Dear PENpals,
Smoke from the fireworks outside drifted into our building last night and set off the very loud fire alarm, waking up the kids. On the plus side, while we waited outside we got to see some pretty big fireworks through bleary eyes.
On Saturday we took the kids to the Franklin Institute, a pretty cool museum here in Philadelphia. It’s right across from the very massive European-looking fountain in Logan Circle. The edges of the fountain are sloped inward toward the pool of water and Louisa naturally insisted on positioning herself for optimal precarity and maximum nervousness for me and Allison.
She also insisted on wearing her Elsa dress because she values originality.
Rest
I've allowed myself to get a little rest for the past couple of weeks. I'm not sure I've fully appreciated the toll that the past 18 months has taken on me. I made a few attempts to clear my schedule. Not for rest (because what's rest?), but to get some real work done.
The truth is, I've been so disconnected from the part of me that intuitively knows what it needs, and I've allowed all the other parts of me, the thinky parts, to drown out any noise that might be coming from the "Hey, I think I'm tired?" part.
This has been a recurring tactic/strategy/conversation I've had with myself over the past decade or so. Keep in mind, I only actually hear the one side of the conversation. Picture it like a sales guy pacing around on the phone. I'm only hearing the bold words.
ME
(muffled, unintelligible)
Okay, time for a little break?
ALSO ME
(eyes wide)
Oh, yeah, then we could get to all that work we can't do because we're always doing all this work...
ME
...well, I think—
ALSO ME
This is awesome. Let's do this! We should do this.
ME
I think I'm going to go watch YouTube videos of people building mechanical keyboards.
ALSO ME
Why would you waste this valuable time?! Come on. It's time for all that stuff we haven't had a chance to get to.
ME
Maybe I'll eat some crackers and cheese, too.
For most of my life, I have mistaken who in this conversation is the problem.
Today, I'm declaring my independence from that guy.
Related Podcast Recommendation
I was introduced to a really interesting podcast by Lauren Valdez. I'm normally pretty skeptical of people who market themselves this way, and skeptical of anything that smells of Silicon Valley Tech Bro Enlightened Investor, but I consumed this whole podcast in a couple days, and it hit all the right chords for me at this moment in my life.
Pay no attention to the name.
https://pods.link/us/i/1537416353
Short Order Newsletter
At Short Order, we sent out our first monthly newsletter. The goal of that newsletter is to help people start with better thinking and strategy around storytelling for business, branding, marketing, etc.. We've had a good response so far but would love any feedback from my PENpals.
If you want to subscribe to that one (monthly), you can do so here.
Seeya next week, PENpals,
Zach