1 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to okay F Daily with 2 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: me your Girl Danielle Back recording from the home Bunker. Folks, 3 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: I'm going to start off today's show with saying that 4 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: it's not going to be a political one, as I 5 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: am just dipping my toes back into the acid rain 6 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: that is our political climate, but rather want to share 7 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: some reflections um that I've been having um over the 8 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 1: past couple of days as I was spending it celebrating 9 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:47,160 Speaker 1: one of my best friends who was getting married, and 10 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: just in general, over the past couple of several weeks, 11 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 1: as you guys have known, I have been in a boot. 12 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: I broke my toe Memorial Day weekend because who doesn't 13 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,040 Speaker 1: do that, and you know what kind of less and 14 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 1: have come up in that time. But this is what 15 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: I want to start out by saying, I was hanging 16 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: out with a friend of mine before I went away 17 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: on holiday and she said something that was so profound 18 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: that I want to share with all of you because 19 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: I know that on WOKEAF we tend to marinate in 20 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: the current affairs, into the current political sphere of what 21 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: is happening, and that because things are so bad, because 22 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: you know, as I was traveling through wine country in 23 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 1: California for the last couple of days. You see very 24 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: close up right aside from just being on your own 25 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: front stoop or on your own patio or your own 26 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: balcony or walking down your own street, to travel and 27 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: to see other terrain and how it is acclimating or 28 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: not acclimating to our current climate crisis is wild. I've 29 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: been to Napa and Sonoma Calistoga wine region several times, 30 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: and I love it so much because I love wine 31 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: a lot and I love learning. So there's nothing better 32 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: for me than to go to vineyards, to sit down 33 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: with Psammier's, to do tastings and really understand wine in 34 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: a way that I also like to understand the political 35 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: climate as well as the actual climate, as well as 36 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: what was going on the year that this wine, this 37 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 1: vintage was made. So a friend of mine said to me, 38 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 1: as we were watching, you know, we were watching actually 39 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty two summer collection, like fashion shows of 40 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: like Valentino and Off White and Louis Baton and Ralph Laurent. 41 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: You know, we were watching catching up on fashion shows. 42 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 1: And she said to me, you know, Danielle, some times 43 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 1: it's good to be reminded that while all the bad 44 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,639 Speaker 1: things are happening, and they are happening and people need 45 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 1: to pay attention to them, the fashion is being created, 46 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: art is being created, music is being created, Beauty is 47 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 1: being created. Life is being created, and in this dichotomy 48 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 1: that we're living in, we must be able to hold 49 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: space for both. And it was so profound. It hit 50 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: me as so profound because I think that on woke 51 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: AF I work so hard to ring alarm bells to 52 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: all of the things that are so wrong and so bad. 53 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: And in my heart it's like, if enough people care 54 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: about what is happening, it'll be enough to change what 55 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: is happening, right, and to understand that that change doesn't 56 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 1: happen overnight. Sometimes that changes decades sent trees in the making, 57 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: but that if enough people are aware and know and 58 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: use their knowing to alert other people, and then it 59 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: grows and grows and grows, will be better off than 60 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: we are now. But that works on both sides, not 61 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 1: just knowing and understanding what is going wrong, but also 62 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 1: knowing and being able to hold and create space for 63 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: what is beautiful as well. Right, Because while death is happening, 64 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: birth is also happening while there are forests, forests being 65 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: ravaged by fires, which I mean, my god, folks driving 66 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 1: through wine country and listening to my friends talk about 67 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: vineyards that they had visited, you know, the year prior, 68 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 1: or two years before, or five or ten years and saying, oh, well, 69 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: this fine yard burned down, and that vineyard burned down. 70 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: These are hundred year old vineyards right In some cases, 71 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: these are places that have been around for a century, 72 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 1: decades upon decades. So the casualness I had to pause 73 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: us because the casual nature with which we were discussing 74 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 1: the fact that this hundred year old wine vineyard generational 75 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: passed through generation of generation of generation, was no longer there. 