I feel you on the panic that sometimes descends on you in public. it's one of the reasons I don't go out much, and then wonder if I'm making it worse by not exposing myself to it. and then i think eh i've had a lifetime of exposure, it's okay to prefer comfort.
Aug 10, 2023·edited Aug 10, 2023Liked by River Selby (they/them)
Good for you: rest is critically important. I think of it this way: you are a writer, utterly dependent on your brain functioning at its peak. The only way you can achieve that is to get sufficient rest. And for you, who has been through so much and has physical issues to contend with, it's even more important. Our society (American, not globally) looks down on the need to rest, calling it laziness as if that is something bad. The high pace of our society is why people are miserable, overconsume, and are sick. Life expectancy in the US is declining, almost uniquely in the world.
I was one of those fast-paced academics who regarded laziness as a sin. Until two things happened: I had kids, whom I loved playing with; and I had several major illnesses that required fancy surgery. I learned to slow down from those experiences. I left academia, for which I have no regrets, to work as a consultant and to become a writer. Now, I am a full-time writer, my schedule is my own, and I get plenty of exercise and rest. It not only makes me a better writer, but a better person.
Our society is deeply flawed and, I think, in trouble. We are consuming the Earth's resources, while abusing many of its people. We buy coffee and chocolate for our pleasure with little regard for the fact that the farmers who produce these crops are mired in poverty. I know a lot of people who claim to care about the climate crisis but fly off on a vacation at a moments notice (flying has the biggest climate impact of almost anything we do).
Have you noticed the reluctance of many people to return to their offices since the pandemic? Entire office buildings in big cities stand mostly empty. People have, I think, discovered that working from home gives them more time, more freedom, and more rest.
Anyway, I'm glad you are resting. I do hope you'll get to explore New Orleans a bit. It's an amazing place. I have only been there for conferences, but in free time enjoyed the place. Here is my favorite experience: One night, after a long day of EPA advisory meetings, a group of us walked around and came upon a steamboat sitting in the harbor. As we watched, a women emerged on the roof of the ship, sat down at a keyboard and began playing the calliope. It was a genuine steam calliope (pronounced KAL-ee-ohp by its afficianados), which I have never seen before or since. She played what amounted to an entire recital of popular and classical music. There was no audience but us, so I assume she was practicing.
Get some more rest, enjoy your dog, and stay cool.
I feel you on the panic that sometimes descends on you in public. it's one of the reasons I don't go out much, and then wonder if I'm making it worse by not exposing myself to it. and then i think eh i've had a lifetime of exposure, it's okay to prefer comfort.
Good for you: rest is critically important. I think of it this way: you are a writer, utterly dependent on your brain functioning at its peak. The only way you can achieve that is to get sufficient rest. And for you, who has been through so much and has physical issues to contend with, it's even more important. Our society (American, not globally) looks down on the need to rest, calling it laziness as if that is something bad. The high pace of our society is why people are miserable, overconsume, and are sick. Life expectancy in the US is declining, almost uniquely in the world.
I was one of those fast-paced academics who regarded laziness as a sin. Until two things happened: I had kids, whom I loved playing with; and I had several major illnesses that required fancy surgery. I learned to slow down from those experiences. I left academia, for which I have no regrets, to work as a consultant and to become a writer. Now, I am a full-time writer, my schedule is my own, and I get plenty of exercise and rest. It not only makes me a better writer, but a better person.
Our society is deeply flawed and, I think, in trouble. We are consuming the Earth's resources, while abusing many of its people. We buy coffee and chocolate for our pleasure with little regard for the fact that the farmers who produce these crops are mired in poverty. I know a lot of people who claim to care about the climate crisis but fly off on a vacation at a moments notice (flying has the biggest climate impact of almost anything we do).
Have you noticed the reluctance of many people to return to their offices since the pandemic? Entire office buildings in big cities stand mostly empty. People have, I think, discovered that working from home gives them more time, more freedom, and more rest.
Anyway, I'm glad you are resting. I do hope you'll get to explore New Orleans a bit. It's an amazing place. I have only been there for conferences, but in free time enjoyed the place. Here is my favorite experience: One night, after a long day of EPA advisory meetings, a group of us walked around and came upon a steamboat sitting in the harbor. As we watched, a women emerged on the roof of the ship, sat down at a keyboard and began playing the calliope. It was a genuine steam calliope (pronounced KAL-ee-ohp by its afficianados), which I have never seen before or since. She played what amounted to an entire recital of popular and classical music. There was no audience but us, so I assume she was practicing.
Get some more rest, enjoy your dog, and stay cool.