Still Schizoid

by AJ/Skald

Work: boring, rigid, tiring, uninspiring. Outside of work: enchanting, interesting, fun, hopeful. I'm in a strange situation in Hiroshima. I love the city and the people and am eager to spend more time exploring. That's what being a hobopoet is all about, after all. I'm meeting interesting people and have had some magical experiences.

But the job is the opposite of that. I'm being trained in a rigid system that thoroughly crushes my enthusiasm. Work hours are frustrating and dreary. What to do? At the moment I'm dead broke so some sort of income is necessary.

For now I've decided to finish the training and give the job a few more months.. see if it gets better. I doubt it will become more inspiring, but hope it will prove less draining once I go into autopilot mode.... put in my 20 hours a week and focus energies on that which truly matters. Such is the plan of the moment-- always subject to change!

It is a basic strategy I've often followed. When it is necessary to work and when that work sucks (the usual situation) the best strategy is to quarantine the damage.... make sure the job requires as little thought, emotion, and energy as possible.... pour my passion into the rest of my life... follow my bliss outside of the work environment.

Obviously its not an ideal situation. I thought very seriously about breaking my contract immediately. But I'm fascinated by Hiroshima and wish to explore further.

So for the moment, its a part-time hobopoet strategy for me.