76 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 1: I wanted us to actually sit with it and pay 77 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: respect to the fact that this is not normal. It's 78 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 1: not normal for you to say, well, you know, I 79 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 1: guess maybe next year, God knows what will be around. 80 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 1: Because things are changing that rapidly that we could see 81 00:05:52,520 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: where fire had hit in Sonoma and Napa trees charred, 82 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:04,480 Speaker 1: but then new trees coming behind, or other trees that 83 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: weren't hit, grass looking brown and just dried. Because it's 84 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: a drought. It's California and there you know, have been 85 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:20,039 Speaker 1: in a drought. But then also folks to just take 86 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:25,279 Speaker 1: in the landscape, to take in the beauty of how 87 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,039 Speaker 1: the trees look different on the West coast, and how 88 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,479 Speaker 1: you know the flowers and you know the ground and 89 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: the air smells different. And so instead of just continuing 90 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: to be wrapped up in what I had left on 91 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 1: the East coast and allowing my shoulders to drop, allowing 92 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,160 Speaker 1: my eyes to open in a way that I was 93 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 1: able to take in the beauty. And I think, in 94 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: all honesty, whenever I have the opportunity and the privilege 95 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: to take a break, whether it is to you know, 96 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 1: a couple of days or a couple of weeks, which 97 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: I've never done. I've never taken a couple of weeks 98 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: all at one time, but to take a couple of 99 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: days in I consense, in my own body, how I feel, 100 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: how I show up different, how my perspective is different, 101 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 1: how my ease is different. And I know, I know 102 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 1: that vacations are a privilege. I know that being able 103 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 1: to afford them is a privilege. But I want us 104 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: to get to a space where we don't where we 105 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: stop our record playing that tells us that we need 106 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: to earn these things. Do you know what I mean? 107 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: Where we stop ourselves from believing that rest and recharging 108 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: and respit is something that we must grind ourselves into 109 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: the ground in order to earn. We are in rest 110 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: by virtue of our birth, because we are human beings 111 00:07:55,280 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: and not machines. But capitalism and how it has played 112 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: in to creating this trick bag that makes us feel 113 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 1: guilty about the time that we take away from our 114 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: computer screens, from our phones, from grinding, grinding, grinding largely 115 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: for other people, because it's not as if we set 116 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: up a tax code that works to benefit those that 117 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 1: want to innovate and be entrepreneurs on their own. No, 118 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 1: we sure as fuck do not, and I can tell 119 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:33,319 Speaker 1: you that. But the fact is that, you know, I 120 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:38,439 Speaker 1: realize why we need a week or weeks off because 121 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: the first couple of days, folks of me, the first 122 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: day I will say I was only gone for five days, 123 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: but the first day of me being gone even on 124 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: the plane. I'm on the plane New York to California, 125 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: and I have brought my laptop because I never leave 126 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:01,679 Speaker 1: home without it, even if I don't plan on doing 127 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: any work, because God knows what will happen. I was 128 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 1: telling myself that I should be riding an op ed, 129 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,559 Speaker 1: that I should be doing something useful, that just sitting 130 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 1: on a plane for five hours and watching two movies 131 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 1: or sleeping was a quote unquote waste of time. This 132 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: is the ship that was going through my head as 133 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: I was traveling to my friend's long weekend engagement. And 134 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 1: I arrive right, I didn't do any work, don't worry. 135 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 1: I know, actually watched a movie or two. I slept. 