On Bedrock, abandoned limestone quarries in the south of France, the persistence of one's forgetting, a memory of one’s persistence, forgetting to write, and writing to remember
When I was in my 20s, I took a contract job editing a stodgy business book. In the middle of that contract, I accepted a different, career-shaping role that required me to move from Toronto to London. Rather than terminating the editing gig, I stubbornly convinced myself that I could do everything, and spent the weeks leading up to the deadline cramming, researching, having slightly contentious calls with an impatient author, giving half-formed notes and just generally doing a substandard job. I got fired, and I deserved it.
A couple months ago, I was looking back at some old emails when I came across a few exchanges from that gig. I was stunned to realize that the book was one I subsequently read twice in the ensuing decade—a time when stodgy business stuff was suddenly more important to me. Somehow I hadn't connected the dots at all.
A realization like that can temporarily destabilize you. What are all the other things you've said or experienced that you've forgotten and can never recover? Have I lived a rich life or am I just an aging idiot?
this is awesome. i am FRIED right now, still in transit, and admit that the first time i read your comment i thought you were saying you had edited a business book by john digweed.
most of what i studied in college is a profound blur. i was so thrown by the last odyssey preview that i reread the plot of the iliad and the odyssey on wiki — two books i read in the original greek, slowly and carefully over the course of many years. totally forgot about the whole suitors thing
No way, we did Oblique Strategies as party favors at our wedding too. This was, I can say with all confidence, the only similarity to my wedding and the one you describe here.
Speaking only for myself I thought the opening guy was pretty good
When I was in my 20s, I took a contract job editing a stodgy business book. In the middle of that contract, I accepted a different, career-shaping role that required me to move from Toronto to London. Rather than terminating the editing gig, I stubbornly convinced myself that I could do everything, and spent the weeks leading up to the deadline cramming, researching, having slightly contentious calls with an impatient author, giving half-formed notes and just generally doing a substandard job. I got fired, and I deserved it.
A couple months ago, I was looking back at some old emails when I came across a few exchanges from that gig. I was stunned to realize that the book was one I subsequently read twice in the ensuing decade—a time when stodgy business stuff was suddenly more important to me. Somehow I hadn't connected the dots at all.
A realization like that can temporarily destabilize you. What are all the other things you've said or experienced that you've forgotten and can never recover? Have I lived a rich life or am I just an aging idiot?
Anyway, that wedding sounded crazy!
this is awesome. i am FRIED right now, still in transit, and admit that the first time i read your comment i thought you were saying you had edited a business book by john digweed.
for what you dream of: the road to your first million
most of what i studied in college is a profound blur. i was so thrown by the last odyssey preview that i reread the plot of the iliad and the odyssey on wiki — two books i read in the original greek, slowly and carefully over the course of many years. totally forgot about the whole suitors thing
No way, we did Oblique Strategies as party favors at our wedding too. This was, I can say with all confidence, the only similarity to my wedding and the one you describe here.