đ¨ Scotty, I need warp speed in three minutes or...
Ep 64: The passage of time, a visit to the financial capital of the world, and a heartfelt email two decades in the making.
Well, the straits arenât as dire as the original Star Trek quote, but this week has certainly felt like Iâm zooming through the universe at warp speed. Time is funny: some weeks are monochromatic and pass at a snailâs pace, while others are filled with milestones and fly by. This past one was a doozy in the latter category.
A Tip for the Modern Worker
First impressions matter. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Donât squander the opportunity to let someone see who you really are. Do your best work, be your best self, and follow through on your commitments.
This tip is one of 365 in my Handbook for the Modern Worker. Also not mentioned: how can you come across as more charismatic when you meet someone? I listened to an Art of Manliness episode on this very topic while painting this weekend, The Cues That Make You Charismatic. Do you convey the right balance of warmth and competence? Iâve placed Vanessa Van Edwardsâ latest book in my Goodreads âto readâ list.
#365DayDraw
I drew this and wrote the accompanying annotation as part of my #365DayDraw project 7 years ago today.
My kingdom for a quart of diesel antifreeze
I boarded a bus from Albany to New York City for a business trip. Weâd just been at Killington to spectate womenâs World Cup ski racing and my family dropped me off at the bus depot on their way to our home further west. As the bus got rolling, it sputtered and shuddered every time it got past 20 miles per hour. The driver started getting agitated, and after a half hour of the charade, finally pulled over. Our patience wore thin as he tried to troubleshoot the issue. The interior temperature of the bus plummeted. Long story short, it turned out the bus didnât have any antifreeze. Greyhound delivered it to our location and got us on our way again, but not after my last nerve had been stepped on, squashed repeatedly, and finally beaten into submission.
Commentary
I alluded to a crazy week in the intro. Monday and Tuesday I was in NYC for a business trip. We got home late Tuesday night after a bus ride in torrential rain and pre-Thanksgiving traffic, no less. We ended up grocery shopping at 11:15 because we were near Wegmans and we were up, anyway! We did a double yoga on Wednesday (hot in the morning, vinyasa in the evening), Thanksgiving on Thursday (a delicious dinner, but only after we volunteered to put out and retrieve directional signs for Ithacaâs Turkey Trot), and then a paint-filled sprint through the weekend. I fully painted our foyer, dining room, and four rooms of baseboard. Whew! Itâs no surprise that as I write this, I wonder: where the heck did that 5-day weekend go?
When we were in New York (Amy came with me on my business trip), we stayed at the Residence Inn on 54th and Broadway. High on the 52nd floor, we had really great views of the Hudson and Central Park. One of the more interesting aspects of the vantage point was seeing how late into the night offices were buzzing with activity. There was a couple playing ping pong at one point in the late evening, too!
One of my meetings was at the New York Stock Exchange, so I invited Amy to meet me afterward to see the closing bell. The energy of the ceremony is high, with company affiliates cheering on as CNBC broadcasts the financial news of the day. Itâs a hive of activity and really fun to be in the middle of it.
Miscellanea
𩼠âHi, Scott. I just read your blog about Osteomyelitis. I appreciate you sharing it. My son who is 1 1/2 years old has it in his leg. I feel I don't know anything about it still and anyone who has it. Iâm sitting up late trying to read about other people's experiences so I can empathize as to why he isn't walking yet after being on antibiotics. I know you aren't a doctor... I appreciate just reading about how it felt for you.â â Kasey
This email took me back to when I had osteomyelitis as a high schooler. I appreciated Kasey taking the time to write, as it reminded me why itâs important to keep writing my blog and Substack posts. If it helps just one person, itâs totally worth it.âď¸ So we finally watched The Queenâs Gambit on Netflix. Weâre only three years late, folks. Thatâs not too bad, right? Fantastic show.
đ HT to Adam Engst for sharing this research (full paper): âPeriodic smiling may improve movement economy during vigorous-intensity running. In contrast, frowning may increase both effort perception and activation.â Hereâs hoping you have more smiles than frowns in the coming week!