Catch Up
Let's not talk about how much of a failure I've been at my Think Kit posts. Let's just see how many I can make up.
Prompt: "Nametags and punchbowls aren't necessary (but we're okay with that!) – who did you meet this year? Was it awkward? Enlightening? Was your first impression correct? Was it accidental & meant to be, pre-arranged, or somewhere in-between? Whether you found a soulmate, held a new baby, or finally trusted someone to style your hair just so, write about a new person (or people) in your life."
There were a lot of new people in my life this year. A lot of people left the company I work for and new ones came to take their place -- it's amazing how fast the dynamics of a workplace can change when the people change. I got a new boss (again), new people joined the marketing team, new people joined my brand strategy team. The people I worked with most closely changed, and so the day-to-day changed, the atmosphere and mood of everything. Soon you forget the old and just accept the new. I'd be talking to one of my friends who left about one of the new people, forgetting that they never knew them, never knew that version of the office. In the five years I've worked there, I've seen at least as many different versions of the office -- maybe twice as many. I've changed with each office change, adapted and grew. And now I'm leaving, and a version of the office is leaving with me, and a new brand director will come in and change the dynamic again. And soon everything I did will be in the past, and people will be absorbed into the new office. That's just how life goes, I guess, but it makes me a little anxious about time in the same way that I used to get anxious when I was teaching and summer would end, and I'd have another set of new students, another fall semester, another cycle of curriculum and holidays. Time keeps moving, people keep moving. It can make you fall into an existential funk if you're not careful. Can we never keep a moment? Once you reach a state in which you're happy do you automatically lose it because it can only be momentary? Deep, man.
Prompt: "We've put another quarter in the slot – free play! Hit the reset button on a moment this year: what would you do over? Whether or not you analyze your actions – how would you act differently? Would the outcomes shift, or stay the same? From a single sentence to a whole day (and everything in-between), feel free to explain your choice, from how you felt immediately after the moment passed, to any thoughts that ran through your mind beforehand. Take a mulligan!"
Man, I dunno. Nothing huge comes to mind. I'm sure there are things I'd change if I lived the year over again, but avoiding regret has become something I try to live my life by. I don't want to look back and wish I had done things differently -- that's the worst feeling ever. So even if there are things I'd change, I don't really want to think about it. It is what it is -- I am what I am. All you can do is move forward and lay the best path you can.
Prompt: "By telescope or microscope, or no scope at all – what did you discover? A new aspect of yourself? A favorite artist, musician, or variety of cheese? Did you discover something about a loved one? A familiar or new-to-you place? Be broad, be narrow, or be surprising."
I guess what comes to mind is Cincinnati. Between visits for work and my friend Amanda moving to OTR, we've visited several times this year, going to restaurants and stores and the casino. I'm sure we've only seen a small portion of it, but I've been there more times this year than I've ever been, total, and each time it's a nice change of scenery. That's a boring answer, but there ya go.
Prompt: "Time to get mathematical – and yes, you may use a calculator. Was there a significant number in your year? A birthday? A first? A personal record? A date now carved in the annals of time? A number that represents a streak, whether winning or losing, good or bad? A bellwether or a lagging indicator or just...three."
I'm going to say "10,000." Because 2014 was the year I got Michael a FitBit, and his determination to get achievements meant we hit 10,000 steps nearly every day from June to October. It was one of those things that was extremely annoying to have to do each day, but it made me feel good and I know had a positive impact in multiple ways. It meant Michael and I took walks together, it meant we took the dog out, it meant we talked more. It meant my calves were TOUGH. It also meant my weight gain this year was kept in the "slight" range instead of the "extreme." It's too bad we fell off the wagon -- but I'm hoping we can pick it up again.
I'll do more later!
Prompt: "Nametags and punchbowls aren't necessary (but we're okay with that!) – who did you meet this year? Was it awkward? Enlightening? Was your first impression correct? Was it accidental & meant to be, pre-arranged, or somewhere in-between? Whether you found a soulmate, held a new baby, or finally trusted someone to style your hair just so, write about a new person (or people) in your life."
There were a lot of new people in my life this year. A lot of people left the company I work for and new ones came to take their place -- it's amazing how fast the dynamics of a workplace can change when the people change. I got a new boss (again), new people joined the marketing team, new people joined my brand strategy team. The people I worked with most closely changed, and so the day-to-day changed, the atmosphere and mood of everything. Soon you forget the old and just accept the new. I'd be talking to one of my friends who left about one of the new people, forgetting that they never knew them, never knew that version of the office. In the five years I've worked there, I've seen at least as many different versions of the office -- maybe twice as many. I've changed with each office change, adapted and grew. And now I'm leaving, and a version of the office is leaving with me, and a new brand director will come in and change the dynamic again. And soon everything I did will be in the past, and people will be absorbed into the new office. That's just how life goes, I guess, but it makes me a little anxious about time in the same way that I used to get anxious when I was teaching and summer would end, and I'd have another set of new students, another fall semester, another cycle of curriculum and holidays. Time keeps moving, people keep moving. It can make you fall into an existential funk if you're not careful. Can we never keep a moment? Once you reach a state in which you're happy do you automatically lose it because it can only be momentary? Deep, man.
Prompt: "We've put another quarter in the slot – free play! Hit the reset button on a moment this year: what would you do over? Whether or not you analyze your actions – how would you act differently? Would the outcomes shift, or stay the same? From a single sentence to a whole day (and everything in-between), feel free to explain your choice, from how you felt immediately after the moment passed, to any thoughts that ran through your mind beforehand. Take a mulligan!"
Man, I dunno. Nothing huge comes to mind. I'm sure there are things I'd change if I lived the year over again, but avoiding regret has become something I try to live my life by. I don't want to look back and wish I had done things differently -- that's the worst feeling ever. So even if there are things I'd change, I don't really want to think about it. It is what it is -- I am what I am. All you can do is move forward and lay the best path you can.
Prompt: "By telescope or microscope, or no scope at all – what did you discover? A new aspect of yourself? A favorite artist, musician, or variety of cheese? Did you discover something about a loved one? A familiar or new-to-you place? Be broad, be narrow, or be surprising."
I guess what comes to mind is Cincinnati. Between visits for work and my friend Amanda moving to OTR, we've visited several times this year, going to restaurants and stores and the casino. I'm sure we've only seen a small portion of it, but I've been there more times this year than I've ever been, total, and each time it's a nice change of scenery. That's a boring answer, but there ya go.
Prompt: "Time to get mathematical – and yes, you may use a calculator. Was there a significant number in your year? A birthday? A first? A personal record? A date now carved in the annals of time? A number that represents a streak, whether winning or losing, good or bad? A bellwether or a lagging indicator or just...three."
I'm going to say "10,000." Because 2014 was the year I got Michael a FitBit, and his determination to get achievements meant we hit 10,000 steps nearly every day from June to October. It was one of those things that was extremely annoying to have to do each day, but it made me feel good and I know had a positive impact in multiple ways. It meant Michael and I took walks together, it meant we took the dog out, it meant we talked more. It meant my calves were TOUGH. It also meant my weight gain this year was kept in the "slight" range instead of the "extreme." It's too bad we fell off the wagon -- but I'm hoping we can pick it up again.
I'll do more later!