YES. The processss. Really enjoyed your voiceover too. Nice soft tone and clarity- it flowed well with your writing. Break a leg with the improv group : )
Matt, this is awesome! The "seven to ten" year rule definitely needs to be everywhere, for everyone to hear. At a time when you are constantly being told you have to have it all by age 22, this piece of advice not only gives us humans a great sigh of relief but also gives us the break we so desperately need. The break to learn and make mistakes and forge new friendships while we are all growing and moving towards our goals. Once again, thank you sharing this beautiful bit of wisdom. Until next time, my friend. Keep up the great work!
Totally, D.K. I constantly have to remind myself to zoom out. This is a process -- and not usually a short one. Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment!
Thanks, Mike! And that's super interesting. I could see how that might be the case. Really enjoyed the first class and looking forward to more thoughtless goofing around.
As always, I enjoy and appreciate your writing Matt. It's not the topic but the take. You could write about graffiti in your neighborhood, or the lack of graffiti in your neighborhood, doesn't matter, it would be interesting and fun to read. As the milestone 70 is fast approaching, age not speed limit, for me, the 7 to 10 year rule is less a thing to ponder than it once might have been. With retirement in the not to distant future, the idea of diving deeper into one or more of the many hobbies I still enjoy, the time frame might be viewed in a little different light. So for us slightly older types I suggest the 7 to 10 month rule. Enough time to explore and maybe develop your talent (interest) in a given thing while keeping an eye on the horizon. Does this thing give me enough joy or artistic pleasure/reward to continue the dive? Or should I move on and find something that does. Time will tell. Once I no longer shoulder the load of a 5 day work week there will be plenty of opportunity to test the notion. Days, weeks and months of time. So who knows . . .
I love that, Fred. In fact, that probably would have warranted another section in my essay. I've been doing the 7 to 10 month rule for a while now -- and still do -- when it comes to finding new things that I want to pursue. Great call! Because it's true that it takes time to see if something really . . . sticks. Thank you thank you thank you, as always, for your kind and thought provoking comments. I'm excited to find out how you spend your extra free time -- even if its just basking in the sun.
😂😂😂 I wish, not that I couldn't find the time, but to the extent there's been any sun to bask in recently, it's been tooooo cold to do any basking.I'm surprised and happy to see you appreciate the notion of a 7 to 10 month rule also. As for new or "rekindled" free time pursuits, carving wood has been my latest distraction. I've toyed with this activity before, off and on over the years. Mainly with non powered hand tools. Recently I purchased an inexpensive angle-grinder and some attachments for wood carving. Let's just say I'm in the exploratory phase of this activity just now. We'll see where it might go, if it goes anywhere at all. It has passed the first hurdle of, "does it provide intrinsic satisfaction?" Yes it does. I've enjoyed doing, and making, things with wood since I was a kid, gocarts, forts and tree houses in those long ago times. All sorts of things since then. It's been about 2 months since I picked up the grinder so we'll see . . . thanks forkeeping the conversation going. I'd be lying if I didn't tell you I always look forward to your replies. kind regards and appreciation, Fred.
Loved this! And love thinking about process instead of end result. Because we all spend sooooo much time honing our craft(s)! So we might as well enjoy the journey!
Right!? Yeah, this "rule" was eye-opening. It's also eye-opening to realize that the artists I love the most were usually practicing for many, many, many years before I discovered them. It's a nice reminder to zoom out and recalibrate the timeline. Thanks for your comment, Jillian :)
YES. The processss. Really enjoyed your voiceover too. Nice soft tone and clarity- it flowed well with your writing. Break a leg with the improv group : )
Thanks so much, Jeannie! Figured I'd try it. Not too hard. And the improv class went great. Looking forward to more.
This was soooo validating, thank you so much!!!
Thank you for reading :) That makes me happy
Matt, this is awesome! The "seven to ten" year rule definitely needs to be everywhere, for everyone to hear. At a time when you are constantly being told you have to have it all by age 22, this piece of advice not only gives us humans a great sigh of relief but also gives us the break we so desperately need. The break to learn and make mistakes and forge new friendships while we are all growing and moving towards our goals. Once again, thank you sharing this beautiful bit of wisdom. Until next time, my friend. Keep up the great work!
Totally, D.K. I constantly have to remind myself to zoom out. This is a process -- and not usually a short one. Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment!
Good thinking, Matt. (I've found that acting classes made me a better writer.)
Thanks, Mike! And that's super interesting. I could see how that might be the case. Really enjoyed the first class and looking forward to more thoughtless goofing around.
But I want it now!!!!
Getting critiqued by Chuck Palahniuk can't hurt! Congrats on that. Super cool.
As always, I enjoy and appreciate your writing Matt. It's not the topic but the take. You could write about graffiti in your neighborhood, or the lack of graffiti in your neighborhood, doesn't matter, it would be interesting and fun to read. As the milestone 70 is fast approaching, age not speed limit, for me, the 7 to 10 year rule is less a thing to ponder than it once might have been. With retirement in the not to distant future, the idea of diving deeper into one or more of the many hobbies I still enjoy, the time frame might be viewed in a little different light. So for us slightly older types I suggest the 7 to 10 month rule. Enough time to explore and maybe develop your talent (interest) in a given thing while keeping an eye on the horizon. Does this thing give me enough joy or artistic pleasure/reward to continue the dive? Or should I move on and find something that does. Time will tell. Once I no longer shoulder the load of a 5 day work week there will be plenty of opportunity to test the notion. Days, weeks and months of time. So who knows . . .
I love that, Fred. In fact, that probably would have warranted another section in my essay. I've been doing the 7 to 10 month rule for a while now -- and still do -- when it comes to finding new things that I want to pursue. Great call! Because it's true that it takes time to see if something really . . . sticks. Thank you thank you thank you, as always, for your kind and thought provoking comments. I'm excited to find out how you spend your extra free time -- even if its just basking in the sun.
😂😂😂 I wish, not that I couldn't find the time, but to the extent there's been any sun to bask in recently, it's been tooooo cold to do any basking.I'm surprised and happy to see you appreciate the notion of a 7 to 10 month rule also. As for new or "rekindled" free time pursuits, carving wood has been my latest distraction. I've toyed with this activity before, off and on over the years. Mainly with non powered hand tools. Recently I purchased an inexpensive angle-grinder and some attachments for wood carving. Let's just say I'm in the exploratory phase of this activity just now. We'll see where it might go, if it goes anywhere at all. It has passed the first hurdle of, "does it provide intrinsic satisfaction?" Yes it does. I've enjoyed doing, and making, things with wood since I was a kid, gocarts, forts and tree houses in those long ago times. All sorts of things since then. It's been about 2 months since I picked up the grinder so we'll see . . . thanks forkeeping the conversation going. I'd be lying if I didn't tell you I always look forward to your replies. kind regards and appreciation, Fred.
Loved this! And love thinking about process instead of end result. Because we all spend sooooo much time honing our craft(s)! So we might as well enjoy the journey!
Right!? Yeah, this "rule" was eye-opening. It's also eye-opening to realize that the artists I love the most were usually practicing for many, many, many years before I discovered them. It's a nice reminder to zoom out and recalibrate the timeline. Thanks for your comment, Jillian :)
Good luck with the improv class!
Thank you, Christopher !!!
I needed to read this. Thank you!