planetemily

middle management

I've had a rough time at work the last few weeks. Suffice it to say that I'm not in a position right now to find a better job, yet I can't bear to spend each day dealing with the same crap.

So how am I supposed to hang in there without losing it?

Enter Brad Bird, director of The Incredibles.

He did an interview with Ready Made magazine recently that really hit home, especially the bit at the end:

RM: What, in your opinion, is the least awesome job?

BB: You can tell from The Incredibles what kind of jobs I dislike.

RM: The corporate bureaucrats?

BB: Yeah, the small-minded managers. Oftentimes the people at the top are really fun and the people on your way up are really fun, but there's something about a lot of middle managers-people that don't have the power to say yes but do have the power to say no. The ones who are just sitting there and making sure the paper clips are clipped on at a certain angle.

RM: They are everywhere!

BB: They're responsible for a lot of bad movies.

Thank you, Brad. You have given me hope that I am not alone and inspiration to keep reaching forward, where the real fun happens.

no farms, no food

I've always loved that saying.

A few weeks ago, Ursula gave me a brochure for a farm that offers a seasonal co-op. I'd never really heard of anything like that before and it seemed very cool. The way it works is, you purchase a share (or half-share) of the farm's crop for an entire season for a flat fee. Each week, you pick up your portion and what you get depends on what's in season at the time and what the weather conditions have provided. Matt and I love going to the farmer's market on weekends and this sounded like a lot of fun and a great way to support our local farmers. He went to an orientation meeting last week and met the people who grow our food, . He said he was impressed with how kind they were and how family-oriented they seemed.

Today is the first pick-up day. I can't wait to see what's in our box!!