Id like to share a quick story about happiness with you.

Its a story about a Mexican Fisherman and an Investment Banker.

It goes something like this

An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, only a little while. The American then asked why didnt he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his familys immediate needs. The American then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time?

The Mexican fisherman said, I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.

The American scoffed, I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually, you would have a fleet of fishing boats.

Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.

The Mexican fisherman asked, But, how long will this all take?

To which the American replied, 15 20 years.

But what then? Asked the Mexican.

The American laughed and said, Thats the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions!Millions then what?

The American said, Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.

The future is still not here, and cannot become a part of experienced reality until it is present..To pursue it is to pursue a constantly retreating phantom, and the faster you chase it, the faster it runs ahead. This is why all the affairs of civilisation are rushed, why hardly anyone enjoys what he has, and is forever seeking more and more. Alan Watts

The first time I read through this parable, it didnt really make sense to me.

At the time, my takeaway from this parable was that happiness and self-improvement were in direct conflict with each other.

The Mexican Fisherman was content with little but didnt aspire to make progress or grow as much as the Investment Banker did.

In other words, if youre happy right now, why would you strive to make progress and achieve mastery in your craft?

But, then I soon realized that Id missed the point completely.

Our happiness and self-improvement are not in conflict at all.

The Mexican Fisherman had the foresight to see what was truly important to himhis family, friends, and hobbies.

Most importantly, he made the decision to be happy right now.

You see from childhood, weve been taught to defer our happiness into the future.

In high school, youre told that its only after you graduate with the best grades and get accepted by a prestigious university, then youll finally be happy.

Once you get these grades and enroll in University, youre told that its really only after you graduate with the best University degree and get a high paying job from a top Corporate company, then youll finally be happy.

After you get this job, youre told once again that after you reach the top of the career ladder and make 6 figures a year, then youll finally be happy.

Once you start building financial security, youre told that actually its only after you get married, have kids, buy a house and a fancy car, then youll be happy.

The more we chase happiness and acquire more stuff, the more unhappy we becomeits the happiness trap.

The single person chases marriage to finally be happy, whilst unhappy married people chase singleness again to be happy.

The unknown musician chases fame and attention to finally be happy, whilst the popular celebrity chases obscurity to be happy again.

One man chases wealth and money to find happiness, another extremely wealthy man sells his possessions to the poor to be happy again.

Ironically, we continue to defer our happiness until we retire at an old age and finally realize that we were capable of being happy all this time.

If a formula for unhappiness existed, itll probably look something like this

Once I get [Fill in the blank], then Ill finally be happy.

But, what if you already have enough to be happy right now?

If you truly want to be happy again, the only thing you should give up is trying to get something in the future to make you happy.

Just look at how little children interact with the world.

They dont dwell on the past or worry about the future. They dont really care what people think about them or even what they think of themselves.

They live life in this moment right here and now, even though they dont have money, a fancy job, house, car or a spouse.

You can tap into this freedom because youve been there before.

Let go of trying to control the future and embrace the happiness thats already available to you right now.

This article first appeared on MayoOshin.com.

Follow this link:
The only thing you should give up to be happy again (the story of a Fisherman and a Banker) - Ladders

Eighteen-year-old Scott Langille has already started his own I.T. business aimed at helping other companies navigate through their disorganized databases. (Jenna Cocullo / The Northern View)

For most students, that year fresh out of high school is for backpacking through Europe, moving forward into the work force ready to make some real money with no plans to ever look back, or to dive right into higher education.

But for Scott Langille that much anticipated year after high school was about giving back to the community, which had taught him so much about himself.

The reason for my gap year off school is really to gain experience in the community, make up a little bit of money before I head off to university but most importantly I think is to get involved with different organizations and nonprofits in Prince Rupert and give back to them and support them in their missions. Because thats really what allowed me to grow in the past few years here in Prince Rupert.

Langille is currently involved with the Prince Rupert District Chamber of Commerce and is coordinating their Rising Star business mentorship program. Aside from the chamber he is also secretary treasurer of the Prince Rupert Toastmasters Club. Finally, on his long CV, he is volunteering as the stage manager of the upcoming community musical Disaster!.

READ MORE: Disaster in store for Prince Rupert, announces Lester Centre of the Arts

When Langille would first stand up in front of a crowd of people at Toastmasters he couldnt really figure out what to say. He was shy and lacking that extra push of confidence needed to express himself. As he stepped up for a table topic he was very nervous, shivering all over and sometimes his mind would go completely blank.

But Langille wanted to push ahead anyway. What he really wanted to learn was how to develop an opinion and what he actually cared about and valued. This was not the kind of thing academics had prepared him for.

Through impromptu topics and speeches he slowly began to figure out what were the topics that most mattered to him and how to articulate his vision for the world.

One year later he served as the Toastmaster of their open house similar to an MC and found himself addicted to talking to the group.

I just wanted to talk more and more in front of the group. And I wanted to go up for another table topic to discuss just whatever it didnt matter to me anymore at that point. I just I knew that whatever I was asked, Id be able to speak on it. Thats one example of really what Ive learned.

Volunteering for his high schools musicals helped him figured out what he loved to do.

You might think that oh, theatre is just specific to theatre, but these are skills that you can use throughout your life. These experiences, learning how to communicate with others as a stage manager, or how to manage a team, that sort of thing are really vital to any career.

Langilles journey of self-discovery through volunteering made him discover a passion for allowing others to learn outside of the classroom. Seeing what he could achieve allowed him to believe in the possibilities of what any young adult could achieve.

This is why Im involved with the Rising Stars program, because I want to give others that opportunity to learn and grow because I see potential in all those students. Ive really been able to enjoy my experience and my time, but also learn so much and you really dont get these kinds of experiences just in school.

Despite all the opportunities for self-improvement and self-growth, what drives Langille to get up every morning are all the opportunities for how things could improve in Prince Rupert.

My main focus is on business, commerce and entrepreneurship because I think theres a lot of potential in this world for improvement. And thats really what drives me.

Right now, Langille has begun his own I.T. business in Prince Rupert which focuses on helping organizations utilize their databases in an efficient manner.

I think in any business I see the potential for innovation, and to improve it and make it more efficient and more effective through I.T. related innovation. So that thats why thats what I want to learn in university at UBC.

The message Langille hopes to relay to students is that its normal to feel mentally unprepared for that year right out of high school and to find ways to learn and self-discover beyond the classroom. For him the answers lied in Prince Ruperts community.

My recommendation to any high school student would be to get involved and just learn about what different organizations do, what their missions are, what they value. And this really gives you experience that will be super important in your later years and really matters to the community that you live in.

