The Money Doesn't Matter
My best friend & I emailed back and forth earlier this week to catch up with one another. She asked how I'm adjusting to life here in IA. I told her I'm enjoying my "deer & bunny rabbits" life, and I'm planning on visiting her in DC after I make my final trip to NO to finish transitioning my old role with the new engineer (she's in the process of buying her first place with her boyfriend of a year that I haven't met yet). She asked how I'm adjusting to small town life.
"It's great that everything's right here, but not so great that everything isn't much. I just haven't been motivated to do much of anything. In fact, last weekend I didn't even leave my house. From Friday after work to Monday when I went back, I went as far as the mailbox."
Sensing my ennui she wrote, "Surely there must be more to do there than work & plan trips to other places!"
Even though I'm volunteering for the RAGBRAI tomorrow, today I realized that planning trips to other places really is more fun than the annual bike event & certainly more fun than work...so I spent a better part of the day planning my trips for the rest of the year.
I analyzed my personal ROI for frequent flyer miles & trips I'd need to take to meet my annual medallion status. I compared that to the enjoyment I'd get out of visiting friends & family around the world versus developing relationships with people here that I likely won't maintain friendships with once I move on to my next role in another state.
Hmmm...$3000 on visits to folks I already love plus frequent flyer miles for a vacation in Europe next year, or furniture for the condo I currently have to entertain people who won't give a damn about me when I either die or have left the company? Tough decision.
When I think back on all the money I've spent on travel over the years, the time spent alone in new places (and with friends' & loved ones) is priceless. I realize that entertaining folks here in town is critical to the my advancement of my career at this company, but I'm not committed to either one (the folks here or my career at this company). I have to think of my purpose in life:
"Take care of this planet & the people who live on it."
I'm beginning to realize that I'm one of the people who live on this planet, so I need to start taking care of myself. If travelling is one of the things that nourishes my soul, then the money doesn't matter. Furniture to entertain people who come and go from my life has never made a significant difference.
"It's great that everything's right here, but not so great that everything isn't much. I just haven't been motivated to do much of anything. In fact, last weekend I didn't even leave my house. From Friday after work to Monday when I went back, I went as far as the mailbox."
Sensing my ennui she wrote, "Surely there must be more to do there than work & plan trips to other places!"
Even though I'm volunteering for the RAGBRAI tomorrow, today I realized that planning trips to other places really is more fun than the annual bike event & certainly more fun than work...so I spent a better part of the day planning my trips for the rest of the year.
I analyzed my personal ROI for frequent flyer miles & trips I'd need to take to meet my annual medallion status. I compared that to the enjoyment I'd get out of visiting friends & family around the world versus developing relationships with people here that I likely won't maintain friendships with once I move on to my next role in another state.
Hmmm...$3000 on visits to folks I already love plus frequent flyer miles for a vacation in Europe next year, or furniture for the condo I currently have to entertain people who won't give a damn about me when I either die or have left the company? Tough decision.
When I think back on all the money I've spent on travel over the years, the time spent alone in new places (and with friends' & loved ones) is priceless. I realize that entertaining folks here in town is critical to the my advancement of my career at this company, but I'm not committed to either one (the folks here or my career at this company). I have to think of my purpose in life:
"Take care of this planet & the people who live on it."
I'm beginning to realize that I'm one of the people who live on this planet, so I need to start taking care of myself. If travelling is one of the things that nourishes my soul, then the money doesn't matter. Furniture to entertain people who come and go from my life has never made a significant difference.
posted by N'j at 8:00 PM
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