morning, because we were launching something new on our company website that I was project managing. After I fired off a few emails to the web developer, I took Bibi out for a run. Along the way, I stopped several times to reply back to the web developer, who was troubleshooting over breakfast. When I got home from the run, I frantically worked to iron out the remaining kinks in the project, and finally finished around 10:30. At that point, I had to immediately switch gears to another project that is launching tomorrow. Five hours later, that was wrapped up and I switched gears once again, to a project that we actually finished yesterday but that was unfortunately overwritten by our web developer due to their internal miscommunication, and so we had to redo that work. When that was done, I switched gears yet again, this time to a report that my boss asked me for two weeks ago but that I never have time to do because I am working on so many other things. And when I finally signed off, after 7:30, I had several things still on today's To Do List that I hadn't touched, but I had to quick eat dinner (chips and salsa was the daily special), hang up my laundry, and walk the dog. And that is how I spent the last 13 hours: as a good capitalist worker bee. I think you can see why I, too, would like to live without urgency, and why it will indeed take deprogramming if I'm ever to do so. I'm almost 50, FFS, and I no longer want to climb the ladder; I want to take a nap.
Keep writing; you've got a good thing going here.
We are indeed a product of our capitalist culture that rewards "rugged individualism" which is American jargon for "work your ass off!". We live duped by the myth that if you work hard, you'll get ahead. We never learned to question what "get ahead" means. Thanks for the reminder to chill the F out.
I like the dandelion analogy. The thing is this: even if you think you're not achieving much, you actually are.
Every one of your posts makes me so happy that you are no longer copywriting for the corporate world but writing for us (your public) to read! Your writing is so on the mark, so relevant, and so inspirational. And also really moving - you have an amazing way with words
That Mt. Everest quote is spot. on.
Also looking forward to reading your religious trauma post.
Thank you for this lovely piece. Really gives me a lot to think about. I really enjoy your writing and reading about what goes on in your head. I really resonate with the dandelion analogy and the quote about the Mount Everest climber(s). Moving to Portugal has been tough for me - but mostly from a "letting go" standpoint and also from a social standpoint. I feel untethered and went through a terrible period of anxiety. But, I don't regret moving here. I was STAGNATE in the US and had a myriad of other reasons for leaving. This is a real opportunity for growth, even if "only" as a dandelion. So nice meeting you and your daughter, in person, at our coffee club!
I found your newsletter via Shanna’s, which I found via facebook, as I’m one of the many it seems who dream of ditching life in the states for Portugal. We’ve been daydreaming and talking of it half seriously since we first visited a few years ago and fell in love, but the pandemic has put life into a new relief and our daydreams are taking steps to becoming more substantial. Thanks for sharing your writing.
Beautifully articulated. Clearly your words and experience resonated with a lot of us! And yes, that Mount Everest quote. . . . Thank you for sharing from your heart.
Beautiful piece of writing. I am in my last week of paid work, and frantically trying to get my house in order and my things packed in preparation for an 8/9 trip to Chicago and then on to Lisbon on 8/21. I'm looking forward to retiring, but I know that it's also going to be a huge adjustment. Your post has given me a lot of good things to think about as I move in the next phase of my life - thanks! Although I think of myself as musician and artist at heart, I've spent the last 29 years working in corporate and government IT and am used to organizing my life around projects, deadlines and constantly having more things on my to-do list each day than I can realistically hope to get done. While that can be stressful, it also makes the day go by fast and makes me feel useful...so I'm trying to prepare myself as best I can for the fact that withdrawing from this might be difficult at first.
Boy LaDonna, does this post really speak to me??!!! LOL. As this is the first time I've been unemployed in 22 years, I can certainly relate to what you're feeling. And I'm even more surprised at how much I'm enjoying not working....of course, I'm now filling my days studying for my real estate license. And thank the Lord, it has given me back a bit of the daily "structure" I suddenly realized I was missing after no longer needing to login to work every morning at 8:30. But admittedly, I'm looking forward to the relaxed life, and a little bit less structure, and having little else to do in a day but simply enjoy and relax! It can be a challenging concept for the American mind to embrace. :)
it's a tough lesson but SUCH a good one