136 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:45,439 Speaker 1: We get off the plane, we you know, we gathered 137 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:48,079 Speaker 1: the other folks that are traveling in from other places, 138 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: and you know, we head to the house and I 139 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: realized that I'm surrounded by people who are all type, 140 00:09:55,240 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: A small group of us, but all type, all taught, like, 141 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: all wanting to be the top of what it is 142 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 1: that we do. There wasn't one person who didn't work 143 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 1: on that trip. We're taking a holiday everybody, even if 144 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:20,559 Speaker 1: it was just a text, an email, or an actual 145 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 1: editing of something here or there, except for the twenty 146 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: something year olds who literally took the time off on 147 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 1: who are beginning in their career so don't have the 148 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:41,679 Speaker 1: same necessarily the same pressure everybody else was working. It 149 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 1: was a Sunday, and folks are like, Oh, I'll be 150 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 1: down for breakfast in a little bit. I just need 151 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: to get a couple of things in. And I had 152 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: to call it out right because I'm calling I wasn't 153 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 1: calling them out. I'm calling myself out, and I'm calling 154 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 1: all of us out, Like what the fuck? Fifty two 155 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:06,960 Speaker 1: weeks in a year, and in most jobs you get 156 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: two weeks. So you're working fifty weeks in order to 157 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 1: take two, which most people do not do consecutively because 158 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 1: you're spending the whole fucking year. So you need because 159 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,680 Speaker 1: we don't treat human beings the way that humans should 160 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 1: be treated in terms of unlimited time off unless you 161 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 1: work in the tech sector or startup sector, where they 162 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: have become a little more human focused, right, but not necessary, 163 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 1: not really. And so it's like you are socialized and 164 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 1: programmed into believing that you should work fifty weeks out 165 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: of the year, get two weeks off that maybe you 166 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: take one at the first six months of the year, 167 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: maybe you take the other one the other one week 168 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:07,680 Speaker 1: off at the last part of the year. For those 169 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: of us who are fortunate that our work closes down 170 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: between Christmas and New Year. Okay, you get a bonus week, 171 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:19,599 Speaker 1: but it's all of the prep that goes into actually 172 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,839 Speaker 1: being able to take that time off. And even if 173 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:25,680 Speaker 1: you do all of the prep work, prepare the people 174 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 1: that are taking on your workload. You talk to your boss, 175 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:34,679 Speaker 1: you know, do whatever, you still don't rid yourself up 176 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 1: the fucking guilt. There was not one day on the 177 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: time that I was gone that I did not feel 178 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 1: guilty that I was not following social media to see 179 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 1: the latest and the greatest fuckory that was happening. There 180 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 1: was not one day that I didn't take a sneak 181 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: peek and to see like what was happening in the 182 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: news and whether or not I could gauge whether or 183 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: not any need to weigh in. And I stopped myself 184 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 1: because again, we've been socialized and programmed into believing that 185 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 1: we are undeserving of rest and that rest is something 186 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: that we earn. And I will say this every goddamn 187 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 1: time that I come back from holiday, because I am 188 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 1: reminded of it that I am not the only one 189 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 1: that feels this way. That when I travel with other friends, 190 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: when I travel with family, that there is this feeling 191 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 1: that did you earn this time? I woke up in 192 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 1: the morning when I got back home, because again here's 193 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 1: a little bit of travel advice. If you don't do 194 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: this or don't have the ability to do this. I 195 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:46,959 Speaker 1: usually take the day that I get back from traveling 196 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 1: off right, because you need a buffer day, a day 197 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 1: to be able to transition back into the real world. 198 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:56,280 Speaker 1: And for me, I take a buffer day mostly because 199 00:13:56,640 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 1: jumping back into the news cycle, I say this all 200 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:02,559 Speaker 1: of the time is like taking a shower and acid. 201 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 1: That's what it feels like, right, And so I like 202 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: to give myself some space and some time to be 203 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 1: able to just you know, acclimate, go to the grocery store, 204 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 1: you know, just kind of ease in. And again I 205 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 1: woke up knowing that I'd given myself this space, and 206 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 1: woke up with guilt that I should be doing something. 207 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: And I'm like, this is how capitalism works, right that 208 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: we are it has set in our minds, and particularly folks, 209 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 1: I believe that this weighs heavily for women, that if 210 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 1: you are not doing right, what do we tell people? 