It's all a work in process

On Taking Breaks

This week I wanted to touch on why I took a little break and my process behind them. See, a few days ago, I posted this on Threads expressing how at that moment, I was feeling a bit useless.

These vulnerable moments are a bit embarrassing to write or think about, but I find it helpful to let things out. This time I’m choosing to embrace the cringe to expand on why we need a break and how it’s part of my process.

There's no shame in listening to yourself when needing to stop for rest.

I have unconditional love the work I do, whether it’s this newsletter, coaching, consulting, Cloud Scouts, freelance writing, or whatever it may be. I’m so thankful that I’m able to do something that truly makes me happy.

As the clichè goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” and it’s so true. When I’m working all day and into the middle of the night for months on end, my brain starts to feel full of concrete, and I get a little foggy. After a while, I definitely need quiet time to shut my brain off.

So here’s my typical recipe for shoestring budget recovery at home:

Day 1: sleep all day, no screens, lots of water between naps & meditation

Day 2-3: 3x 30-minute walks between mindless movie marathons

Day 4: 3x 30-minute walks w/ breaks for kids tv to kickstart inspiration

Day 5: longer form journal to recap feelings & total self-care

I definitely try to take it easy the first day back. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work out as planned.

So, you’re probably wondering what I consumed while away. I watched hours on hours of philosophy, re-visited Good Will Hunting, cried my eyes out at the “it’s not your fault” scene, and learned more about ancient religions. I also started watching Newsroom again (ugh, so good).

Solitude helps so much. It’s not glamorous because I don’t think it needs to be, especially with literally 0 budget to go on some extravagant vacation. Pick the process that works for you!

However, what occasionally happens when I come back to reality from a break is I get what I call post-break whiplash. Due to being utterly bored out of my mind for a few days, I have the urge to dig right back into doing too much, and my brain short circuits. ✨ 🤖 ✨ 

Here’s what I’ll do to improve next break:

• Pre-break planning: schedule posts, plan further in advance, etc. … didn’t get to do that this time because of how wild June was.

• Set expectations: when coming back, be aware of and prepared for slow movement the first few days.

• More frequent small breaks: I’ll definitely try changing how I work so I don’t hit that wall as frequently.

The reality is, maybe I am doing the wrong things, not doing enough, but I’m going at a manageable pace for my own sanity, so I’m not complaining.

For a culture so addicted to social media, it’s super easy to think everyone is always working or always playing. It’s important to learn to be self-aware enough to know when it’s time to take a break.

While Marcus Aurelius would tell me to get out of bed 😒 he also had this to say, “You have been formed of three parts—body, breath, and mind. Of these, the first two are yours insofar as they are only in your care. The third alone is truly yours.”

And as Piper Wilson from Higher Logic says, “Self Care is Community Care”

Use Case: Onchain Patchwork Quilts

Lately, I’ve been ultra fascinated by ancient traditions and rituals still going strong today that could benefit from harnessing onchain tech.

We’re going from last week’s discussion on sewing digital badges by signing transactions onto garments to patchwork quilts.

Patchwork quilts have been physical embodiments of historical documentation for millennia, with roots in ancient Egypt and China. They symbolize stability and family, creating a living record of moments passed.

Growing up in a Southern household, we had multiple quilts passed through generations. I can still feel their textures, frayed pieces that curled at the end, the deep burgundy and golden bits discolored through time, and memories passed from mother to mother.

According to QuiltAlliance in Asheville, NC, there are three steps to documenting a patchwork quilt’s life.

1. Label your quilt: documenting the quiltmaker, title, date completed, location, etc., helps preserve the history for future generations. Think of this as your quilt’s metadata.

2. Take photos of your quilt: taking a photo of your quilt is proving you own it, that you’re real, the quilt is real, aka “mint it”

3. Write your quilt’s history: Add additional physical details to the back of your quilt (size, fiber content, materials, care…), the quilter, the purpose of the quilt, influence, or inspiration.

What does this have to do with Token Bound Accounts?

As I said above, patchwork quilts have long been works of art that document family history, culture, and milestones, handed down through generations to signal stability and togetherness—stories of legacy, and provenance.

An onchain patchwork quilt could offer a dynamic TBA that evolves with the quilt owned by an individual where a user claims, collects, or earns a digital version of their physical creation.

After all, we are the ones sharing the memories, but the quilt is the item collecting the new pieces with each stitch. This would be mirrored by the base layer ERC721 collecting the subsequent onchain counterpart.

As a historical document, community members could note the story of each piece in metadata. Creating a living record of each new patch.

Whatever you do, make it fun!

Years ago, I was part of the Carol Corps fandom on Tumblr. Fans of Captain Marvel connected outside the site at conventions, we even got internships with Carol’s writer at the time. Hell, at one point, I was helping run Kelly Sue DeConnick’s official Pinterest boards for Captain Marvel. Here’s a story about how we did it.

Anyway, so it turns out a lot of our members were also crafty ladies, so we’d crochet things, make cosplay, send letters, hats, shirts, and more all over the world. Documenting that community, receiving gifts, and seeing the joy was my favorite part of it all. ✨👊 

Continue to think creatively about new projects to engage with members!

I asked Cloud Scouts if they'd done this recently since I myself had published one last week. If you have, I'd love to read it, and if you haven't, I'd encourage you to find the time.

Documenting our skills and experiences is an important part of enjoying them to their fullest. Share them with pride and happiness, for you have earned that wisdom.

Your weekly source of all things upcoming with our lovely Scouts. Learn more at our website!

Troop Chat updates!  💖 

Sign up for all sessions here. All are welcome to join us!

Every other Thursday, we come together for Patrol meetings, feedback sessions, activities, and troop updates.

Exploring Spatial Worlds! 🏕️ 

On off-weeks for Troop Chat, Scout Sarah will take us on adventures to explore virtual worlds in Spatial and other platforms. She’s our very own Ms. Frizzle! This coming week we hold our third exploration in Spatial of gallery spaces. All in preparation of creating our own virtual spaces for learning, gathering, and deciding together.

Meet us by our campfire in Spatial and sign up for the event series here.

Catch Up With Us ✨ 

• Cloud Scouts in Paris! We were selected as one of the teams to be shown at Funding The Commons Paris 2023! If you know an Artizen holder, they can vote here, this will help us get matched funding.

  Cloud Scouts will be shown this year with @FundingCommons from July 15-16 for #FTCParis ☁️

  We are committed to public goods and those who make them possible, like the fabulous people @ArtizenFund

  Don't miss artwork from Scout and brand designer @mrsannavargas when attending!

  — Cloud Scouts (☁️,💖) (@cloud_scouts_)
  7:05 PM • Jul 11, 2023

• Artwork for one of our first merit badges has arrived. The illustrator for this badge is @graveyardsoulss. Meet the Content Creator badge. Earn this badge from a fellow Scout—express interest in facilitating this badge program or its admin duties here.

  

I believe in you. 💖 🥺