This week is the beginning of a rough Journey for me. The job search has been anemic and now I am getting a part time retail job to get at least a little money in the door. I have accepted the position and will be starting next week… so I have that going for me. It is a tough pill to swallow.
I had a 20 year GIS/Cartography career wherein, I changed the state of practice for public involvement meetings for transportation projects by upping the graphic quality for maps and other graphics displaying transportation alternatives for the public facing information. I am in the midst of a user experience design career for almost 10 years now. In this career I have won awards as a UX designer (they were internal company awards, but those matter) and generated measurable positive business results for the designs I put together in multiple companies and across multiple industries. I am good at what I do. At least I thought I was.
So, now I am going to use this time as a part-time retail worker to try and get more freelance work and continue to search for the incredibly elusive full-time position. This job search has been humbling and demoralizing.
So I am on a Journey that I do not want to be on. I am trekking through the wilderness of the job search while trying to stay even remotely positive, but one cannot avoid a journey once they are on it, one can only keep putting one foot in front of the other and try to get to the destination. I know some of you are going to joke that “it isn’t the destination, but the friends you made along the way,” but, in this instance, that is bullshit. Sometimes you just need to get from Point A to Point B
Thanks this week go to the Wiffffffuh, Gibrań, Ex-Wifey, Alesha, Bob, Nicole, Kristin, John, Chris, and ChatGPT for the questions. Anyway… so… “Journey…” Let’s do this.. on to the questions! Allez Allez
1. We are in the midst of a psychedelic renaissance, why do you think people are referring to it as “journey work?” How is it different from just “trippin?”
Honestly, I am not sure. This is all pure supposition on my part. I have never partaken of any psychedelics recreationally, therapeutically, or spiritually. Take my answer with a grain of salt.
There are a couple of nuances in how we refer to “taking a trip” and “being on a journey.” . I am only going to focus on 2 of them.
Thing the first: Intentionality. A journey has intention. You are going from somewhere to somewhere else. Tripping is less intentional. You are just wanting to experience and see where this thing goes knowing you will be back right where you started when you are done.
Thing the second: Openness: When you take a trip, you are using the active voice. You Take Trip. You are attempting to be in control. I will take this psychedelic and (hopefully) enjoy the trip I go on. When you are on a journey, you have a more passive voice being used in the description. You are not necessarily wresting control from the situation. There is more of a being along for the ride feel to that phrasing. Even if you go with the active voice verb, You Go On Journey, it is often implying that you are only in control of the start point and the desired end point. You are open to see where the journey takes you on the way to your destination.
That being said… I do think there is some rationalization by some people who use “journeying” as a way to trip ballz with their friends and call it something else. Some priests really NEED to finish the wine after the communion sacrament is over.
2. What is the point of the inner journey? Is there a destination?
A journey is not a journey without a destination. With no destination in mind, it is just aimless roaming. So, one needs to have a destination in mind when dealing with an inward journey. That destination can be vague and ill-defined, but it should be a destination… better mental health, more confidence, less anxiety in m y life, etc… but there should be a destination.
3. How is parenting a journey?
There are at least 2 journeys going on with parenting. One is of the parent, and the other is of the child. It is a journey because you are going from not having a kid (Point A) to launching and adult into the unsuspecting world (Point B).
4. “Journey into the dark night of the soul…” what is your understanding of that kind of journey? What can help people through the dark night of the soul journey?
“The journey into the dark night of the soul” seems like it is actually a named thing and not just a compelling turn of phrase. I have an inkling of what it might be about, but I;m going to check to see… /cue hold music
With a cursory glance at the internet it seems like this is an unflinching self explorative journey. It is the kind of journey wherein the participant shines a light into the recesses of their soul, the dark parts that they themselves do not want to delve into, much less allow others to see. This illumination of the shadow traits and experiences is to integrate them into the whole of the person and de-mystify and dis-arm the discomfort associated with their existence. The only thing I can see helping a person through this kind of journey is radical transparency or radical openness. You have to be absolutely transparent with yourself and open with yourself to see the dark parts, and even more transparent and open to integrate them.
5. What is the favorite journey you’ve ever taken with someone? Alone?
This an interesting question, because of who asked it (Ex-Wifey) and the term “favorite.” My favorite completed journey was my previous relationship with the Ex-Wifey. It was a good Journey that she and I had. There were ups and downs, but significantly more ups than downs. I was not expecting that journey to end where it did, but I am still thankful for the whole of the journey including the ending of it. I truly am (overall) enjoying the current journey I am on with the Wifffffuh. I like who I am starting on this journey more than who I was starting the journey with the Ex-Wifey, but there is so much external stress on our lives right now that this journey is not super enjoyable. Internally we are great, but budgetary concerns are dampening the enjoyment in this stage of the journey. This part of the trek is hard right now.
As far as part 2 of that question, it is not my favorite journey because of how difficult it was, but my most important journey was the journey of rediscovery after the split with Ex-Wifey. It was super important that I made myself take that journey instead of wallowing in my own depression.
6. What is a journey you hope to take someday?
I would love to take a personal journey where I could shed some more of my depression and anxiety. I have no idea what that journey would be now or how one would move forward on that “path,” but I do feel like my depression and anxiety are severely limiting factors in my llfe right now. That and the lack of income. That is a real limit.
7. Where would you NEVER want to journey?
Bottom of the ocean. I’ve seen what happens to private submersibles in deep water, and there are weird scary things that live there. Fuck that shit.
