@middlemanagementlivingthedream / middlemanagementlivingthedream.tumblr.com
@middlemanagementlivingthedream and I made a podcast! The goal of Medically MANAGED! is to break down a complex medical topic and make is easy to understand. Just in time for the holidays, our first episode talks about how to have a safe holiday celebration during the pandemic.
We hope you enjoy!
Important information is important.
Now smash that like button!
Jana Sterbak - Sisyphus Sport (1997/2014)
stone, leather straps and metal buckles 42 x 35 x 16 cm
The actual title of this piece of art is “Dr. Baffled plays video games with @middlemanagementlivingthedream“
Coming out of tumblr hibernation just to post GPOY, me and the news cycle edition
Wednesday, 5/13, 6:30 PM Eastern, I’ll be Zooming with Booktowne, a fab indie in New Jersey, and Brielle Public Library.
Thursday, 5/14, 7 PM Eastern, I’ll be Zooming with Main Point Books, in PA! They happen to employ the bookseller who has talked the most money out of my pocket. I don’t regret a single book purchase.
If you purchase a Light From Other Stars from either one of these fantastic indies, send proof of purchase and a mailing address to erikaswylerwrites[at]gmail and I’ll mail you a note and signed bookplate.
If you value indepedent bookstores, now is 100% the time to buy from them.
If you’ve ever wanted to ask me a question and I haven’t been in your town for an event, now is the time. My book zooms have all been fun and informal, full of books you may not have heard of, and they’ve generally resulted in everyone laughing at some point.
Let’s do this thing.
Dr. Baffled, reading the instructions to a new game for us to play.
Today in homeownership...
Mrs. MMLTD and I swap out a sump pump.
Wandering around an airport, I keep getting weird looks at my shirt, then me.
Austin State Building. We saw this seal on the floor. Mrs. MMLTD exclaimed "Gryffindor!"
I don't know how Texas decides legislation, but this makes sense.
The MMLTDs are in Austin.
It's neat.
No. Just, no. I work with people and see people all day. It takes a lot out of me. And then you spring getting together through a third party person, with you downtown in some pain in the ass spot with no metro, terrible parking, and tons of traffic during the middle of the week.
No. Please. You're a good person. And so am I. But after a long, long day at work doing all the new projects I have, I just want to come home and not sit in a loud bar or in hours of traffic. I need to get my head around being in front of people some days. And this ain't a great set of days. So, you're great, and I'm not bad, but I can't do this last minute jaunt to DC you forgot to tell me you'd be in town. Because the whole time I'd be there, I'd be thinking about leaving.
I think I did a good.
Two interviews today. First felt pretty good. Second is a harder read, but they ended talking about next steps in the process.
I learned more about the role. Wow, they need help. And wow, I could *crush this*.
I think it's good. I feel generally positive.
Now, you know... We wait.
Good morning, Tumblroos. Have some coffee.
Today, I'm interviewing for a job that should be 3-5 years ahead of my plan. I worked with a recruiter, and I went from laughing at the impossibility of the job they suggested at this point in my career, to sitting here at a coffee shop across the state, waiting to have 2 face to face interviews.
It's a fascinating morning.
Things haven't been great at work, so it's time for a change. There is rumbling of my current employer potentially putting together a retention package (which is nuts), but it'd need to have some significant changes in my role to make me want to put this cup of coffee down and drive home.
The next few weeks could be really interesting for your local middle manager.
Clearly, all motivation for physical effort died with it.
I'll be in my office, lying on the carpet, thinking about what I haven't done.
I’ve decided to raise some money for a favorite non-profit of mine, One Tree Planted.
Global reforestation is a real possibility, and something each of us can participate in. It’s a hopeful thing. I’ve set a small fundraising goal, as I’m not typically a fundraiser, more a “let me quietly fund this thing and disappear into the shadows” person.
But I’d like for as many people as possible to feel that they, as individuals, can participate in fixing something.
You may not be able to personally stop all the wrongs you see in the world, but dang it, you can get a tree in the ground that will capture some carbon.
Bonus: There’s a picture of me wearing an alpaca hat in the middle of a snowstorm.
Hello!
On Nook (Barnes & Noble’s truly superior reading app), there is currently a little banner, one that makes me very very happy. It’s nice that it’s there at all. I don’t really know what it means, but I’m just gonna take it as a sign that it’s slowly finding the people who need it.
If you haven't bought this, do it. I love this book, and strongly recommend it. Light from Other Stars is such an enjoyable and rewarding read.