211 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 1: What is that? What is that saying? Idle hands are 212 00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:00,160 Speaker 1: the devil's playground. If you are have subscribed to some 213 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 1: form of Christianity at some point in time, you know 214 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 1: that saying idle hands are the devil's playground, so meaning 215 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 1: that you should never be at a point of rest, 216 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 1: because when we rest, we think, and if we think, 217 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 1: bad things can happen. What the fuck? How does that 218 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 1: even make sense? But we have all bought into this, 219 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 1: And what I'm asking, what I'm thinking about, is can 220 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: we decide to opt out? Because I would love, you know, 221 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 1: to be able to take a vacation, take a day 222 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 1: off and not need to work myself up to the 223 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: place where that feels okay. I would also love to 224 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 1: eat food and then not look down at my body 225 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 1: and be like, why did you do that? And feel 226 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: like I need to condemn myself for joy experiencing joy, 227 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 1: whether it's a meal, whether it's space, whether it's relaxing. 228 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,600 Speaker 1: And you know, and what I've noticed being around other 229 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: people is that this is the norm. This is the 230 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 1: norm that we've all been socialized into, and we need 231 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: to break this goddamn cycle. And people will say to me, 232 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 1: because I had folks say this the other day, well, 233 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 1: what are we support? We need to work. We can't 234 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: all opt to I'm not saying not to work. I'm saying, 235 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:28,440 Speaker 1: but how we think about work and how we show 236 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 1: up for work, whether you work for yourself or somebody else, 237 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 1: that we need to rewire how we've been programmed to 238 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: think about our productivity, because it honestly is not aligned 239 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 1: with living a full, happy and joyful life. It isn't. 240 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 1: Why do I say that? Okay, Well, because we tell 241 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:56,000 Speaker 1: people then on average, if you are in a you know, 242 00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:00,200 Speaker 1: desk job, you're going to put in forty hours a week. 243 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 1: Bear you know, at the minimum, at least forty hours 244 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:09,200 Speaker 1: a week. Well, I know that by virtue of being 245 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 1: a podcaster, a writer, a media person, that I work 246 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: well over forty hours a week every week. I couldn't 247 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 1: really tell you I'm going to give you a range, 248 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:32,360 Speaker 1: but I'm pretty sure when you take into consideration everything research, analysis, writing, tweeting, speaking, 249 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 1: you know, thinking all of those things, you're looking at 250 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 1: probably sixty hours a week some weeks, a lot of weeks. Now, 251 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 1: I love what it is that I do, But just 252 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:51,479 Speaker 1: because you love what it is that you do doesn't 253 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,119 Speaker 1: mean that you should be doing it all the time. 254 00:17:55,960 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 1: And so I offer my own reflections on what happens 255 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 1: when I unplug and partially unplug for a little bit, 256 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,520 Speaker 1: how I feel when I'm returning, and sadly, I feel guilt. 257 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 1: I feel like I could have used the time work productively. Yes, 258 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: I feel rested, but at the same time, i'mlike, what 259 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 1: did I miss? And I want to figure out how 260 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 1: to work myself and help us all work ourselves out 261 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 1: of that conditioning because it's not healthy and it's not sustainable. 262 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 1: And the more that things speed up, literally the earth 263 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:46,120 Speaker 1: is turning faster, because that's totally fine and not at 264 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:52,919 Speaker 1: all anything to be alarmed about. Dripping in sarcasm, the 265 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 1: more I realize that if we're not making sure that 266 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 1: we are holding balance in some type of way that 267 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:03,120 Speaker 1: we are taking in the art and the beauty as 268 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:06,439 Speaker 1: well as the grief and the pain that we are 269 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 1: taking in the lusciousness and the green, as well as 270 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:11,440 Speaker 1: the desert and the fire, that if we are not 271 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: challenging ourselves to live and be more imbalanced, then we 272 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: will easily be knocked off of our game. We will 273 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:26,639 Speaker 1: easily miss things. It's no secret that the news is 274 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 1: horsepill hard to swallow. Thankfully, there's The Bituation Room podcast 275 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 1: hosted by comedian and commentator Francesca free Erntini for a 276 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 1: lighter take on the heavy stuff. Each week, the Bituation 277 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: Room brings you progressive comedians, experts, and activists to break 278 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:43,720 Speaker 1: down the issues in a way that won't just leave 279 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:46,880 Speaker 1: you crying under a weighted blanket. Get The Bituation Room 280 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:51,120 Speaker 1: on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and streaming on YouTube and Twitch. 