Floor Time
/flôr tīm/
noun
the 15-60 minute time period spent laying on the floor in the middle of the work day, typically as a relief from the soul-sucking reality of corporate America.
Greetings, Floor Timers! You didn’t hear from me last week because after a month of travel, I returned to sweet home NYC and went right into birthday festivities (which included hosting my best friend and sister in the city—we were busy frolicking!!). ICYMI I posted a ton of birthday party recaps on my Instagram, including the special drink menu made for us by the lovely folks at TALEA, custom drink stirrers featuring the icon himself, Klaus, custom matchboxes I designed as party favors, and the extremely extra dress I bought because I think it would’ve made Jenna Rink proud. So yay, I’m turning 301!!
As a result of getting older and hitting a new decade, naturally I’ve been introspective about 30-year-old me versus 20-year-old me. Becoming a new age doesn’t mean I’m not the version of myself that existed at another. I’m 30, but I’m also 25, 16, 9, 4, and all ages in between. When I say yes to that last drink at 2AM, that’s me at 25 (dumb). When I get sweaty palms calling my dentist to change an appointment, that’s me at 16 (moooommm helppp). When I’m in any body of water and challenge myself to a breath-holding contest, or ask around for who wants to play mermaids, I am 9. And when I am overstimulated so I can’t use my words to express my frustrations and just cry, I am 4 (I stand by it, life can be a lot!!). And I’m at peace with all those versions of myself because the composite of them is my favorite version of me at 30.
From a career and “life’s purpose”2 perspective, I am grateful that at 30 I have a less debilitating fear of failure (it’s more like a nudge that typically creeps in at 1AM when I can’t sleep—fun!). I was such a little stress head when I was younger. I wish I was joking when I tell you this was an actual fear: If I’m not on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, I won’t have been successful. My definition of success was so narrow. I’m grateful that with time and therapy (lol) I feel less of that corporate anxiety today, and I want this year to be the year I finally shed the remnants of it once and for all.
Another exciting thing happened this week, I started my accelerated course at the Pratt Institute! Yes, I’m officially a student again 🤓. The course is on Brand Design and Corporate Identity (can’t. escape. the machine.) and so far, it’s FUN. As many of you Floor Time readers know, I don’t have formal education in graphic design. Early on in my career I bought lots of books, took some weekend lettering workshops, went to Adobe MAX in 2018, and did the work to teach myself fundamentals. I stand by that approach in most ways—it kept me curious and was enough to keep me self-employed all these years. But being in an actual classroom with peers who are as excited about brand identity, logos, and human-centered design as I am is so energizing. We’ve only had two classes so far but I can feel the creative energy returning to my body after some burnout. I can feel the passion for my career path reigniting, and that’s deeply reassuring. Perhaps turning 30 is just double-clicking3 on the work we do, and ensuring that—though it is NOT the end all be all…preaching the opposite of that is literally the purpose of this newsletter—whatever we decide to dedicate our precious time to isn’t soul-sucking. Do with that what you will ;)
Something I Thought of in the Shower
Omg it’s ramps season.
Something Pretty
My friend Cynthia and I took a cake decorating class as part of my birthday gift from Andrew and look at our beautiful little cakes!! We did this at Kitsby in Williamsburg—their team was super nice, I would recommend if you’re in the area.
Something To Laugh About
I think being 30 means needing 2-3 business days to recover from any social activity, so there will be a lot of scrolling in the next couple of weeks. Here are this week’s gems:
I really like this woman.
Gun to my head I can recite every single lyric of this song and I will until the end of time #gleek.
This humbled me SO fast.
I want to date this woman.
You either know or you don’t. But this is the right answer.
Subtweeting so many of ya’ll in this but let’s be honest it’s especially about me and Eli.
Something for Clarice
Hey! This newsletter is free and I intend to keep it that way. That said, if you love it and want to show your appreciation, buy me a coffee :)
By the way…I’m reading this.
I am moving through Throne of Glass #6, Tower of Dawn, and am also picking up Every Drop is a Man’s Nightmare by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto (part of a stack of books by Asian authors Ruby lent me). It’s been a while since I’ve read essays and I’m looking forward to discovering Megan’s voice in this debut novel highlighting Hawai’ian identity and womanhood.
Welp, that’s my life! Thanks for reading through my perhaps-existential-crisis-disguised-as-peace Floor Time. Next week I have a very seasonal newsletter in store for you so grab some peony tulips at Trader Joe’s to set the mood. Happy birthday to meee and talk to you next week!
Til’ next time, Six Chicks. Your friend,
Clarice
and I mean that “yay” truly. It’s so awesome!!! I made it!
whatever that means…
oh, did my corporate speak trigger your gag reflex? soz.