LAST WEEKS HEART OF OUR CITY: It was a bon voyage for Aidan Murphy-Morven

THIS WEEKS MVP: Soccer to Socratic, David Armstrong

Read the original post:
Heart of Our City: Langille is only getting better with experience - Prince Rupert Northern View

At least one employee looks psyched for his three-day weekend.

DESPITE ALL THE TECHNOLOGICAL advancements of the last century, we've been stuck in a five-day working week for nearly 100 years. There's a wide body of evidence to suggest that's a silly idea, with work just stretching to fill the time, and Microsoft Japan now has more proof of the pudding.

This August, the company switched to mandatory three-day weekends for its 2,300 staff every week, closing the doors and making them shut down Teams, close all their Bing windows and put Clippy to bed. Meetings were also capped at half an hour, and there was an increase in remote conferencing.

The results were pretty staggering. Not only did sales per employee go up by a whopping 39.9 per cent year on year, but Microsoft also used 23.1 per cent less electricity and printed 58.7 per cent fewer pages.

Naturally employees were a big fan of the changes tested over the period, which also included self improvement and family wellness programmes. In all, 92.1 per cent of employees said they liked it, according to Microsoft. The remaining 7.9 per cent presumably have less comfortable seating at home.

Over here, four-day weeks are pretty uncommon, although that could all change very soon, given a commitment to it is going to be part of the Labour Party manifesto in the upcoming election.

This has unsurprisingly been jumped on by opposition parties as unrealistic, but before you look at Microsoft's experiment and conclude it's actually pretty reasonable, it's important to recognise that Japan is a very different country with some of the longest working hours in the world.

In short, any country that literally has come up for a word that means "overwork death" probably isn't one which has previously been a beacon of employee satisfaction.

Read the rest here:
Microsoft sees a 40 per cent productivity boost from four-day week test in Japan - The INQUIRER

We live in a fabulous era of technological achievements. Practically something new, something better emerges every day. But can we catch up? The recent speed of innovation outpaces the capacity of many individuals and teams to adapt. That is why the playing field for business is changing.

Over the past several years things like big data, transformation, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and robotic process automation (RPA) have turned from fantasy into reality. These trends have influenced the future of many business sectors, including the managed services industry.

Once the preserve of books and movies, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a reality in todays world. It is already here in fact all around us. From big data to our personal devices, from workplaces and manufacturing automation to intelligent home systems and even healthcare powerful processing units and next-level software algorithms are making our lives easier in an unprecedented ways and pace.

And here comes the question: Should we be afraid of AI?

Artificial intelligence is by definition the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. AI systems can learn (acquire information and rules for using it), make reasonable decisions (i.e. they know how to use rules to reach conclusions) and self-correct.

On the other hand, artificial general intelligence (AGI) systems are those that really disturb the public. These are hypothetical machines that will exhibit behaviour, skills and flexibility as humans do. They will possess generalised human cognitive abilities, creativity, self-consciousness and will be able to find a solution when presented with an unfamiliar task, without human intervention. Futurists are afraid of the so-called singularity event a hypothesis that the invention of artificial superintelligence will abruptly trigger fast self-improvement cycles, resulting in the creation of a system far surpassing the capabilities of human intellect and civilisation. The big problem is that an algorithm could not possibly have emotions and empathy and being superior to humanity will be posing a potential grave threat to the existence of human race in general.

Sounds scary? Naturally, except it does not exist. It is just a theory. There are only couple of dozen organisations in the world involved in research on AGI. Nobody could claim that they are somewhere close to creating an AGI machine. And even if in decades or centuries there happens to be progress in that field, it will be an object of strong regulation.

How about RPA? Do we even need automation?

It is vital for each and every business to find means to grow, improve efficiency levels and be flexible when developing and providing products and services. Among the top 10 challenges for developing companies in 2019 are the integration of new technologies, innovation and customer service improvement. Users have never been more informed and have never had higher requirements when being supported by a company.

RPA is among the fastest-growing industries worldwide due to the solution it provides to some of the major problems faced by large businesses. The process automation via software eliminates the need for some frequently repetitive tasks to be handled manually, thus allowing employees to focus on activities that have higher value and importance. Gartner reports that by the end of 2020 around 40 per cent of large businesses will have integrated RPA software which will be optimizing the workflow within the company. In some industries the percentage of companies that have already implemented RPA is even higher.

Each day innovators in the business create new products, methods and ideas. By aiming to provide services with higher quality and optimisation of the business process, for instance, the Modis team looked for opportunities for higher productivity and effectiveness. The Modis business is related to delivering managed services and solutions, IT service desk and data centre support, support and maintenance of end-user devices, development of applications and solutions for outsourcing of business processes. It turns out that RPA has the potential to satisfy many of the needs of such types of business. That is why in 2017 the Modis Bulgaria team launched the Modis Innovation and Automation (MIA) Lab a project aiming at developing innovative solutions for automation of tasks, performed by employees.

In response to global trends to meet increasingly complex client needs and maximize efficiency Modis Bulgaria invested in tools, systems and resources, and launched a series of innovation and automation projects and initiatives to further improve its capacity to transform and optimise service and cost of delivery.

The MIA Lab has become one vertical centre of excellence that provides automation solutions across the company in the fields of automation, analytics and workforce management.

The objective is to focus on creating efficiencies in our solutions leveraging latest technologies, by automating basics and repetitive tasks and allow employees to focus on the more interesting and rewarding aspects of their jobs.

With the establishment of the MIA Lab we have put the main focus on removing repetitive work by utilising RPA. The purpose of the lab is to solve critical business problems, create new kinds of smart solutions and add value, using advanced innovative technologies.

The MIA Lab team have managed to complete 18 projects removing repetitive work from service desk personnel, improving the speed and accuracy of transactions as well as service level agreements. By using the latest technologies, we have managed to provide a better customer experience and upskill the service desk personnel, enabling them to focus on added value activities.

What is the future of the IT managed service?

We are living in the era of the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution, that will see an unprecedented change in the way humans live and work. Many professions will disappear, but that doesnt actually mean that people will be unemployed. In fact, the same thing has happened in the past. In the early 19th century the Luddites, a group of radical English textile workers, were afraid that the time they spent learning the skills of their craft would go to waste because of the introduction of machines. They even destroyed machinery as a form of protest. Actually, towards the end of the century, it became increasingly apparent that technological progress was benefiting all sections of society, including the working class.

Ideally, implementing machine learning, AI and RPA will create an environment which will enhance the human experience for both the organisation and the employee. Increased efficiencies will allocate more resources for the highest-value interactions. Increasing speed and better quality will come without sacrificing meaningful communication and relationships. That could possibly be the right balance leading to the best possible outcome.

