It may seem odd that I never realized this before, but I’ve managed to integrate my work in a way that I am often working for on several different projects at the same time, especially when I am doing research into current and emerging technologies. I think it’s probably the only way to really effectively be able to juggle multiple jobs and projects.

I had the revelation today when I was investigating possible activities to do with my classes related to making and particularly with using Strawbees. It occurred to me that I could do a similar activity as part of summer workshops along with the hacking board games activity I’m doing this coming week as part of a discussion of gaming. A hands-on introduction and discussion of making and hacking that would work for all learners.

It’s a happy integration, but it also blurs the lines between different jobs and makes it very difficult to follow a traditional methods of tracking hours. I’m kind of hacking work  and I know others are, too. It’s a different kind of daily journey and I think we’re still figuring out the rules or at least some kind of general guideline.  How do you define part-time when potentially anything you learn or read could impact your work? What about open-ended jobs like teaching that don’t come with an hourly expectation attached?

I think the answer to both questions is the same: It’s up to me to spend as long as I need to create the kind of organization or class I want and that means continually learning and growing myself.

And I’m pleased that learning and growing are part of all the work I do. But they are somewhat ephemeral goals and aren’t easy to pin down as the more day-to-day operations.  At least I have a little more control over my schedule so I can make time for exploration and innovation even when I’m not completely sure how it will impact my work going forward. How can we support personal and professional growth in the more traditional work place as well, recognizing and valuing that learning and growth as essential parts of the work everyone does?

It is late but I am determined to post a blog entry. I drove back and forth to DC today and was reminded of the life of a commuter. As I sat in traffic, I was listening to Diane Rehm interview George Monbiot, author of Feral, who advocates for “rewilding” the world: “It’s the process of freeing ecosystems from human intervention and allowing them — in some cases for the first time in millennia — to resume their natural ecological processes. Monbiot makes the case that returning ecosystems to the wild will not only benefit nature, but humans as well.”

I snapped a picture of the view around me as I listened to Monbiot describe his encounter with a dolphin off the coast of Wales. I was reminded of my own experiences in the wild and thought about my favorite Wendell Berry poem, “The Peace of Wild Things”.

For your enjoyment, Monbiot’s TED talk: