Modern Me

Every day, when I go into work, I look like this.

Sometimes I also look like this. I mean, I don't always look this terrific, but it's what I look like with hairspray and a good photo filter.

That means that no one at work has ever seen me in anything other than a 40's or 50's vintage professional wardrobe, and they have never seen my hair unless it was pincurled or worn in an period-appropriate up-do.

Thus, the inspiration for my Halloween costume - me in 2019.

Skinny jeans, a cowl-necked tunic, ballet flats, long hair, and hipster large glasses. I had to buy every single part of this costume, because I only own vintage-inspired clothing. (Important exception: Star Fleet uniform pajamas.) All day long, people were doing double-takes. Several coworkers walked by me at my desk, then turned around to and came back because they thought someone else was using my office. It was great to make so many people laugh, but I'm very glad to be back home and in my comfy, wide-legged pants.

Again, with the thinking

It seemed like it was about time for one of my biannual retreats. This time, I rented a tiny house at the southernmost tip of Maryland, which looked over St. Mary's River.

Photo credit: From the hosts of the site

I've use these retreats to take stock of my life - usually to assess my goals or how I spend my time. The rules are no media (Internet, phone, music, podcasts), and minimal books and interaction with people. Although I was very strict on my first retreat about not talking to people, I'm finding that I it's not as critical now, since each retreat is a check-in on my last visit with my brain. I also try to spend a fair amount of time outside, as I can't just sit and think all day without a few breaks.

I knew that the forecast called for rain on Sunday, so I managed a four-mile hike and a three-mile kayak trip. It was my first solo kayak trip, but I had read quite a bit about what precautions to take when you are on your own. The most dangerous moment was when I questioned whether to bring my phone while packing. I didn't want to drop it into the briny deep. but luckily I brought it along as it turned out that I consulted it extensively to figure out where I was going. Those inlets all look alike!

The focus this weekend was money/work. I worked through much of the book "Your Money or Your Life" which is a classic from the 1990's that inspired many of the current FI (Financial Independence) writers. The book is a bit hippie and a bit sexist but also packed full of good ideas. I had already completed many of the "steps" it requires - I have tracked every expenditure since 2011, and know my "real hourly wage" (i.e. how much I make for each hour of work, after subtracting off the extra time and money for commuting, buying work clothes and lunches, etc.). I'm actually pretty okay with where my spending is.  I think my spending largely aligns with my values, and I save quite a bit.

I did realize that I don't like how many things I buy in my clothes/household/DIY category. I suspect that these things are not strictly necessary and the manufacturing of them eats up resources quickly. So I decided that through the end of 2019 I will not purchase anything new. Exceptions are consumables and gifts (other people shouldn't suffer for my crazy ideas). If possible, I will make or borrow what I need, but I'm fine buying used. On the drive home, I literally pulled into a parking lot before I realized that I wasn't allowed to buy anything in the store I had driven to, so I clearly have some re-learning to do. 

Bathroom Construction

I'm woefully behind on everything in my life that is not work or sleep. And honestly, I'm lacking a bit in the sleep department. I have temporarily relaxed my very firm work-life balance rule for the chance to take more of a lead on writing a grant proposal. It's a great professional opportunity and I'm learning a ton, but it does mean I haven't been doing much else for the past month.

In fact, my parents had a visit planned in early October which I almost cancelled because I couldn't imagine spending two weekend days not working . But I didn't and it turned out great. We were able to celebrate the "End of other people helping me with bathroom construction," which, you'll note, is not exactly the same as saying the bathroom is done.

I now have a shower that is mainly waterproof on three sides. We glued up the shower surround and designed a curtain rod that would work on a sloped ceiling. What's left is caulking the edges and making a customized shower curtain and then I'll have a working shower. In theory, this is something that I can do myself, but I already hit a design challenge significant enough that I'm going to have to do a long-distance consultation with my father.

 My father figured out a way to secure all three sides simultaneously while the glue dries.

We needed to put up waterproof material on the ceiling, and you had to wait for the adhesive to get tacky. This is my mother and I literally watching paint glue dry on a Saturday night.

So, I'm not done but the end is within shouting distance.