Managed services organisations will need to significantly increase their functional and technical capabilities in these IT segments to better manage their clients problems and requirements. Transforming its workforce with intensive training and assessments will be instrumental.

More here:
AI and RPA: Threat or opportunity for the IT managed services industry? - Emerging Europe

NAIT counsellor offers advice for finding balance in life

Self-care has become a buzzword.

The idea of taking time to nurture our mental or physical health isnt new, but its become an unavoidable obsession fuelled by pop culture and a steady stream of curated Instagram posts highlighting a day at the spa or that tasty new smoothie. Its no wonder self-improvement has grown to become an $11-billion industry.

But just because youve decided to take a yoga class or start journaling doesnt mean youre actually practising self-care. Many of us, it seems, are just going through the motions checking off a box on the daily to-do list. But often the stress or anxiety were trying to cope with continues to linger.

Were our own worst critic.

NAIT counsellor Caren Anderson says thats because theres often an important piece missing: self-compassion. We all could stand to have a little more compassion in how we treat ourselves, Anderson says. Thats partly because weve become so quick to embrace the self-care trend, the intent behind the action gets blurred.

Taking time to do something you think is important for your well-being is one thing. Anderson offers helpful tips to refocus your self-care efforts where theyre needed: squarely on the self.

When counselling her clients, Anderson encourages both self-care and self-compassion treating oneself with kindness and understanding but realizes it isnt always easy. To get started, she asks students who visit the NAIT Counselling Centre what kind of empathetic advice theyd give to a friend.

Often, that is much more compassionate than the advice we give ourselves, she says. Were our own worst critic.

In order to get to a place where self-care is emotionally meaningful, you need to start small, Anderson says. To bring more compassion into your life, take a few minutes every morning and evening to think about what youre grateful for. Tell yourself youve earned a lunch break or you deserve to go to bed early.

Theres such a focus on productivity in todays fast-paced world, she says, that you need to give yourself permission to not finish everything. Set boundaries and be kind to yourself if you choose to set aside time for self-care instead of something you should be doing.

If you're having a bubble bath, but you're thinking about all of the things that you didn't do that day, thats really defeating the purpose of self-care, Anderson says. Do you really feel like youre carving out that time for you, or does it feel more like a chore?

A great way to develop self-compassion is through helping others create their own balance, she says. Look out for one another. For example, if you spot someone consistently working through their lunch hour, ask them to grab a bite with you for a quick break.

Its always nice to have a support network to challenge those behaviours, she says. While she doesnt want others to become reliant on peers to determine breaks, creating a culture where balance is encouraged is important.

Remember that a compassionate self-care practice will evolve. It may even look different from week to week.

Its not a perfect formula, not set in stone, Anderson says. As I get older, I need it even more.

Give yourself grace like you would others, she says, and your self-care, however you practice it, will become more meaningful.

See more here:
Self-care isn't enough. Treat yourself with compassion, too - techlifetoday

There are very few shows in the history of television that end with an old man dancing by himself on a cliff. There are even fewer that could have ever made such an idea work. Yet thats exactly how The Affair concluded its five season run this past Sunday (November 3), with a Fiona Apple cover of The Waterboys The Whole of the Moon. And it was as beautifully glorious as it was bizarre. Spoilers ahead for The Affairs finale.

All throughout The Affair Season 5 the Showtime drama has been jumping between present day and another timeline set several decades in the future. Initially that time jump was justified as Joanie (Anna Paquin) tried to piece together what really happened to her late mother. But as Season 5s finale reveals, that initial murder mystery premise was never what this show was angling for at all. The ending of The Affair was ultimately about the same thing as its beginning: coming to terms with mistakes, whether they be mistakes made in your parents lifetime or yours. Naturally The Affair decided to illustrate this final lesson with one of the most mistake-prone and unrelenting characters ever created, Noah Solloway (Dominic West).

The Affairs final episode was written and directed by series co-creator Sarah Treem. For years now weve seen Noah commit sin after sin, from cheating on his wife and ruining a happy marriage to becoming the center of a #MeToo scandal. Noah has always been a mess, and at least until this final season, he was a mess who was rarely held accountable for him many, many mistakes. That changed once his daughter Whitney (Julia Goldani Telles), disgusted by all of the pain her father has inflicted on so many people, uninvited him from her wedding.

This is far from the first time Noah has been called out for being an asshole. But before the finality of missing his daughters wedding, Noahs comeuppance always seemed to come with a side of pleasure. He ruined his marriage only to have a relatively healthy relationship with Alison (Ruth Wilson). He was falsely imprisoned only for that jail time to lead him to his next great novel and countless job offers. Were deeply aware of how Noah typically responds in situations where he is called out, through bouts of anger, blame, and an uncomfortable habit of lashing out. But faced with his own daughters scorn, Noah doesnt do that. For once he accepts that he is the one in the wrong. He has hurt Whitney, his children, and his ex-wife Helen (Maura Tierney), and he has to pay for that pain.

So when Helen asks Noah to leave the wedding venue after hes finished choreographing a flash mob for Whitneys reception, for once he doesnt fight. He doesnt lash out at Helen or argue with Whitney, pointing to the fact that he almost single-handedly planned her wedding. He meekly leaves the venue and stays away. For the first time Noah demonstrates something akin to humility.

Thats what makes his final dance in Montauk so remarkable. Yes, on the surface it is Dominic West in questionable prosthetic makeup dancing alone in silence. But in the context of this show this dance is the remembrance of a single time Noah put the needs of his family before his own. In that moment hes just an old man with fond, happy memories about his family.

If Apples Container was an internal scream about self-improvement and unseen pain, then The Whole of the Moon is its opposite. Its a celebration of life, understanding, and finally being able to see the big picture. Its right there in the songs lyrics: I saw the crescent / You saw the whole of the moon. This final moment with Noah is one of joy and self-acceptance.

The Affair started with a group of broken people who thought their only hope at self-betterment was to break each other further. Throughout five seasons and countless hookups they did a damn good job of doing just that to the misery of everyone involved. But The Affair ended with at least one of its tumultuous characters realizing that real love and happiness comes from vulnerability. As silly as Noahs dance was, thats a thing of beauty.

Watch The Affair on Showtime

Excerpt from:
Fiona Apple's Cover of "The Whole of the Moon" Was the Perfect Ending to 'The Affair' - Decider

Byram

Looking to curl up with a good book by the fireplace as the weather gets colder? Then the annual Byram Shubert Library book sale couldnt be happening at a better time.

The sale, put together by the Friends of Byram Shubert Library, will take place from Nov. 7 through Nov. 10 at St. Paul Lutheran Church at 55 William St. W. near the library. According to organizers, more than 30,000 items will be offered for sale at bargain prices.