281 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,120 Speaker 1: Hey there, I want to tell you about another podcast 282 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 1: I think you'll love. The Brown Girl's Guide to Politics, 283 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 1: hosted by a Shanty Goehler, the president of Emerge BGG, 284 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:07,920 Speaker 1: is the one stop shop for women of color who 285 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:10,200 Speaker 1: want to hear and talk about the world of politics. 286 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 1: Join a Shanty this season as she talks to incredible 287 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 1: women of color who are changing the face of politics 288 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 1: and tackling some of the most important issues basing the 289 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 1: United States, from reproductive justice to voting rights, to climate 290 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:24,680 Speaker 1: change and more. Tune in every Tuesday wherever you get 291 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:29,479 Speaker 1: your podcasts. So those are my thoughts and reflections on 292 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:35,120 Speaker 1: the last couple of days. Reminded again how important it 293 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 1: is to be in community with people and what does 294 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:43,879 Speaker 1: that actually mean. It means sharing and also listening, and 295 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 1: it means listening more necessarily, then you share and you 296 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 1: hear how people are living, coping, dealing with these times. 297 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:02,720 Speaker 1: And it's so varied, but it's so important to be 298 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 1: able to listen and hear other people's perspective. Is why 299 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 1: you know we're born with two years in one mouth, 300 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:11,879 Speaker 1: because we should listen more than we actually speak. And 301 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:13,919 Speaker 1: I say this as a person with a microphone in 302 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 1: their mouth most days, but listening to how people have 303 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: been dealing with the unprecedented times, I know that it's 304 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 1: all over the news, unprecedented search and unprecedented rage of 305 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:32,120 Speaker 1: Donald Trump, and I'm you know again, have only been 306 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 1: on the periphery of watching Republicans turn themselves into pretzels 307 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: to justify defunding, defunding the FBI and other intelligence agencies 308 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:47,400 Speaker 1: and law enforcement because God forbid a rich white man 309 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:51,440 Speaker 1: be held accountable for any wrongdoing, then we must defund things. 310 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 1: But if that same apparatus and system has been trained 311 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,160 Speaker 1: to target and focus and oppress black and brown people, 312 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:01,119 Speaker 1: give them all the money that they want. It's like 313 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 1: America doesn't even hide it's fuckery anymore. But yeah, I 314 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 1: think that it's important to listen to how people are managing, 315 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 1: because people are managing in a lot of different ways 316 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:17,159 Speaker 1: right now, and I'm trying to figure out what is 317 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 1: the best way, and I think that for me it is, 318 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: you know, pushing, pushing, pushing, taking a break. I like 319 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:28,000 Speaker 1: to take multiple breaks throughout the year. You wouldn't know 320 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:31,639 Speaker 1: that by the cadence of this show, but I do 321 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 1: try to take breaks and really connect with friends and 322 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 1: connect with family because for me, those are recharging elements. 323 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: They make me feel good, they make me feel whole, 324 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 1: They make me feel like I have enough air oxygen, 325 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 1: and like good times to sustain to get over the 326 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 1: next hump. But then I realize that I don't actually 327 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 1: want to live that way where I'm just taking a 328 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:00,439 Speaker 1: break to get over the next hump, to get over 329 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:03,359 Speaker 1: the next hump, and sow again. It goes back to 330 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: how can I hold both the light and the darkness 331 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 1: at the same time, but not hold all the darkness 332 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:13,119 Speaker 1: get over a hump, and then you're like, ooh, we 333 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,199 Speaker 1: can take a break. It is like living in a 334 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:19,919 Speaker 1: marathon right now. And what do they have during marathons? 