How to Avoid Work: A 1949 Guide to Doing What You Love -
“There is an ugliness in being paid for work one does not like,” Anaïs Nin wrote in her diary in 1941. Indeed, finding a sense of purpose and doing what makes the heart sing is one of the greatest human aspirations — and yet too many people remain caught in the hamster wheel of unfulfilling work. In 1949, career counselor William J. Reilly penned How To Avoid Work (UK; public library) — a short guide to finding your purpose and doing what you love. Despite the occasional vintage self-helpism of the tone, the book is remarkable for many reasons — written at the dawn of the American corporate era and the golden age of the housewife, it not only encouraged people of all ages to pursue their passions over conventional, safe occupations, but it also spoke to both men and women with equal regard.
Reilly begins by exploring the mythologies of work and play, something Lewis Hyde has written of beautifully, with an uncomfortable but wonderfully apt metaphor:
Most [people] have the ridiculous notion that anything they do which produces an income is work — and that anything they do outside ‘working’ hours is play. There is no logic to that.
Your life is too short and too valuable to fritter away in work.
If you don’t get out now, you may end up like the frog that is placed in a pot of fresh water on the stove. As the temperature is gradually increased, the frog feels restless and uncomfortable, but not uncomfortable enough to jump out. Without being aware that a chance is taking place, be is gradually lulled into unconsciousness.
Much the same thing happens when you take a person and put him in a job which he does not like. He gets irritable in his groove. His duties soon become a monotonous routine that slowly dulls his senses. As I walk into offices, through factories and stores, I often find myself looking into the expressionless faces of people going through mechanical motions. They are people whose minds are stunned and slowly dying. [Read more…]
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Hello all you Tumblr peeps!
Just a quick message to any that browses this humble blog.
I will be making a comeback over the following weeks, you can expect some content from me and hopefully some kind of consistency from now on.
My time at university is fast coming to a close, and I have to prepare for the bigger, scarier world and future that will follow. What happens after I achieve my degree is unknown, this is quite scary, but exciting at the same time. I want to continue to do the things I love to do and I will do anything to keep that a possibility.
I feel that this next chapter in my life will be very important, its been a very long, but safe 22 and a half years. Now its time to do or die trying, I have come far to get to where I am right now. Hopefully the hard work should pay off, only time and effort will tell.
I’d like to wish all creatives a very good day, stay positive about your work and keep on practising!
Be good to one another,
TC out.
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Working with Photoshop
Hey all, I was just sitting at my computer, reading my Imagine Fx magazine and started to draw in Photoshop. Now I haven’t used photoshop or let alone done digital painting in a while, I’d like to think my knowledge in traditional painting has transfered somewhat.
This was the outcome, I’m quite happy with it, not too bad for a mess around in photoshop!
I’d like to wish all creatives a goodnight, and as always. Keep practicing!
Thats all for now,
TC out.
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Halloween Flier part 1
Here is a drawing I did for a Halloween flier I produced for my workplace. I was asked to produce a flier and thought I’d give it a go!
More on this later, TC out!
Hello all, just a small update. I’ve just spent the afternoon cutting fabric and making deckles for paper making.
As you can probably tell I will be making a butt load of paper to do cool stuffs with!
Expect more updates as things develop further.
As always I’d like to wish all creatives a lovely day, keep practicing and stay positive you guys!
That’s all for now,
TC out.
This afternoon I decided to use something I learnt in college and make some textured paper in my attic.
Should be nice to work into once its dry :D
TC out.