In addition to books, there will also be DVDs, CDs and other media up for sale. Proceeds benefit the Friends group and its work to provide programming at the library, including the upcoming tree lighting in Byram. That event also serves as an open house for the library, with a potluck supper, carol singing, photos with Santa and more. The Friends also sponsor classic film screenings, monthly chess lessons, tai chi and yoga classes, and family craft workshops.

The sale offers a wonderful opportunity to begin holiday shopping or to choose reading mater for the long winter nights ahead, the Friends said in a statement.

It kicks off with a preview event from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 7, when, for a $20 fee, patrons get the first chance to purchase items.

Entry is then free as the sale continues from 5 to 8 Nov. 8; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 9; and noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 10. On the last day, fill a bag with books for only $8, or two bags for $15.

Organizers say there will be more childrens books than ever, with an entire room dedicated to them. Additionally, there will also be fiction bestsellers, as well as nonfiction items in categories ranging from art and cooking to self-improvement, sports and travel.

Prices are so low that just about anyone can buy a really nice gift for a friend, Friends member Judy Crystal said.

The book sales take place twice a year, in November and May. For more information, call the Byram Shubert Library at 203-351-0426.

Greenwich

November is grapefruit season in Greenwich as members of the Lions Club begin their annual sale of citrus fruit.

For the next month, be on the lookout for Lions Club volunteers decked out in their distinctive yellow vests. They are selling grapefruits for $24 a case at locations all over town, including downtown, Old Greenwich, Greenwich Point, Perrot Memorial Library, the Cos Cob Fire House and the resource recovery center at Holly Hill.

This past week, Lions Club members unloaded 850 cases of Texas ruby red grapefruit and oranges. The sales are scheduled to take place through Dec. 1.

This fundraiser is a Greenwich Lions tradition that dates back more than 50 years. Proceeds support the Lions Low Vision Center at 500 W. Putnam Ave., which is set to reopen Nov. 7, as well as the clubs eye screenings at local schools that can help diagnose vision problems that might go unaddressed. Staff at the Low Vision Center assess the needs of patients and provide visual aids that can help the visually impaired in their daily lives.

Additionally, the proceeds help support camp scholarships to Greenwich kids, the Connecticut Lions Eye Research Foundation and grants that go out to local human services providers.

According to the Greenwich Lions, Texas ruby reds are the best grapefruits around. The cost to ship a case can be as high as $45, but the Lions offer the fruit at a far reduced price in Greenwich because they make their purchase at a bulk discount.

Glenville

Its not too soon to start planning for Christmas and one thing to remember is to pick up tickets for the annual performance of A Christmas Carol at the Bendheim Western Greenwich Civic Center.

The production presented by the town Department of Parks and Recreation will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. Dec. 9. It is best suited for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Tickets are limited and they go quickly. The cost is $7 per person. They are available online now at http://www.greenwichct.org/webtrac or at the civic center starting Nov. 19.

The play will be presented by the Hampstead Stage Company, which has been coming to town for years to perform. The play is an adaptation of Charles Dickens classic story about miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and how his life is changed on Christmas Eve thanks to three ghosts who show him the true meaning of the season.

The Hampstead Stage Company is one of the largest national educational touring companies in the world, performing more than 2,000 shows a year for more than 20 million audience members.

For more information, visit http://www.greenwichct.gov or call the civic center at 203-532-1259.

Greenwich

When Greenwich residents head to the polls Tuesday, they will make their voices heard in the municipal elections. And they will also get an early opportunity to buy Girl Scout cookies, which are not usually available until March.

Girl Scout cookies will be sold at the following polling places: from 6 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. at Central Middle School; from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. at North Mianus School; from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Old Greenwich School; from 5 to 8 p.m. at Glenville School; and from noon to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. at North Street School.

The Girl Scouts will also be setting up outside the Stop & Shop on West Putnam Avenue from 1 to 3 p.m.

We love getting our Girl Scouts out and about on Election Day to learn about our nations political process and practice the five skills of the Girl Scout Cookie Program: goal setting, decision making, people skills, money management, and business ethics, said Frances Wu Nobay, co-service unit manager of the Greenwich Girl Scouts.

The Girl Scouts will also accept donations for Cookies for Heroes, which sends cookies to active duty service members and veterans stateside and overseas.

Cookie sales support community service projects and educational programs for the Girl Scouts.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com

Read more here:
What's going on in your part of Greenwich - CT Insider

Published 3:00pm EST, Monday, November 4, 2019

Check out local talks and lectures in the area.

Check out local talks and lectures in the area.

Photo: Metro Creative Connection/ Contributed Photo

Check out local talks and lectures in the area.

Check out local talks and lectures in the area.

Cooking, book talks and more lectures this week in Fairfield County

Art & Architecture

Lecture: Demeter and Persephone: The Message and Meaning of a Myth From Ancient Greece to Modern America, Nov. 7, 14 and 21, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd., Wilton. Registration required. Info: wiltonlibrary.org, 203-762-6336.

Bruce Experiences: The Art of Scientific Observation, Nov. 13, 6:30-8 p.m., The Bruce Museum, 1 Museum Dr., Greenwich. Hara Woltz is an artist and scientist who addresses the destruction and conservation of ecological systems through a variety of visual media. Free; members only event. Info: brucemuseum.org, 203-869-0376.

ARTalk: Brant Foundation Education Director Sabrina Marsalisi, Nov. 17, 2 p.m., Ridgefield Library, 472 Main St., Ridgefield. Free. Info/Registration: ridgefieldlibrary.org, 203-438-2282.

Senior Art Workshop: Chinese Brushwork Painting, Nov. 18, 1:30-3:30 p.m., The Bruce Museum, 1 Museum Dr., Greenwich. Cost: $25-$30. Info: brucemuseum.org, 203-869-0376.

Art Adventures: Watercolor Landscapes, Nov. 23 & 24, 1-3 p.m., The Bruce Museum, 1 Museum Dr., Greenwich. Art Adventures: Watercolor Landscapes. Exhibition-related activities for children ages 4 and up with caregiver. Free. Info: brucemuseum.org, 203-869-0376.

The Healing Power of Mandalas with Inez Andrucyk, Jan. 10, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Silvermine School of Art, 1037 Silvermine Rd., New Canaan. Ages 17 and up. Cost: $165. Info/Registration: 203-966-6668.

HeART & Minds closing reception and Artist Talk, Jan. 12, 3-5 p.m., Silvermine Galleries, 1037 Silvermine Rd., New Canaan. Free. Info: silvermineart.org/exhibition/heart-mind/.

