Just four more days until I head off to China. This last leg of my life in Berkeley has been a good one. But as it is coming to an end, it has caused me to be a little introspective (or perhaps reflective?) about my current lifestyle and “workstyle”. This existence I have where I jet off to a new location to live for several weeks at a time, and then go off to another place to live, has been an interesting one.
It has given me a different perspective on things, and I think one of the biggest changes is that I’m not sure I could go and work for someone in a normal working environment again. After experiencing the freedom that is self-employment, I’ve found that stapling my soul to a singular location or a single set of circumstances just isn’t me.
That isn’t to say I don’t appreciate or understand the appeal of that type of environment. I understand it all too well. And for myself a year or two back, I might have balked at the idea of striking out on my own and calling my own shots (although I think it would have been mostly because of a lack of belief in myself).
But what I had previously believed to be security was, at least to some degree, a liability. And what I thought was risk was actually (to my surprise) freedom.
That isn’t to say it is all roses. I have stressful times and I often find myself working long hours on various projects and not getting paid quite as much as I might like. But given the complete freedom and opportunities that this lifestyle presents to me, I don’t mind those problems one bit.
Being able to go live for 2 months in the stunningly beautiful wilderness of Eastern Idaho, then go train wushu for 2 months in Berkeley, intersperced with several trips to San Diego and Los Angeles to visit friends and family, and then a one month journey to China for some more wushu training, all the while still working and employed — well, needless to say it would be hard for me to justify sitting in a cubicle grasping for 2 weeks of vacation a year after this sort of experience.
Of course, all things eventually come to an end. I might not be in this situation forever. And that is fine. All things have their time and all things run the course they were meant to run. But while I am here in this state I’m going to try to enjoy it for all it is worth.
There is something to be said for working all day in your pajamas, or taking some time to go hang out in Disneyland when someone has a free pass, or deciding that it is a good day to go movie hopping, or whatever it is you might feel like doing.
Productivity is something I still focus on, but since it isn’t tied down to a specific location, time frame or format, I’m able to work outside the proverbial box and enjoy some of life’s simpler pleasures.
That being said, I should probaby give folks an update on what I’m up to and where I’ll be in the coming months.
July I will be in Beijing (mostly), training at Shi Cha Hai, home of the Beijing Wushu Team. Should be a blast. Haven’t been around there since November.
August I will be in Berkeley and then Idaho
Fall is Idaho until around the 15th of September and then to Xi’an via Molokai, Hawaii (pending confirmation). I’ll be in Xi’an until December, but will most likely take trips to various locations in China, including planned trips to Hong Kong and Xiamen in November, and possibly a trip to Japan for a few days as well.
In the winter I will come back and spend some time with family and friends (and a few clients) in the U.S. Idaho, California and Washington, most likely.
Thats enough for now. Hasta la bye bye.