My job encompasses many tasks, and these tasks seem to change on a regular basis. I was just asked to form a content creation and process schedule that details my week by week production from now until the end of the year, for six channels. Not easy. But the real problem is fluidity. Things change. (This was the first time I ever had to do this, and as I mentioned it wasn’t easy. However, it was challenging and did make me ponder what was possible and poignant. And yes, it’s already changed.)
I tend to do a lot of talking. Not that I want to, it’s just part of my job. I invented a version of myself, an extrovert, so I would be capable of playing my part. People think I’m extroverted but I’m not. Not by a long shot. I can go weeks and not talk to anyone and were I wealthy you would probably never see or hear from me again. When the pandemic started and mandatory quarantine took hold I remember thinking “finally.”
But all of this means I entirely fortunate, especially if you read between the lines. I have a job, I have friends, I have options. (And I have the Dodge!) And I actually enjoy what I am doing. From time to time I receive a thank you from someone in the field. I never look for these, politely decline speaking or lecturing fees and tell people that if I’m talking books and photography I’m really doing little more than my job, so we are even.
Some people still don’t get it. (In a good way.) So from time to time I receive things in the mail. “Hey, appreciate you taking the time and helping out,” they often say. For some odd reason…..my wife tends to be the first one to discover these items. “Hey, so and so sent you something, oh my God, that is so awesome and so nice and so cool!!!!!!!” (ALL CAPS AT TOP VOLUME.) Then she tends to pillage the box for anything that might fall into the category of her liking.
I just received such an item. Above and beyond. Way above and beyond. Thank you note, print and book. I would normally never post this but I am about to judge a contest, another part of my job, and the overall theme is “Kindness.” When I got up this morning I took another look at the contents of this package and thought “Well, this is surely representative of kindness,” so I thought I would share it with you hoping that perhaps you would pay it forward to someone else. A call, a letter, etc. NO TEXT MESSAGES.
This is a damn hard time for a lot of folks and something small can make all the difference in the world.
Comments 2
It is interesting (at least to me) to consider that introversion/extroversion is not about whether you like people (or not)… it is about whether you gain or expend energy from interactions with other people. People who don’t know me well are sometimes surprised when they hear me say that I’m an introvert because I also a persona for myself that I operate in at times (at work, a party, etc.). But after some time in that persona, man, I’m exhausted… even if I truly enjoyed the people.
And, Dan, thanks for the information you produce and share, it is thought provoking!
Matt
Author
Thanks Matt,
You said exactly what I meant. It’s not that I don’t like people, at least not all of them, but it’s the energy. Lyme also changed things for me. No more small talk. I can’t handle it.