Crafts

Brookfield Craft Center, 286 Whisconier Rd.; brookfieldcraft.org: classes, open studios in clay, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal. Gallery Shop open Sat., 11-6, and Sun., 11-5. To learn more, visit brookfieldcraft.org or call 203-775-4526. Gallery hours: Tues.-Fri., 12-5; Sat., 11-5, Sun., 12-4.

The Nutmeg Woodturners League, local chapter of the American Association of Woodturners, promotes woodturning as craft and art form. Meeting at Brookfield Craft Center on second Monday of every other month (January, March, May, September, November). All welcome.

Film

TV Forensics: Fact and Fiction, Nov. 13, 6:30 p.m., Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Rd., Fairfield. Free. Info: fairfieldpubliclibrary.org, 203-256-3160.

Norwalk Public Library offers Kanopy, a cinema streaming service, which has 30,000 award-winning films, including The Criterion Collection, The Great Courses, PBS and thousands of feature and festival films. Kanopy can stream on your phone (Apple or Android), tablet, computer or Roku device. You can stream up to 6 films per month. For step-by-step instructions, visit Kanopy page on NPLs website, norwalklib.kanopy.com/welcome/frontpage, or stop by library, 1 Belden Ave., Norwalk. Info: Cynde Bloom Lahey, director of library information services, 203-899-2780, x15133, or clahey@norwalkpubliclibrary.org.

Gardening

Gardening Lecture: Honeybees and Pollination, Nov. 13, 6-7:30 p.m., Norwalk Public Library, 1 Belden Ave., Norwalk. Discussion of C. Marina Marcheses book, Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper. Free. Info/Registration: 203-899-2780, ext. 15110, snacker@norwalkpl.org.

Greater Bridgeport Mens Garden Club monthly meetings, Sterling House, 2283 Main St., Stratford. Members normally meet third Wednesday of each month to discuss various gardening issues, share in plant swaps, DVDs or speaker presentations. Beginner gardeners and anyone with interest in gardening, plants and landscaping welcome. Info: Joe, 203-339-2701 or Art, 203-261-9771.

Seed Library at Norwalk Public Library, 1 Belden Ave., Norwalk. Now, everyone from avid gardeners to newbies can check out free vegetable, flower and herb seeds along with getting support for growing and saving seeds. Brochures available on how self-service procedure works. Info: Laurie Iffland, reference librarian, 203-899-2780, x15114 or iffland@norwalkpubliclibrary.org

Health

St. Vincent's Breast Health Center in Bridgeport offers free and low-cost digital mammography screenings through its mobile mammography coach for women age 40 and older. No prescription needed but appointments are required. Walk-ins welcome. For those who have insurance, bring card and photo ID at time of visit. Appointments: 203-576-5500.

History & Antiques

Lecture on Mark Twain by Dr. Alan Gribben, Nov. 10, 3-4:30 p.m., Mark Twain Library, 439 Redding Rd., West Redding. Info: marktwainlibrary.org.

History Presentation: Queen Victorias Forgotten Granddaughter: Elisabeth, Grand Duchess of Russia, Nov. 15, noon, Norwalk Public Library, 1 Belden Ave., Norwalk. Free. Info/Registration: 203-899-2780, ext. 15133, clahey@norwalkpl.org.

Lecture: Tales from the Crypt with Dr. Nicholas Bellantoni, emeritus CT state archaeologist, Nov. 16, 4-5:30 p.m., Kellogg Environmental Center, 500 Hawthorne Ave., Derby. Free. Info: 203-734-2513.

Keeler Tavern Museum, 18th century historical building at 132 Main St., Ridgefield, 203-438-5485, keelertavernmuseum.org. Museum has begun docent training sessions.

Weir Farm National Historic Site, 735 Nod Hill Rd., Wilton, 203-834-1896 or http://www.nps.gov/wefa: grounds open daily dawn to dusk.

New Haven Museum, 114 Whitney Ave.; newhavenmuseum.org or 203-562-4183.

Literature

Friday Evening Literary Salon, Nov. 8, 6-7 p.m., Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd., Wilton. Watch video clips of Yale Literature Professor Harold Bloom as he talks about why we should read the "Great Books. Registration/Info: wiltonlibrary.org, 203-762-6336.

Author Talk: Steve Gillon America's Reluctant Prince: The Life of John F. Kennedy, Jr., Nov. 12, 7-8:30 p.m., Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd., Wilton. Free. Registration/Info: 203-762-6334, wiltonlibrary.org.

Author Talk with Athlete Michael Korda: Passing: A Memoir of

Love and Death, Nov. 12, 7 p.m., Ridgefield Library, 472 Main St., Ridgefield. Free.Info: ridgefieldlibrary.org.

AuthorSpeak: Helene Stapinskis Murder in Matera: A True Story of Passion, Family, and Forgiveness in Southern Italy, Nov. 13, noon, Norwalk Public Library, 1 Belden Ave., Norwalk. Register/Info: 203-899-2780, ext. 15133, clahey@norwalkpl.org.

Battle of the Books, Nov. 14, 7 p.m., Ridgefield Library, 472 Main St., Ridgefield. Matt Byrnes, Rich Cohen, Dave Griffith, Amy Macartney Freidenrich, and Suzanne Nelson, will each have 5 minutes to champion a book they love. Free; registration required. Info: ridgefieldlibrary.org/.

Author Talk: Downsize with Sheri Koones, Nov. 17, 2 p.m., Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Rd., Fairfield. Sheri Koones talks about her latest book, Downsize. Free. Info: fairfieldpubliclibrary.org, 203-256-3160.

Foxfire Living Creators: Eliza Clark and Tim Trojian, Nov. 18, 7 p.m., Fairfield University Bookstore, 1499 Post Rd., Fairfield. Free. RSVP: FairfieldUBookstoreEvents@gmail.com. Info: 203-255-7756.

Author Talk with Peter Steiner: The Good Cop, Nov. 19, 7 p.m., Ridgefield Library, 472 Main St., Ridgefield. Free. Info/Registration: ridgefieldlibrary.org, 203-438-2282.

Senior Center Book Discussion, Nov. 26, 11-noon, Comstock Community Center, 180 School Rd., Wilton. Ray Rauth will lead a discussion of Katherine Anne Porters Pulitzer Prize-winning short novel Noon Wine. Registration/Info: 203-834-6240.

Book discussion groups at Cos Cob Library, 5 Sinawoy Rd., Cos Cob. Info: 203-622-6883.

Miscellany

MEOW-ZA!: The Scoop on Everything Cat, from the Experts, Nov. 9, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Norwalk Library, 1 Belden Ave., Norwalk. Panel discussion. Info/Registration: 203-899-2780, ext. 15133, clahey@norwalkpl.org.

