things i think about while powerwashing 158

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Wow! What a week — snowstorm in New York, hiking in Austin, and also hanging out with my coworkers during the work offsite we had in Austin!

Seeing my teammates in person reminded me of a moment of hesitation I had when I interviewed for this job — contrary to what my coworkers might think this zoomer has worked basically his entire career in an office! And during all the wonderful interviews I had with my now-coworkers one question kept gnawing at the edges of my consciousness: would I be lonely?

I think this is kind of an interesting question about the function of work in our daily life. Is there some type of social component? Is it worth making friends with your coworkers? My former manager (now esteemed subscriber Caitlin Henry) has made friends with many coworkers through the years — my parents as well have made friends at work that they talk to today.

The thought I had when I first graduated was to keep my coworkers at an arm’s length. In a professional environment, there should be higher boundaries, I thought. But the more companies I have shifted through, the lower my boundary has become. Maybe it’s that less interesting things are happening in my life these days. But socializing at work has started becoming enjoyable!

Anyway I had a great week in Austin!! I got to go to a few museums (more on in later weeks) and even went on a hike with esteemed subscriber Emi Chan at Pedernales Fall State Park! The falls were a little dry but the lagoons were a fascinating shade of blue.

Some animals also joined us as well — an armadillo drank at a pool as we watched from a bird blind, surrounded by cardinals, jays and wrens. Several fish floated stilly as the cold water of the Pedernales River flowed over and under their scaly bodies. A yucca plant’s flower stalk lay still in the air. Maybe … Austin is cool???

Also it snowed!

museum of the week

After the hubbub of esteemed subscriber Vic Dong’s marathon race (last year now), I finally had time to duck into the Philadelphia Art Museum — walking up the famed “Rocky Steps.”

As I’ve discussed in past newsletters, I’ve never really been a fan of modern art. I always thought it was kind of lame and honestly very … lazy? Which is a strange thought as somebody who is not an artist but nevertheless this thought ran through my mind. But here in Philadelphia, that notion was challenged in vanquished, in the surrealism gallery.

Set up in honor of the centenary of the surrealist movement, I was brought into a collection of exhibits that honestly really put me out of my comfort zone. Gone are the realisms of the renaissance — and in came the surreal reactions to the horrors of WW1.

It was kind of what I needed after a long day in the cold. The whimsical (and sometimes horrifying) images were a nice escape from watching various people push themselves to the limit.

anonymous subscriber news

it is cold today. that is all.

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• anon brags: I signed up for a half marathon
• anon gloats: I am enjoying the unusually warm January weather in the bay

animal of the week

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This dog has a crazy story. But even crazier than that is the fact that it enjoys eating DURIAN. Which esteemed subscriber Magdalene Lam will not even eat!

CHARSIEW LOVES DURIAN

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