If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
This would be a short-term thing, 3 years or so, maybe 5.
I would live in the house where i was living when the trajectory of my life went radically off course. I would live there long enough to show that brave, terrified, beautiful girl that lives in my memory that we did it. we found peace again.
Is a little chaos actually good for us?
Yes. Chaos is a fundamental requirement of life.
And once you really sit with that and let it settle into your mind, life becomes more fun. It turns into a game between you, life, and the chaos gremlins. 😝
What’s something you used to believe as a kid that seems ridiculous now?
Ah… how about Santa? Or the tooth fairy? Easter bunny, anyone? I’m sure the question was referring to something a bit more serious, but these are glaring. Lol
Past that, I’m not sure. Other than a magical happy fat man, a fairy with a fetish, and a giant sugar-obsessed rabbit, i can’t think of anything ridiculous, per se. Just uninformed.
Describe one of your favorite moments.
Wow, this is broad. Lol so many good ones to consider!
One day, it was made clear to me that i sometimes make the assumption that people will just know what is in my head. And this occurred in hilarious fashion…
I was about 11, maybe 12. My mom showed me how to work my new alarm clock, and something wasn’t clicking in my head. We went about our day, and were sitting down to watch something on tv after dinner. all of a sudden, all the pieces fell together and i understood what she was trying to show me earlier.
all excited, i blurt out, “oh, so you just (insert random thing here) and as long as the light is on i’m good, right?” my mother burst out laughing asking me what the hell i was talking about. i told her i meant the alarm clock, like she should have known that’s what was in my head. we both started laughing hysterically when she said, “that was this morning; you’re still thinking about that?!”
How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?
I start to lose my patience outwardly. If it gets to that point, i’m about two days from crash and burn if current stress levels continue.
The protocol:
1 – step away from the desk
2 – leave phone at desk
3 – sit outside in the sun if possible, quiet indoors if not
4 – breathe
Repeat as often as necessary. Follow with extended time away from desk with book, audio book, or writing, Loud music may be appropriate. a good night’s sleep is a must.
What personal belongings do you hold most dear?
other than my organs, and body in general? 😆
my notebooks, drawing pads, and writing files. i also have a box of various sentimental trinkets, and some stuffed animals.
oh, and my pentel fine point pens.
What is the legacy you want to leave behind?
hm. never really thought about this.
One that inspires a desire for learning and contemplation, a penchant for kindness, and a lack of fear regarding self-examination.
How do you balance work and home life?
Well, i work from home mostly, sooo… i kinda don’t. Can’t. whichever.
But that inability only applies to the spatial part of things, the physical. The mental and energetic side tho? I have learned to break things up during the day. Do some home stuff during the workday so that nothing ends up feeling neglected. i balance that as needed. some days, i work more, some days i focus on other stuff more. i spend appropriate time in each domain, even though i am existing and doing those things in the same space. a lot of people don’t understand the temporal division rather than the spatial one.
and for the record. this includes time for me, time to let me unwind, process, de-stress. many people forget the importance of this. of taking time to be random, be emotional, be careless.
any machine functioning at 100% capacity and effectiveness will wear out and break down, eventually.
Are you a leader or a follower?
That depends. If driving anywhere, definitely following. i have the directional sense of a goldfish, or so i’m told. I think i do pretty good tho. 😉
In general though, i’m both. That status is completely context dependent. Even at work, i function as both. You have to. If you try to do only one or the other, you will likely fail at your task.
There is a time and place for each, and balance is the key, as it is in so many things…
What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?
This applies to everyone, not just me, for the record…
Do the thing.
Seriously, whatever it is. Randomly bursting into song, opening a business, talking to your crush, asking for a raise.
You’ll be happy or you learn something. Potentially both.
Just do the damn thing.
And keep doing that.
A Peculiar Cerebral Tangle 