Panel Discussion: How to Be an Ally for LGBTQ Youth, Nov. 12, 6:40 p.m., Fairfield Public Library, 1080 Old Post Rd., Fairfield. Free. Info/Registration: fairfieldpubliclibrary.org, 203-256-3160.

Tellabration! An Evening of Storytelling for All, Nov. 19, 6-7:30 p.m., Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd., Wilton. Registration/Info: wiltonlibrary.org, 203-762-6336.

YWCA Darien/Norwalk, 49 Old Kings Highway North, Darien; ywcadariennorwalkk.org or 203-655-2535: Job Search Support Program for Women, incl. computer classes, info., katefywcadariennorwalk.org.

Meditation Sessions, Sat. and Sun., 10-11:30 a.m., open sessions; Mon. and Wed. eves., 7-8:30 p.m., Tues., 12:30-2 p.m., Thurs., 9:30-11 a.m., open sessions; Family Program, ages 4-12 yrs., usually 2nd and 4th Sun. of the month, 10-11:30 a.m.; Redding Center for Mindfulness & Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd., West Redding; info., 203-244-3130 or visit reddingmeditationsociety.org.

The Compassionate Friends, Stamford Chapter, non-denominational selfhelp group for bereaved parents, grandparents and siblings; meets 2nd Mon. of each month at 7:30 p.m.; Tully Center, 32 Strawberry Hill Ct., Stamford, main floor; info., 203-329-2796 or 203-323-2617.

Music

Drawing & Painting: A Focus on Mind, Body & Synchronicity with Inez Andrucyk, Nov. 17, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Silvermine School of Art, 1037 Silvermine Rd., New Canaan. Ages 17 and up. Cost: $140. Info/Registration: 203-966-6668.

HeART & Mind Conversations with Artists program, Nov. 17, 3-4 p.m., Silvermine Arts Center, 1037 Silvermine Rd., New Canaan. Free. Info: silvermineart.org/exhibition/heart-mind/.

Visual Thinking in the Galleries, Dec. 8, 2-4 p.m., Silvermine Arts Center, 1037 Silvermine Rd., New Canaan. Jessica Sack will encourage participants to explore feelings, perceptions, and imagination in response to works in HeART & Mind exhibit. Free. Advance registration required.

The Ridgefield Songwriters Circle, monthly gatherings to play new songs and discuss them; for info, call Dave Goldenberg, 203-438-4521.

Nature & Science

Explore the History and Ecology of Milfords Coast - Silver Sands State Park Discovery Walk, Nov. 14, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., CT Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point, 1 Milford Point Rd., Milford. Guided walk. Cost: $20-$25. Info: ctaudubon.org/milford-coast-2019, 203-259-6305, ext. 109.

Animals Who Hibernate, Nov. 16, 2-3 p.m., Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd., Wilton. Meet animal ambassadors such as a rabbit, an African Bullfrog, and an Axolotl. Registration required. Info: wiltonlibrary.org, 203-762-6336.

Explore the History and Ecology of Milfords Coast - Charles Island Discovery Walk, Nov. 21, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., CT Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point, 1 Milford Point Rd., Milford. Guided walk. Cost: $20-$25. Info: ctaudubon.org/milford-coast-2019, 203-259-6305, ext. 109.

Back Yard Beekeepers Association, last Tuesday of the month, 7:30 p.m., Norfield Church Community Room, 64 Norfield Rd., Weston. Free. Info: backyardbeekeepers.com.

Planetarium Show/Telescope Viewing at the Westside Observatory and Planetarium at Western CT State U. Westside Campus, 43 Lake Ave. Ext., Danbury; wcsu.edu/starwatch/ or 203-837-8672.

Woodcock Nature Center, 56 Deer Run Rd., Wilton; center open 9:30-5, Tues.-Sat., two-plus miles of trails open daily, dawn to dusk; reg. in advance for programs, 203-762-7280.

New Canaan Nature Center, 144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, 203-966-9577; satellite site for NY Botanical Garden programs (800-322-6924 or nybg.org/adulted); buildings open Mon.-Sat., 9-4 (closed major holidays); Programs for Kids & Families: First Saturdays, 1st Sat. of the month, free guided activities for visitors, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Free Live Animal Presentations, Sat. at 3, lasting 15-20 min., different animal each week.

Audubon Greenwich, 528 Riversville Rd., Greenwich; 203-869-5272: program fees: $3/adults, $1.50/children, srs. (incl. adm. to Center & Grounds); trails open dawn to dusk weekends; Kimberlin Nature Center open daily, 10-5; trails and grounds open daily sunrise to sunset, occasionally unavailable till 9 a.m.; 203-869-5272 or email greenwichcenter@audubon.org.

Connecticuts Beardsley Zoo, 1875 Noble Ave., Bridgeport; adm. $14/adults, $11/children 3-11 and seniors, free for children under 3; open daily 9 to 4; Carousel and Peacock Cafe, winter hours: Gift Shop, daily 9:30-4; New World Tropics Building, daily 10:30-3:30; 203-394-6565, http://www.beardsleyzoo.org.

Wolf Conservation Center, 7 Buck Run, South Salem, N.Y.; 914-763-2373, nywolf.org. Live webcam at website shows either Ambassador, Mexican gray or Red wolves.

Self Improvement

SCORE, Service Corps of Retired Executives, offering free seminars and workshops to entrepreneurs. SCORE offers Free Business Counseling bit.ly/SCOREMentor Questions/Comments: score.fairfieldcounty@gmail.com or call 203-831-0065 or visit https://fairfieldcounty.score.org.

Theater

Sunday Symposium for World Premiere Translation/Adaptation of Molires Don Juan, Nov. 10, following 3 p.m. performance, Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Ct., Westport. Don Juan will be staged through Nov. 23. Tickets: $30-$40. Info: westportplayhouse.org.

Darien Arts Center, 2 Renshaw Rd., behind Town Hall in Darien. Info: darienarts.org or call 203-655-8683. Educational programs, including many new offerings, in theatre this fall for children, teens and adults, such as Creative Dramatics, Beginning Acting, Improv for various age groups, etc. Reg. at website or call for details.

Writing

CT Poetry Society Workshop, Nov. 16, 2-4:30 p.m., Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Rd., Wilton. Share poetry you have written by reading it aloud to the group. Free; registration required. Info: wiltonlibrary.org, 203-762-6334.

