I'm So Busy

(More blog entries from JesseSour)

After feeling the pride for the playwrights, filmmakers and musicians at our sampler, I felt gratitude that they would care enough in our vision at CPF to lend their work and bring friends and supporters and continue to work with us to reinvigorate the New York emerging artist community. Here's why.

Every few months or years there is a new article published somewhere, comforting us for how busy our lives are compared to those simpler, halcyon days of... however many years ago.

I first discovered how 'busy' people were when I moved to New York City for the first time. Now, plenty of folks have remarked on how busy people in NYC are, but I'm talking about 'busy', not 'having many different things to do'.

I wrote an essay that was published here about how Americans seemingly prize work over getting things done. I think that carries over into our ideas of what we can accomplish, and what we should accomplish.

As stressful as juggling different areas of our lives can be, I think people fall into the trap of taking pride in their stress, and in in their busyness. If you have many different demands pulling you in opposite directions, that implies you are important enough to be worthy of demand! It's impressive!
I admit I have fallen into the same pitfall, and taken up valuable time telling myself that I am just too damn busy.

The problem is focusing on the journey rather than the result. I know post-sixties philosophy says the opposite--that we should focus on the journey, not on destinations--but what if we start taking on so many fun and interesting journies that we find ourselves back where we started? Talking about goals and results doesn't make good pub-banter, so we find it much more comforting to talk about the myriad activities taking up our time. By telling ourselves how busy we are, we absolve ourselves of the responsibility of actually getting somewhere.

Which is all to say, that I'm glad these folks do NOT fall into the same dangers I have fallen into, and were willing and able to lend us their talents! Thanks to all who shared and all who came!

Cheers,

Jesse

Comments