My brother in law was a welder who worked in a nuclear training facility and I told him once that there were times I envied his job , as if he wasn't on the site with a welding arc he couldn't work. He said why do you find that comforting and then to quote Bill i told him:
Job
how I can do my job anytime and anywhere—but, as a result, I can wind up doing it all the time and everywhere if I don’t pay attention.
I have a difficult time working at home. Lots of home distractions, whereas my office in the incubator allows me to focus. My commute is semi-nature - more than the Manhattan commute from New Jersey, but it isn't the Grand Tetons. I like having the separation of work and home, because if I work at home, then I find myself working more and not doing things I should - like go to the gym, play golf, take a walk. And having the interaction of other people creates new opportunities to explore, share common issues, and solve some problems that I can't do by myself.
At 5:45am each morning I head out for a walk along the golf cart paths. I'm alone. The birds are starting to chirp, hummers click, bunnies hop across my path, a hawk screeches eeeee-eeeee. As I pass a small pond, a bullfrog croaks. Ideas start to drift into my mind. That walk fuels my creativity and energy for the work I do.
Similar to Heather, I walk each morning around 5:30. I watch the flowers change with the seasons, the raccoons, foxes and bunnies go about their business and seldom see a person. I work at home so I think that sets my work day up in a positive way and me in a positive mood. So my morning commute is around the block :>) Now, I wonder if Bill will be writing more of his articles from the park.....
Around 2009, Metro North Railroad surveyed commuters to better understand how they perceived their commute. They were very surprised to learn that, overwhelming, people viewed the commute as “time to themselves”, a bubble where they wouldn’t be bothered and could do whatever they wanted.
When i worked I always felt my commute (public transportation wasn’t an option) was a transition period, thinking about work issues/opportunities on the way and thinking about personal stuff on the way home. I never commuted more than 30 minutes so it was the perfect amount of time. I also tried to drive more scenic routes.
I commute on public transit - driving was an option, but I find the drive stresses me where the commute gives me space to read, relax and let the workday stress dissipate before I get home. I'm a better person for taking that time to center myself on the good in life.
There's a 100% chance you'll revisit this article, Bill! But it's ok - I love how your newsletter has evolved over the last, what? 6? 8? years and is yet simultaneously so cohesive!
I retired 6 years ago. My commute for 17 years was on the central coast of CA, from Los Osos, past Morro Bay, Cayucos, Harmony and then on to Cambria. Vacation spots. Beautiful shore banked by hills changing in season from a variety of greens through browns. 35 minutes, door to door. I played podcasts back then. 35 minutes each way, 5 days a week = 10 podcasts, 10 hours.
I always got to work refreshed and informed, stimulated by a subject that was not work, but encouraged gentle mental “cross training.” Same for the way home.
It is this mental input that I miss most in retirement. Not the work or the staff or accomplishments - the inputs from the commute.
I don’t listen to podcasts when I walk my dog on the beach, or when I do woodwork, or garden. I focus on those things themselves.
I too was lucky on my commute for several years. I could jump on what we locals called the “commuter lane” on the Blue Ridge Parkway that consisted of about 20 miles between two points that allows the driver to get off I-40 and exit onto roads or streets that accessed their work. Even in retirement when I lived in the country and had to go to town, the Parkway was the only way to fly. 35 MPH of no stoplights and no really crazy drivers as a speeding ticket there was a federal offense.
As for reports about Iran hitting US forces, maybe, maybe not. No one really knows for sure who’s doing what or to whom as Google has been shut down for “security concerns”. The trick is, our side has become so toxic with its constant lying, it’s difficult to really know for sure. Same goes for KIA’s and injured soldiers. The lying is always the problem during wartime.
There are a lot of earthquakes happening now. The big one in Japan being the latest. But we’ve been having small to medium ones here in the Caribbean Basin for months. One bright note, someone posted on Bluesky about a small dog that was found alive in the rubble in Venezuela. The poor thing was dehydrated and obviously very hungry but amazingly after all this time still alive.
As for Gen Z increasing drinking, definitely not a good sign but certainly a sign of the times.
I have always commuted to work. As little as a 15 minute walk to more than 2 hours on public transit, by car, foot, bike, bus, subway. My favourite was always in a car by myself or with the kids but the 2 hours on public transit gave me time to read and listen to music on an MP3 player or later to listen to podcasts. I could often read close to 200 books a year, knot many sweaters. But also dealt with stinky people, loud people, having to be touching other people, been too hot and been too cold. Got stuck at the side of the road when the bus broke down. So it has its ups and downs. I did not work at home often, other than through COVID when no one would take transit, but I could still check emails and access the corporate computer network. Often did, so I guess maybe I did work from home more than I thought.
I feel bad for people in the US. Well not all of them, just those who are stuck on the madness going on down there. The MAGA people are getting what they voted for. It will take decades to reverse the damage being done. And I have promised I was not going to talk politics so will leave it there. Government in the US is really no worse or better than any other government, just louder on the world stage.
And FIFA - really? Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.
