This week, I’ll be posting replies to a few of the many emails I receive from eager readers.
Dear Stillman,
I’m a successful graphic designer living in Brooklyn. I’m married to my college sweetheart and on the weekends I play guitar in a funk band that gets a lot of local attention. My life may sound great, but for the last eight months I’ve been tortured by fantasies of quitting everything, going to business school, and working 80 hour weeks at a big financial firm. I’m struggling; I yell at my spouse, I can’t sleep, and I can’t compose clever, retro-style graphics for breweries, underground fashion start-ups, or bands anymore. I feel an ancient yearning to be a cog in a giant, impersonal organization. What should I do?
Dear In-a-Funk-(Band),
It sounds like you need to make some lists. I find lists to be effective ways of meeting my personal and professional goals. For example, this is a list I made this morning:
1. Discard and/or upgrade friends
2. Create multi-platform vectors for success
3. Find the Land Before Time
I’m excited. This list is transforming my life in many ways. Don’t I already seem more vivid as a person?
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Dear Stillman,
I have a terminal form of cancer. What is the most meaningful way to spend my last weeks on earth without willfully avoiding my impending death?
Dear Reader,
I’ve really been enjoying that new pomegranate juice, what’s-it’s-name – it’s great! It’s chock full of anti-oxidants, which fight things like cancer and the common cold. And the bottles are so clever!
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Dear Stillman,
I fucking found you you shit. I want my fucking money. I hate you i will find you.
Dear Sir or Madam,
You should try loving-kindness, or “metta” meditation. I’ve found it to be very helpful with the difficult people in my life.
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You can Ask Stillman anything you like in the Comments Section (at) This Blog (dot) Blah Blah