Writers Group workshop, Saturdays, 1-3 p.m., Stratford Library, 2203 Main St., boardroom. New writer's workshop group open to both new and experienced writers in all genres. Workshop will support the creative process through writing prompts, offer opportunities for participants to share their work and gain feedback and provide some introduction (or for experienced writers, refreshers) on essentials in crafting poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction/memoir. Jennifer A. Hudson, who has MFA in writing with honors from Albertus Magnus College, to work with group. Free and open to public.

Send listings to tinamarie.craven@hearstmediact.com at least two weeks in advance of desired publication date.

Visit link:
Cooking, book talks and more lectures this week in Fairfield County - The Ridgefield Press

T.J. Watt stood at his locker, speaking softly about making splash plays when he casually mentioned the switch.

Off the field, the Pittsburgh Steelers third-year outside linebacker tries to be the personification of professionalism.

You can always lead by example, Watt said. Thats what Im trying to show my team: I will do whatever the heck it takes to produce to be able to help this team win. That goes a long way without having to say much.

Then he flips the switch.

Game day, its a whole different animal, Watt said. You have the juices flowing, so Im not afraid to say anything on game day.

Dont buy the humble act, Steelers inside linebacker Vince Williams says, shaking his head in disagreement. Williams sees Watt in a different light, as an aggressive competitor with a killer instinct.

Hes not some soft-spoken, quiet, humble dude. He wants to play that game, but T.J.s a dog, Williams said. We know what hes capable of. And hes a professional. He comes to work every day, tries to be the best every single day. He knows what it is. But if he wants to keep it cool like that and play the whole Clark Kent and Superman thing like that, I guess Ill play along with him.

Whatever the role Watt prefers, the 6-foot-4, 252-pounder is playing superhero for the Steelers through their first seven games. He leads the team with 17 quarterback hits, six sacks and three forced fumbles. He also has 23 tackles, three fumble recoveries, three pass breakups and an interception. Yet Watt is his own harshest critic, talking not about the plays he has made this season but rather the ones he has missed.

Theres always more plays to be made, Watt said. Thats how Ill always look at my film and our film as a team. I think theres definitely some good splash plays. Every time Im around the ball, I try and knock it out. Im trying to create any type of elite-level play that I can. Im trying to take plays from good to great to elite.

Thats an attitude that has impressed Watts teammates, who have watched with admiration and anticipation as the 2017 first-round draft pick has evolved from All-Rookie team to Pro Bowl pick to performing like an All-Pro. After leading the Steelers with 21 quarterback hits, 13 sacks and six forced fumbles last season, Watt set a goal of making more splash plays this season. And he is delivering on that promise.

Hes going to be the guy thats going to take it to a different level every single year that he plays this game of football, Williams said. Some dudes, you can honestly say the sky is the limit, and theres no limitations on a guy like that. Hes a pro. Its how serious he takes the game from a very young age. Some guys come into the NFL and dont know this game is a business. Its constant self-critique, constant film watching, constant self-improvement, self-motivation.

Thats why Watt reminds Williams of another Steelers linebacker, comparing his maturity as a rookie to that of Ryan Shazier. Both players came into the league with a veterans mentality, as much in terms of their preparation as their immediate impact.

I said he was the most NFL-ready rookie Id ever met in my life, Williams said of Watt, so none of this really surprises me at all because of the approach he takes to the game and how much he cares about it. So hes ahead of the game. When you have guys like that, you know theyre going to have a tremendous amount of success because their starting point is further ahead.

What Watt doesnt want to hear is his brother J.Js season-ending injury serves as motivation. The five-time All-Pro defensive end for the Houston Texans a three-time NFL defensive player of the year suffered a torn pectoral last week against the Oakland Raiders.

Obviously, its devastating for him, three out of four years, T.J. said. Just to see him work and have a really phenomenal season like he was having it makes me appreciate being healthy and being able to play but its not going to make me play harder.

Thats when Watt loses his smile, showing how quickly he can flip the switch.

If we were having this conversation on game day, Watt said, it would be a whole lot more intense, Ill tell you that.

Find the man a phone booth.

Hey, Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here.

Kevin Gorman is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Kevin by email at [emailprotected] or via Twitter .

TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox.

More Kevin Gorman Columns Stories

Excerpt from:
Kevin Gorman: T.J. Watt flips the switch to become a superhero for the Steelers - TribLIVE

Photo illustration: The Globe and Mail. Source images: iStock

Isabel B. Slone is a writer living in Toronto.

I was born in 1989, part of a generation for whom gold stars and cheerful posters proclaiming If you aim for the moon, youll land amongst the stars were plastered on the wall of seemingly every elementary-school classroom. I was relentlessly conditioned to believe I could achieve everything I wanted to achieve, and for a long time, I believed that to be true. So far, the defining feature of my adult life has been a recalibration of expectations. Every year, the success and accolades I once imagined for myself grow further out of reach. I will not be everything I wanted to be. Thats why I started giving myself participation ribbons for achieving the bare minimum.

Its generally accepted that people are supposed to find purpose, or at least a modicum of stability and satisfaction, in the institution of marriage, parenting and home ownership. But having little interest in the first two and priced out of the latter, I look to simple tasks such as making the bed, watering plants and cooking a meal to find purpose in my life. Like so many other millennials, I live in an overpriced city with diminishing job prospects in my chosen field. But rather than fantasize about torching my current situation in favour of moving to a cabin, a less expensive city or, worse, grad school, I have committed to finding pleasure in the life I currently inhabit.

Story continues below advertisement

As someone who has spent most of my life working toward the next lofty goal, my life got a whole lot better once I stopped searching for ways to improve it. Mundanity is my succour. Consistently completing tasks such as keeping track of my expenses or remembering to take my library books back on time all loosely tied together under the umbrella of adulting are a form of revelling in my own mediocrity. Although adulting is a puerile word I can barely bring myself to utter in seriousness, I embrace the definition of the term as a duty to myself. My ability to complete the tasks that most people have been trained to view as tedious, or a waste of time, is my way of making peace with living a life that is by all accounts totally unspectacular.

In essence, adulting has become my hobby. On an average day, I will wake up early, make coffee, then immediately get to work on my laptop. But my day is constantly interrupted by unavoidable duties such as cooking, washing the dishes, sweeping, watering plants, scrubbing the bathtub, doing laundry, taking out the garbage, keeping track of expenses, getting toothpaste from the drugstore. I do not rush through these activities with an attitude of resentment, or believe Im too important, or even too busy, to be completing these tasks in the first place. Instead, I do them, consciously mindfully, even. Ticking every item off a to-list gives me an inordinate sense of accomplishment.

