60 degrees this morning, no formal walk, about 7,000 steps yesterday.
I really feel like I am “on vacation”, as I revisit my past career at an International City Manager Conference.
It is startling how fast I get psychologically involved again (that may not be the right word), in the culture and concepts of may past career as I meet people who are still working and attend sessions about current thoughts about the profession.
At one session, (a roundtable session on “encore” careers) I even became the “expert” at my table as I discussed the feelings of suddenly changing your life. You suddenly are a different person.
I shared with them how, about two weeks after the change, I came across the following quote that struck me like a thunderbolt as to how I felt:
"Now I was free to do as I wished, but I found the freedom illusory, for what I wished for had been taken from me. They say, Find a purpose in life and live it. But, sometimes, it is only after you have lived that you recognize your life had a purpose, and likely one you never had in mind”.
At the keynote session yesterday morning, the speaker (who was excellent) left me with the thought that you become a “different person” after a big change in your life, and you never know what “that person” is going to want to do.
He mentioned that commitment (major change) is hard because you become a new person, but if you don’t make a commitment, but are always noncommittal and you will lead a “fragmented life”.
He called major decisions “Vampire Decisions”, they change who you are, but you can never go back to who you have been. Of course, the problem (opportunity?) is that you don’t know if you will like the “new you” or not until you have made the decision and you are a “Vampire”.
I am not a “vampire” follower, I read one book by Anne Rice, and, while I somewhat enjoyed it, I never read any more and didn’t really see much sense in reading or watching movies etc. about vampires. I think I have other things I want to spend my time on.
However, I do like the term “Vampire Decision”, it describes the decision process well.
All in all, I wouldn’t have missed this experience for anything.
It always amazes me how something may hit you (at a conference or anywhere) and when you dwell on it, it brings on major changes in your life. An example of past conferences is the one where I heard Doris Kearns Goodwin and Beck Weathers (Left for Dead) speak.
I till add this conference to them. I”ll admit I was uncertain up to the time we left for the conference if I wanted to go or not. Now I realize I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.
It has been interesting, keeping notes on my iPhone on the Conference App. (Especially interesting since my phone has developed a battery problem, which I have a feeling is related to some apps I am running.)
I am keeping notes based on the theory that “fewer is better” and a few words will bring back the idea. Also, I am writing a report for my ICMA “Credentialed Manager” report, which is a good chance to recap what I learned.
Dealing with the “surge pricing” of Uber continues to be frustrating. Actually it only was a problem one time yesterday (going to the conference, of course, when we actually were on a deadline).
Watched the Presidential debate last night. No one can say they are carbon copies of each other. You may not like the choice you have, but you definitely have a choice.
That’’s it for now Tuesday, September 27, 2016
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