🖼 TREE 316: Work is recreation

Throwback Monday – TREE 87

One.

I originally emailed this post via Mailchimp on 28 January 2021.

‘Work is recreation’ isn’t Orwellian newspeak. It’s something I’m trying out on myself. I’ve just started a project that will fill my evenings for the next three months. A few days ago I worried that I wouldn’t have enough time to relax. Then a thought came into my mind: This project will be your recreation. (I don’t know why I talked to myself in the second person.)

This seems like a doable reframe. The project pays well and has a lot of creative freedom. It’s significantly different from my day job. So I’m going to go with it.

This work is my recreation.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Is there anything going on that you can reframe from work to play?

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3 January 2022

I’m letting you know how it went. The project was good. It took six months instead of three. I was pretty tired when I finished. But treating work as play helped me get through. I don’t recommend it as a permanent way of life. Balance is important. For a temporary situation though, it’s a good strategy.

Two.

Willard was perpetually angry at the kids on the estate flying drones over his house until he got his antiaircraft wheelchair.

Three.

Here’s some bouncy fun for the first Monday of 2022.

This is an Important notice

Starting today, when you reply to a TREE email the message will go to messagetheforest@gmail.com and will be visible to both Skyler and I. the reason for this will become clear on Friday.

Speaking of letting you know how it went…

In TREE 248 I told you my family was changing up Christmas. Here’s how we ended doing Christmas this year. We cooked a bunch of great food and drank adult beverages. We gave one present to each of our kids. The two at home also got stockings and Christmas Eve pyjamas. Christine and I did stockings for each other. That’s it. We had a lovely, low-stress holiday with each other. For me, the best part was getting out from under the tyrannical jollity of the capitalist/consumerist religion.

I went back to mowing the way I used to. The slower method gives nicer results.

My journalling practice died in the autumn. I still think it’s important. I’m trying to figure out best way to get back into it. Your tips are most welcome.

I think that’s 2021 squared away. Tomorrow, we’ll get properly started on 2022.

Happy New Year!
Jeff