Issue 21: Movement
Something I’ve realized this summer is that 9 to 5 isn’t all that great. During the school year, I’m like, I can’t wait until I have a real job and can just work 9 to 5! Then I can just clock out and go home at 5, and no homework!!
Now that that’s what I’m doing, it’s super exhausting. Waking up early for the commute, walking to the station, riding the subway, sitting at work for 8 hours and then riding all the way back home on a crowded subway during rush hour. I don’t even live that far from work.
I do like riding the subway sometimes though. I like people watching. I like listening to podcasts when the subway isn’t scraping the tracks (by the way if you have any great podcast recs, hmu) or reading books. I like the movement, which I don’t get very much of at work.
Sitting is exhausting. When I get home, my back is completely sore, yet all I did was sit. I think I’m going to try to make a point to take more walking breaks during work. Or take more walks at the park. When I do that, I immediately feel more energized. Even though I’m technically expending more energy.
That being said, I think I appreciate 9 to 5 more than the sleepless stressful midterm weeks. I wonder if I’d like a job where there’s more movement though.
By the way, this newsletter is almost at 100 subscribers! Thank you to all of you, whether you actually read this newsletter or whether this just goes unread in your inbox. And for those who are actually reading this, thanks for sticking through all these newsletters, from the lazy ones to the ones where I kind of try to be insightful. If you guys could share this newsletter link on FB or Twitter or whatever people use nowadays and make someone’s day, that would be greatly appreciated! :)
Here are the three stories of the week:
- My Family Fled Communist Cuba. Last Week I Took a Cruise There. by Vanessa Garcia. “With memories of torture and misery imprinted on their minds, my grandparents can’t understand why I’d ever want to visit Castro country. But when the first U.S. cruise to Cuba in fifty years set sail, I just had to be on board.”
- Reverse commute is a long haul on public transit by La Risa Lynch. This is in a publication that I love, the Chicago Reporter. This story is about commuters who work in the suburbs who deal with limited transit options, such as infrequent trains, limited bus service and other problems.
- What I Learned From Kristi Yamaguchi by Nicole Chung. “The first time I saw her she wasn’t even skating. I was flipping through the handful of channels our TV could pick up with its rabbit-ear antenna when I glimpsed her waving from the tallest podium at the 1991 World Figure Skating Championships, dazzling in rhinestone-studded hot magenta, with her high hair-sprayed bangs and million-watt smile. She’s Asian, I thought. There’s an Asian girl on television, and everyone is cheering for her.”
By the way, can we give a shoutout to Nicole Chung, managing editor of the Toast? I loved The Toast, especially theinsightful essays, as well as the Western art interpretations. The Toast will be missed dearly.
As always, if you see any great stories, please send them my way! And share this newsletter! Have a great rest of the week!
-rc