Ironically, what makes these tasks enjoyable is the fact that, technically, I dont have to do them anymore. We live in a world of utmost convenience where almost every single prosaic activity can be outsourced. We no longer have to learn how to take care of ourselves, because as long as we have enough money, there is always someone who can do it for us. There is no incentive to cook, thanks to Foodora; for driving, theres Uber; for leaky faucets or putting together furniture theres TaskRabbit and for any random activity someone is willing to perform for $5, theres Fiverr. This aversion to grunt work advances the mindset that domestic tasks have little value, and therefore ought to be outsourced in order to devote time toward more esoteric pursuits.

More often than not, these esoteric pursuits turn out to be more work. Free time can always turn into productivity, so when productivity is properly managed, there is no such thing as free time, Malcolm Harris writes in the 2018 treatise on millennial culture, Kids These Days. Mr. Harris argues that present social conditions lead kids as early as preschool to view themselves as human capital who must work toward fulfilling their full potential or else risk certain failure. Human capital views time as an investment: If an individual is going to be spending time on an activity, it had better pay off.

Technically, nothing about these compulsory duties ever pays off; like a millstone around the neck, theyre a permanent weight that never quite lifts because they invariably need to be performed over and over again. A dirty floor will just get dirty again, so why bother sweeping at all? Answer: because the routine completion of these tedious tasks helps life to flow more smoothly. If I go through the trouble of picking up milk while doing errands, the next morning I will be able to enjoy coffee made to my own specifications instead of frustrated and crabby at the inconvenience caused by failing to perform a last-minute errand.

Earlier this year, writer Anne Helen Petersen published an essay on Buzzfeed about her inability to complete these small tasks. Ms. Petersen self-diagnosed her inability to go to the post office as millennial burnout, a generationwide exhaustion that comes with every moment of ones life being optimized for work. After the essay was published, it received widespread praise, then inevitable backlash: It failed to take into account the generational trauma faced by people of colour, and also, the problem of exhaustion isnt unique to millennials. Two months later, Maureen OConnor wrote a similar story for The Cut about the outsourcing economy, admitting that she eschews trips to the grocery store in favour of ordering perishables through Amazon Fresh. (One time, a single onion was delivered in a furniture-sized box.)

But while these essays expertly zero in on the locus of a problem that the former goalposts by which we used to measure adulthood have all but disappeared they fail to provide a way out of the modern morass of convenience that has all but consumed our very will to live. Shifting the small acts that make up adulting from drudgery to the sublime is the only way out of this bone-tired corner late capitalism has painted us into. If grunt work can be elevated into something that is inherently satisfying, it will remove some of the control capitalism has over our lives. Sure, I could summon a hot meal or a handyman to my door with the nimble swipe of a finger, provided theres enough money in my bank account, but why would I want to? The ability to cook and clean for myself is not just an insistence on humility, its a way of taking back power in a world that not just expects but profits off of my own helplessness. Its never been easier to figure out how to do things oneself Rule 34, which dictates that if something exists, its been made into porn, applies just as much to YouTube instructional videos as it does smut but tinkering as a hobby has largely been left behind in the converted garage workshops of the houses most millennials will never own.

Story continues below advertisement

Story continues below advertisement

I come by this desire to DIY honestly. My family hails from a rural area where self-sufficiency is paramount. The majority of the food they consume comes from a vegetable patch in the backyard, or from livestock raised and slaughtered by the neighbours; the surplus is frozen and feasted upon for the remainder of the year. Groceries are supplemental, as opposed to a necessity. My parents buy next to nothing because they want for so little, and when they do, it can always be found second-hand. Nothing about their life could be described as convenient they only recently got WiFi and have a habit of unplugging the router when its not in use, terrified some internet demon will filch their precious bandwidth and thats the way they like it. Theyre essentially living the modern hipsters fantasy of farm life, only thats the way theyve always lived.

My boyfriend is convinced my yen for self-sufficiency is somehow a marker of lurking conservatism. But just as the Luddites were painted as the enemies of technological progress for destroying knitting machines in the 1800s, my intentions are easily misconstrued. The term Luddite has become shorthand for technological ineptitude; say, a mom who refuses to let go of her landline in favour of a smartphone. But in actuality, Luddites attacked only the factories whose owners upheld exploitative working conditions. They were labour activists, not inept fogeys. By eschewing the technological advances designed to make my life more convenient, I am leading a quiet one-person rebellion against the working conditions that require these services exist in the first place.

The trick is to view everything in life as a success, even the most basic tasks. Once I was able to accord the same level of accomplishment to a trip to the grocery store as I did a long-held career goal, suddenly, my life was flooded with success. For example, if I manage to put on a great outfit and do my hair and makeup in a day, I view that as a success rather than an integral part of daily life. Its gamifying life, only the stakes are much, much lower. Pouring my self-image into tasks that I actually can accomplish instead of relying on outside validation has done wonders for my self-esteem.

Simply put, to take radical pleasure in ones own mediocrity is the best way to defang the threat of constant failure. Academically, this concept is called kakonomics, or as philosopher Gloria Origgi writes, the weird preference for low-quality payoffs. Ultimately, its about renegotiating expectations to avoid disappointment at all costs. If an individual puts little effort into a venture which results in minimal gain, the outcome should be more or less expected. Its an agreed-upon discount on quality that makes life more relaxing for everyone. Instead of chasing excellence, why not get a few loads of laundry done instead?

In the long-term, Ms. Origgi writes, a prolonged series of these low-quality exchanges will erode the system. Kakonomics regulates exchanges for the worst, meaning that if individuals are continually satisfied with mediocrity, theyll never have the joy of experiencing excellence. But with the current concern over climate change that has turned almost everyone into a doomsayer, humanity might not have that much time left anyways.

So far, self-care and self-improvement have served as a balm for people hoping to self-soothe in a broken culture, but no matter how many face masks and rose quartz crystals an individual buys, they cannot magick themselves out of reality. Drinking kombucha and lighting scented candles will not cure anxiety or depression; the only surefire way to improve ones life is to come to terms with ones own inherent mediocrity.

Story continues below advertisement

Putting this philosophy into practice shouldnt feel like giving up or a failure, it should feel like freedom from both societys expectations and ones own unrealistic ideas of productivity. Adulting, when done right, is a way of creating meaning for oneself in a world where it so often is hard to come by. People are trained to feel as if executive duties are a distraction from life when, in reality, theyre the main event.

Every time you suspects your efforts are not enough, I urge you to accomplish one task that will make life a little bit easier, be it wading through the mountain of dirty dishes in the sink, or returning an overdue library book. You will be happier for it, I promise. And frankly, if you can shift your worldview so that laundering your bedsheets becomes the height of accomplishment, life might not be so dire after all.

Keep your Opinions sharp and informed. Get the Opinion newsletter. Sign up today.

Excerpt from:
The small pleasures of adulting - The Globe and Mail