8. Is it true that a towel is the most important thing someone should have on a journey, interstellar or otherwise?
The towel is a symbol for preparedness. It can be used for a multitude of tasks and those tasks can all use a larger rectangular piece of terrycloth. JUst follow what Ford Prefect does.
9. If you could journey to a different time period and live for a while, but return to the present, where would that journey take you?
To.👏 The.👏Future.👏 The past is just the worst. You go back just a little bit in time and medical shit goes bad. The past is a horror show.
10. Are you currently on a particular journey and where is it leading you right now?
I am on a few different journeys at the moment. The big one is for this unemployed journey to come to a completion. The other big journey is the one I am on with the Wiffffuh. This one is much better and one that I enjoy significantly more.
11. What places are on your journey “bucket list?”
Antarctica is a big one. American Samoa holds some interest for me, and, weirdly enough, UlaanBaatar in Mongolia is compelling.
12. What is the most influential Journey song written and performed?
There are a few songs in Journey’s oeuvre that could be considered their most influential. The top 5 (from a pure popularity in the cultural zeitgeist standpoint) are (in no particular order):
Of those, I think it can boil down to Don’t Stop Believing and Anyway You Want It. From there it is a toss-up.
13. The word journey comes from the French word meeting day. What is the best journey you’ve done in a single day?
I keep hoping for the journey of my finger hitting the refresh email button to the reading of a job offer.
14. If you are traveling… er… journeying at the speed of light, do your headlights work?
At that speed, everything is weird and hypothetical. At lightspeed, you would be infinitely heavy. At infinite heaviness, you get a singularity and in a singularity the particle wave theory of light has that light incapable of escaping the gravity caused by the infinite heaviness. At the speed of light, light wouldn’t go anywhere. The only way to achieve lightspeed or faster is to bend space-time. You have to scrunch up the distance from Point A to Point B and skip the distance entirely.
15. What are your thoughts on Mid-Jouney?
Mid-Journey is interesting. I don’t think it will be the death knell to digital art like some people think. I think it will fill a very specific niche of art and will be mainly used for the preliminary work before artists really get involved. Mid-Journey, in my estimation, will be relegated (in most instances) to mood boards and seed concept generation. It will be used to convey overall desired look and feel for art direction, but not for the actual generation of the art. It reminds me of about 10-15 years ago when the Program “Poser” came out and a bunch of people used Poser to create “super-hero” art by just posing the digital mannequin and painting a texture on top of it. There was a big kerfuffle about this in the artistic community about cheating and taking shortcuts, but there was a specific look and feel to Poser art that just never felt right to the viewer. It was looked plastic and manufactured… and no one is still trying to pass off Poser images as “original” art anymore. It is not even an issue.
This is where I see Mid_Journey going. It will be used in lieu of cutting pictures out of magazines or grabbing screen captures of images to establish the overall desired look, feel, and tone, of a property that is really still in pre-production. Mid-Journey will just allow for the people trying to convey the look, feel, and tone to really dial it in using a tool instead of saying I want it to look like Star Trek but dirty and lived in by having an image of the Enterprise bridge next to a picture of a 1980’s office space.
16. Can a journey still be fulfilling if it doesn’t lead to the outcome you initially hoped for?
Yes, yes it can. Reference the aforementioned journey I was on with Ex-Wifey. Very fulfilling journey with a significantly different outcome then was intended when setting out on that journey.
17. What do you think is more valuable: the lessons learned during a journey or achieving the goal at the end?
Maybe the real treasure was the friends we made along the way. Lessons learned are more important than achieving the goal. The goal was merely the endpoint of the journey.
18. Is it possible to go on a meaningful journey without ever leaving your home?
Sure… metaphorical journeys do not require the traversal of distances.
19. What role do companions play in shaping the success or failure of a journey?
Companions are the best. Journeying solo, while fulfilling, can be very lonesome.
20. Do you think the concept of a "hero’s journey" applies to everyday life? If so, how?
Yes, just with a significantly lower level of intensity.
The “call to adventure” is less about saving the world and more about getting groceries
The “the refusal to the call” is less about not wanting to leave the safe confines of the idyllic nest of the initial safe harbor as much as it is about the couch being super comfy and it’s kind of damp outside
The “meeting the mentor” is less about finding sage wisdom from a wizened old seer and more about your neighbor telling you that eggs are on sale.
The “Crossing the Threshold” is less about leaving the safe confines of the idyllic nest and more about just getting into the car.
Etc…
To recap:
Don't’ Stop Believing
Steve Perry had a very interesting voice
Tragic what happened to his vocal folds and such
Speaking of vocal folds… if I can suggest a musical vlog on the YouTube’s, I’m going to suggest The Charismatic Voice” hosted byElizabeth Zharoff
It is a sweet look at popular vocal performances by a vocal analyst
She is a delight
I think she would be a fun 20 Questions Tuesday interview
Happy American Thanksgiving to everyone
So much better than as a whole bird
The menu this week is going to be turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, brussels sprouts, corn, roasted asparagus, bread of some kind and gluten free focaccia with cheesecake and the best pudding desert ever
I thought I had a solid interview last week that would have lead further down the employment road
Alas, and alack. I did not move further into the hiring process
It was very demoralizing
This whole process of looking for a job is demoralizing
I start the retail job next week
I had to have a drug test for a job to see feed to pets
Glad I have not been journeying…
If you know what I mean
I need to draw more
I need a job that keeps me gainfully employed
Do the thing with the Substack
Do the other thing with Medium
Have a great holiday everyone (in the US)
Enjoy your Thursday this Thursday (everyone else)
Have a great week everyone