2024 10 29
There’s an evolving observation I have that so many of us are doing our best job focusing on filling up our daily schedule, thinking that equates to being productive. It’s not a new idea, The Busy Trap. But my observation is more recent and revolves around talking with people. Nobody picks up the phone and calls each other anymore. Instead, we send out a message and spend the time we would’ve spent simply talking on the phone, going back and forth figuring out a mutually-agreed upon time to then pick up the phone and call each other some hours later.
I resist this approach the best I can. My brain works best when it’s free and clear to think whatever thoughts pop into it, without the constant stress and anticipation of preparing for an upcoming engagement, as big or small as it may be. I long for the days of my childhood, a free and open calendar, allowing me to live in the moment and navigate with ease. Improvise. Go with the flow. Instead, I have a constant barrage of push notifications informing me of an upcoming meeting or conversation. Some days, when an afternoon meeting is an important one, I can hardly function throughout the morning just knowing this future event exists and is approaching.
Time is an ever-flowing river and the journey is more enjoyable when it’s a lazy river, not roaring rapids (this sentence might be the nerdiest I’ve ever written for reasons I refuse to explain).
-Clayton
Dancing in the streets of Cleveland, Ohio. August, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
There’s an evolving observation I have that so many of us are doing our best job focusing on filling up our daily schedule, thinking that equates to being productive. It’s not a new idea, The Busy Trap. But my observation is more recent and revolves around talking with people. Nobody picks up the phone and calls each other anymore. Instead, we send out a message and spend the time we would’ve spent simply talking on the phone, going back and forth figuring out a mutually-agreed upon time to then pick up the phone and call each other some hours later.
I resist this approach the best I can. My brain works best when it’s free and clear to think whatever thoughts pop into it, without the constant stress and anticipation of preparing for an upcoming engagement, as big or small as it may be. I long for the days of my childhood, a free and open calendar, allowing me to live in the moment and navigate with ease. Improvise. Go with the flow. Instead, I have a constant barrage of push notifications informing me of an upcoming meeting or conversation. Some days, when an afternoon meeting is an important one, I can hardly function throughout the morning just knowing this future event exists and is approaching.
Time is an ever-flowing river and the journey is more enjoyable when it’s a lazy river, not roaring rapids (this sentence might be the nerdiest I’ve ever written for reasons I refuse to explain).
-Clayton
2024 06 25
I do miss the days when I had a week’s worth of blog posts in the can and didn’t need to think of posting something every single day. Today, I’m busy catching up on a never-ending list of things to do. I’ll never catch up, of course. Triage is always necessary. Admittedly, I spend too much time dreaming and not enough time doing. But that’s just how I operate and I don’t think it can be compromised. World building in my brain is what keeps me sane and happy.
To keep things on topic: I will say that Nashville is a wildly overrated city. It competes for the top spot in this category. In my opinion, of course. That said, there’s also a lot of great stuff in Nashville. It’s not a bad place, but I don’t fully understand the hype. But there a lot of things I don’t understand.
-Clayton
Downtown Nashville, as seen from the car passing through on the highway. April, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
I do miss the days when I had a week’s worth of blog posts in the can and didn’t need to think of posting something every single day. Today, I’m busy catching up on a never-ending list of things to do. I’ll never catch up, of course. Triage is always necessary. Admittedly, I spend too much time dreaming and not enough time doing. But that’s just how I operate and I don’t think it can be compromised. World building in my brain is what keeps me sane and happy.
To keep things on topic: I will say that Nashville is a wildly overrated city. It competes for the top spot in this category. In my opinion, of course. That said, there’s also a lot of great stuff in Nashville. It’s not a bad place, but I don’t fully understand the hype. But there a lot of things I don’t understand.
-Clayton