My brother in law was a welder who worked in a nuclear training facility and I told him once that there were times I envied his job , as if he wasn't on the site with a welding arc he couldn't work. He said why do you find that comforting and then to quote Bill i told him:
Job
how I can do my job anytime and anywhere—but, as a result, I can wind up doing it all the time and everywhere if I don’t pay attention.
I have a difficult time working at home. Lots of home distractions, whereas my office in the incubator allows me to focus. My commute is semi-nature - more than the Manhattan commute from New Jersey, but it isn't the Grand Tetons. I like having the separation of work and home, because if I work at home, then I find myself working more and not doing things I should - like go to the gym, play golf, take a walk. And having the interaction of other people creates new opportunities to explore, share common issues, and solve some problems that I can't do by myself.
In support of the study that you mentioned:
At 5:45am each morning I head out for a walk along the golf cart paths. I'm alone. The birds are starting to chirp, hummers click, bunnies hop across my path, a hawk screeches eeeee-eeeee. As I pass a small pond, a bullfrog croaks. Ideas start to drift into my mind. That walk fuels my creativity and energy for the work I do.
Similar to Heather, I walk each morning around 5:30. I watch the flowers change with the seasons, the raccoons, foxes and bunnies go about their business and seldom see a person. I work at home so I think that sets my work day up in a positive way and me in a positive mood. So my morning commute is around the block :>) Now, I wonder if Bill will be writing more of his articles from the park.....
Around 2009, Metro North Railroad surveyed commuters to better understand how they perceived their commute. They were very surprised to learn that, overwhelming, people viewed the commute as “time to themselves”, a bubble where they wouldn’t be bothered and could do whatever they wanted.
When i worked I always felt my commute (public transportation wasn’t an option) was a transition period, thinking about work issues/opportunities on the way and thinking about personal stuff on the way home. I never commuted more than 30 minutes so it was the perfect amount of time. I also tried to drive more scenic routes.
I commute on public transit - driving was an option, but I find the drive stresses me where the commute gives me space to read, relax and let the workday stress dissipate before I get home. I'm a better person for taking that time to center myself on the good in life.
There's a 100% chance you'll revisit this article, Bill! But it's ok - I love how your newsletter has evolved over the last, what? 6? 8? years and is yet simultaneously so cohesive!
I retired 6 years ago. My commute for 17 years was on the central coast of CA, from Los Osos, past Morro Bay, Cayucos, Harmony and then on to Cambria. Vacation spots. Beautiful shore banked by hills changing in season from a variety of greens through browns. 35 minutes, door to door. I played podcasts back then. 35 minutes each way, 5 days a week = 10 podcasts, 10 hours.
I always got to work refreshed and informed, stimulated by a subject that was not work, but encouraged gentle mental “cross training.” Same for the way home.
It is this mental input that I miss most in retirement. Not the work or the staff or accomplishments - the inputs from the commute.
I don’t listen to podcasts when I walk my dog on the beach, or when I do woodwork, or garden. I focus on those things themselves.
But I do miss my commute.
I too was lucky on my commute for several years. I could jump on what we locals called the “commuter lane” on the Blue Ridge Parkway that consisted of about 20 miles between two points that allows the driver to get off I-40 and exit onto roads or streets that accessed their work. Even in retirement when I lived in the country and had to go to town, the Parkway was the only way to fly. 35 MPH of no stoplights and no really crazy drivers as a speeding ticket there was a federal offense.
As for reports about Iran hitting US forces, maybe, maybe not. No one really knows for sure who’s doing what or to whom as Google has been shut down for “security concerns”. The trick is, our side has become so toxic with its constant lying, it’s difficult to really know for sure. Same goes for KIA’s and injured soldiers. The lying is always the problem during wartime.
There are a lot of earthquakes happening now. The big one in Japan being the latest. But we’ve been having small to medium ones here in the Caribbean Basin for months. One bright note, someone posted on Bluesky about a small dog that was found alive in the rubble in Venezuela. The poor thing was dehydrated and obviously very hungry but amazingly after all this time still alive.
As for Gen Z increasing drinking, definitely not a good sign but certainly a sign of the times.
I have always commuted to work. As little as a 15 minute walk to more than 2 hours on public transit, by car, foot, bike, bus, subway. My favourite was always in a car by myself or with the kids but the 2 hours on public transit gave me time to read and listen to music on an MP3 player or later to listen to podcasts. I could often read close to 200 books a year, knot many sweaters. But also dealt with stinky people, loud people, having to be touching other people, been too hot and been too cold. Got stuck at the side of the road when the bus broke down. So it has its ups and downs. I did not work at home often, other than through COVID when no one would take transit, but I could still check emails and access the corporate computer network. Often did, so I guess maybe I did work from home more than I thought.
I feel bad for people in the US. Well not all of them, just those who are stuck on the madness going on down there. The MAGA people are getting what they voted for. It will take decades to reverse the damage being done. And I have promised I was not going to talk politics so will leave it there. Government in the US is really no worse or better than any other government, just louder on the world stage.
And FIFA - really? Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.