I've been helping Amy paint the kitchen and common area of the part of her sister's house she lives in for the last two days. It's a total blast because I get to spend tons of time with amy and we're doing something, but it isn't so involved that it hinders discussion. Or if there would normally be akward silence, here it's just focused painting. And we talk about nothing at all, to some of the more meaty topics we've gotten into.
Paining also helps me with my craving to be a home owner. I got to fix a set of light switches, and pull down some light fixtures, not to mention the whole painting thing. So it's arguably a very selfish thing I'm doing by helping Amy paint, but I also get to help. And she's already cooked for me once and grabbed some wine for us to drink while we painted and her sister offered to cook dinner for us. All of which is great but totally unnecessary, I'd really be quite content just to get paint stuck in my hair while hanging with Amy.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
The Reality Is...
The reality is that there have really only been two jobs I've had that I can look back and say "I really enjoyed that work." It's interesting because they're the only full-time-non-computer jobs I've had. Working full time as a staffer for the Appalachia Service Project, and being a full time fencing coach were both great experiences.
But what I don't know is if I liked them because of the type of work I did, or the ability to manage my own time to a high degree. In the case of ASP, I was one of four staffers, and three of us answered to the fourth, then he reported to ASP HQ, but they didn't really meddle in the day-to-day stuff. I was the "Finance Guy" so I Had my domain and as long as my reports got in and I did the rest of my duties, no one really had anything to say.
In being a fencing coach and club owner, it was much the same way. I essentially had no one to answer to and no one to answer for. My choices were my own and they affected me (and my club) only. Maybe that's why small businesses are appealing, and maybe that's why I get so upset when things don't go well. I want control over my life. It would seem that I don't care what it is that I'm doing, so long as I have control over how I do it.
But what I don't know is if I liked them because of the type of work I did, or the ability to manage my own time to a high degree. In the case of ASP, I was one of four staffers, and three of us answered to the fourth, then he reported to ASP HQ, but they didn't really meddle in the day-to-day stuff. I was the "Finance Guy" so I Had my domain and as long as my reports got in and I did the rest of my duties, no one really had anything to say.
In being a fencing coach and club owner, it was much the same way. I essentially had no one to answer to and no one to answer for. My choices were my own and they affected me (and my club) only. Maybe that's why small businesses are appealing, and maybe that's why I get so upset when things don't go well. I want control over my life. It would seem that I don't care what it is that I'm doing, so long as I have control over how I do it.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
It's Blog Action Day
http://blogactionday.org/
One of the most fulfilling things I've done to address poverty is to participate in the Appalachia Service Project (http://asphome.org). It's a housing project like Habitat in the West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee area that does some new construction, but mostly home repair. I went as a volunteer four years in a row, then in college I became a staff member in the summer, and then went as a group leader for several years afterwards. It's tied loosely to the Methodist Church. I wish I could explain to you what it was like to sleep on the floor of a high school gym for a week, eat cafeteria food, and sweat my balls off in the sun and feel great every moment of it.
I'm a doer. I feel good when I help by doing, not by standing on a soap box, not by donating money. I have to get my hands in it, it has to be hard.
Poverty is a huge topic. I've been lucky enough to be raised in a well-to-do family, to have an education, and to have the ability and ambition to put that education to use in gainful employment. What gets me most about living in SF now is that there are homeless guys who stand at the same spot all day begging for money. They're there before I go to work, they're there when I go home. It's a job the way I see it, but they have no boss, and every patron is their customer. I wonder what the retention rate is like? But at that point, why not get a "real" job? There's an emotional component to it, something that Amy brought to my attention. It's something I feel like I should understand better.
What I've Done
One of the most fulfilling things I've done to address poverty is to participate in the Appalachia Service Project (http://asphome.org). It's a housing project like Habitat in the West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee area that does some new construction, but mostly home repair. I went as a volunteer four years in a row, then in college I became a staff member in the summer, and then went as a group leader for several years afterwards. It's tied loosely to the Methodist Church. I wish I could explain to you what it was like to sleep on the floor of a high school gym for a week, eat cafeteria food, and sweat my balls off in the sun and feel great every moment of it.
I'm a doer. I feel good when I help by doing, not by standing on a soap box, not by donating money. I have to get my hands in it, it has to be hard.
What I Think
Poverty is a huge topic. I've been lucky enough to be raised in a well-to-do family, to have an education, and to have the ability and ambition to put that education to use in gainful employment. What gets me most about living in SF now is that there are homeless guys who stand at the same spot all day begging for money. They're there before I go to work, they're there when I go home. It's a job the way I see it, but they have no boss, and every patron is their customer. I wonder what the retention rate is like? But at that point, why not get a "real" job? There's an emotional component to it, something that Amy brought to my attention. It's something I feel like I should understand better.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Atom and Eve
I talked more with Josh and Anne, delving into the intricacies of the metaphor for "chemistry". Josh says that the reaction may be slow to happen. I'm pretty convinced that it either is gonna happen or it isn't. There's no "making" of the chemistry. And it's a strange thing for me to come to terms with. I grew up thinking that if two people seemed like a good match, then they could foster the yet-unidentified chemistry.
All the years spent, wondering why I liked someone and not understanding how they could possibly not feel the same about me! If only I'd known! But then how do you know? What is it about a relationship that makes you say "There's some chemistry here"? I don't know, but I know it when I feel it. So the point is that if you can't make it, you just have to find it.
All the years spent, wondering why I liked someone and not understanding how they could possibly not feel the same about me! If only I'd known! But then how do you know? What is it about a relationship that makes you say "There's some chemistry here"? I don't know, but I know it when I feel it. So the point is that if you can't make it, you just have to find it.
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