When people tell you that you should turn what you love into your job, I would be really careful about following that advice. I'm not saying don't do it. I'm saying to have a look at the practicalities and make an informed decision. If you love fine art and painting, this does not mean you … Continue reading Career
Tag: On Writing
Commuting on the Local Japanese Train
I live in the mountains of central Tohoku, Japan. Every workday, I commute about an hour each way by local train. The line I take cuts through numerous rural villages and natural areas, including a scenic volcano with ski resorts. It’s beautiful. There’s a rhythm to the train that I love. The rocking of the … Continue reading Commuting on the Local Japanese Train
Recognition
One of my problems in life is that I have no sense or natural expectation that hard work and quality will in any way be rewarded or even appreciated. Rather, I expect just the opposite. I’m not sure why that is. The squeaky wheel may get the grease, but the protruding nail gets the hammer. … Continue reading Recognition
The Secret of My Non-Success
For years I had this default mental mechanism to seeing successful people; particularly artists and creators. I’d go into this pouty, self-pity-party mode with the central theme being: “Why can’t I have that? Why do they get to have that and I don’t?” It took a surprisingly long time for me to figure out the … Continue reading The Secret of My Non-Success
Muse Vassal 