by Patrick Rhone, Master Generalist
As we round the curve, he clears his throat and tells me, with no preamble, that he thinks we’re not in love, maybe he’s never been in love, or actually loved me.
Almost 30 years ago, my first wife said almost exactly these same words to me. In a similar out of the blue fashion.
It took another decade to finally feel like I was worthy of love — any love — again. And when that happened, I found it.
Jamie has thoughts after writing 300 newsletters. Useful insights if that’s your jam too.
My online friends are real friends. They come up in my offline conversations. I mention things they’ve said and done (i.e. posted publicly) in discussions with others in the real world. Even things my online friends and I have chatted about via DM or email. Most of whom I’ve never met IRL.
Community is built on conversation and connection and it doesn’t matter where or how that happens. Email and text and trading blog posts may not be as… Impactful? …as face-to-face but they all count.
I suck at prioritizing my friendships and maintaining connection just as much offline as I do on. The truth of the matter is that I’m a natural introvert, tend to focus on the people right on front of me (my wife and daughter), and always put off even my most immediate community.
I have a very full and busy life. One I’m thankful for but, often, leaves me depleted of energy and time. The truth is if it’s not specifically on my calendar it effectively does not exist.
Yet, looking at my calendar I see rigging for Circus, I see neighborhood soup nights, I see client appointments, I see board meetings, I see Parent Association meetings… All of these are also, wait for it… Communities!
Maybe I don’t suck at community at all. Maybe I just need to make more time for the ones I’ve neglected tending to.
Just know, online or offline, you matter equally to me. Community exists and can be strong and vibrant anywhere you build it. There is no separation.
excerpt from my Sent folder: unions – The Homebound Symphony
One more contributor to Trump’s win that hasn’t been sufficiently acknowledged: it’s one of the consequences of the collapse of labor unions.
This is an astute observation.
Events in the Post-Covid World – Gladhill Rhone Consulting
Though some date the “end” of covid to 2021 when vaccines were first available, or to May of 2023 when it was declared “endemic,” I would argue that in many ways we are socially just entering the a “post-covid” state now, at least in terms of theater attendance and charity fundraisers. This year is certainly the first one for me where “gala season” has been back in truly full swing. And I have learned a few things from it.
My wife on what to expect from attending or hosting events these days.
Rands is turtling. I am too. Perhaps you should consider doing so as well.
In a society that increasingly values visibility over privacy, choosing to keep parts of our lives to ourselves can feel almost countercultural. Journaling is, in fact, punk as fuck.
Ive long treated my DayOne app as a private social network. It’s highly satisfying.
(Via Annie)
Between stimulus and response there is space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
— Attributed to Viktor Frankl but that attribution is unclear
“The future is inside us. It’s not somewhere else… We call upon the people. Only people have this power. The numbers don’t decide. Your system is a lie. A river running dry. The wings of a butterfly. And you may pour us away like soup. Like we’re pretty broken flowers. We’ll take back what is ours. One day at a time.”
Catastrophizing toward action | Seth’s Blog
Experiencing failure in advance is only helpful if the narrative causes us to take productive action. Better is possible, paralysis isn’t useful.