“I think writers are often terrifying to normal people — that is, to nonwriters in a capitalist system. There is almost nothing they will not sell in order to have the time to write. Time is our mink, our Lexus, our mansion.” —Alexander Chee
When I traveled to my family's ancestral hometown in Italy in 2004, I brought back a tin of gorgeous, perfect olive oil. I kept that olive oil for so long, because as you said, NOTHING was special enough to use it on. When, finally, I did deem a moment worthy enough of the olive oil, I opened it only to find it had gone rancid. :((
That was the moment I decided to enjoy beautiful things NOW. I buy nice soap, and I USE it. I burn those candles. Drink that wine (well, as soon as it's properly aged). I have to say, it's so freeing!
And now, of course, I'm leaning on my life savings to do work in the last chapter of my work life that I love. It feels SOOOOO uncomfortable at times. Reading Olivier Burkeman's book Four Thousand Weeks was the final nudge (and reframe) I needed to go for it. Yet as we have frequently lamented, this decision is not without occasional wobbles!
When I traveled to my family's ancestral hometown in Italy in 2004, I brought back a tin of gorgeous, perfect olive oil. I kept that olive oil for so long, because as you said, NOTHING was special enough to use it on. When, finally, I did deem a moment worthy enough of the olive oil, I opened it only to find it had gone rancid. :((
That was the moment I decided to enjoy beautiful things NOW. I buy nice soap, and I USE it. I burn those candles. Drink that wine (well, as soon as it's properly aged). I have to say, it's so freeing!
And now, of course, I'm leaning on my life savings to do work in the last chapter of my work life that I love. It feels SOOOOO uncomfortable at times. Reading Olivier Burkeman's book Four Thousand Weeks was the final nudge (and reframe) I needed to go for it. Yet as we have frequently lamented, this decision is not without occasional wobbles!