335 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 1: Lots of checkpoints where you can fuel up and get 336 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:27,440 Speaker 1: water and take a break and go to the bathroom 337 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:31,640 Speaker 1: all throughout the twenty six point one miles twenty six 338 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 1: point two miles. Excuse me, So that is the same 339 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: way with life. We bundle up fucking fifty weeks and 340 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:44,919 Speaker 1: then we take two that ain't balance. Balance would be 341 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: working twenty five and take in twenty five. Right, that's 342 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 1: what balance would look like if we're looking at fifty weeks, right, 343 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 1: that's what it would actually be imagined. Just imagine that 344 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 1: when you look at other countries and people can say, well, 345 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,200 Speaker 1: that's Europe and they don't really work well. They seem 346 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 1: to have had a euro right that was weighted higher 347 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: than our dollar at one point, and yet a full 348 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:15,479 Speaker 1: and complete life. So my thinking is that if we 349 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: all decide that how we are living and working no 350 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:21,199 Speaker 1: longer works for us, which is which has been a 351 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: result of COVID and people working remotely, and then you 352 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:27,400 Speaker 1: having the higher up saying we need to get back 353 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:30,119 Speaker 1: into the office. Why because they have a real estate 354 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 1: tab that they're paying, they're paying a mortgage, or they're 355 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:36,360 Speaker 1: paying rent for office space. It isn't about you, right, 356 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:38,960 Speaker 1: because you've been able to be just as productive at 357 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,879 Speaker 1: home as you were in the office. So what about 358 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:45,439 Speaker 1: we give people actual choices, a hybrid model of you 359 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:47,439 Speaker 1: can go into the office if you want, if you 360 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:51,360 Speaker 1: function better there, but otherwise you can stay home. You 361 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 1: can cook dinner while you're on the five o'clock fucking 362 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:58,159 Speaker 1: conference call, right that you don't need to actually be 363 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 1: on camera for Like, I want us to normalize actually 364 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:08,399 Speaker 1: living as opposed to just working to live, because it 365 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,240 Speaker 1: isn't enough. We're not squeezing enough life out of two 366 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:17,680 Speaker 1: weeks over fifty two. It's just not happening. So again, 367 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:22,360 Speaker 1: I encourage us as the summer winds down, as you're 368 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:24,439 Speaker 1: about to send kids back to school, which I have 369 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:29,679 Speaker 1: so many feelings about, as we're about to enter into 370 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:34,960 Speaker 1: real midterm season where if you're living in battleground states, 371 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:38,280 Speaker 1: I'm assuming that the primaries had your TVs occupied and 372 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:41,680 Speaker 1: it will get worse. But what if we were all 373 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,359 Speaker 1: collectively to just say no, that the way that we've 374 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:49,919 Speaker 1: been functioning and living is not really living, it's just existing, 375 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:53,440 Speaker 1: and that if there is anything that we've learned over 376 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:56,800 Speaker 1: this past two years of dealing with multiple viruses and 377 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:02,080 Speaker 1: multiple fucking pandemics and multiple disasters, at one time, is 378 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:05,679 Speaker 1: that we need to focus more on living than just 379 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:10,479 Speaker 1: working and existing because life is fucking short, it really is, 380 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:13,360 Speaker 1: and I for one want to get the most out 381 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:14,919 Speaker 1: of it, and I don't want to just be in 382 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:19,240 Speaker 1: vacation mode quote unquote in order to get the most 383 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 1: out of life. And so I encourage us all to 384 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: think about how we are living, how we are really living, 385 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:31,720 Speaker 1: and what does that mean for us? Because for me, 386 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 1: it isn't just sitting in front of a screen, you know, 387 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 1: reading every bit of bad news and figuring out the 388 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: best and witty way to regurgitate it back. It is 389 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 1: truly figuring out a way that we can both we 390 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:47,680 Speaker 1: can be tapped in to what is happening, but then 391 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:51,719 Speaker 1: also be tapped into ourselves and what is needed. And 392 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 1: that's the space that I really want to purposefully occupy. 393 00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:59,199 Speaker 1: But again, when my mind is rested, do I have 394 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 1: the time to really think outside of that box? And 395 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:05,199 Speaker 1: so I want to challenge all of us, and so 396 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 1: in the comment section, what does living really mean to 397 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:14,160 Speaker 1: you when you think about how you are living versus 398 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: just existing? What do those differences look like? Share them 399 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,159 Speaker 1: in the comment section, because I'm sure we could all 400 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:29,960 Speaker 1: benefit from a wide variety of perspective. That is it 401 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 1: for me, dear friends today on Woke a f as 402 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:37,520 Speaker 1: always Power to the people and to all the people power, 403 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:40,160 Speaker 1: Get woke and stay woke as fuck.