Thoughts on Being a Career Sell-Out, Part 2

I was walking around Old Town Sacramento this afternoon to de-stress. I needed it. It’s been a wild ride these last couple of weeks for me: I’ve gotten into a new romantic relationship, I’ve been hard at work organizing San Francisco non-profit clinic workers into the Union, I’ve launched a photography business called Jolie Media (and already done several gigs), I’m on the board of a non-profit for young progressive professionals called New Leaders Council, I’ve been helping the Outreach Committee for Sacramento for Real Rent Control, I’ve been attending committee meetings for the Democratic Socialists of America, I’ve been trying to hold onto … Continue reading Thoughts on Being a Career Sell-Out, Part 2

The Meaning of Life

For a couple of years now, I’ve been trying to articulate what the meaning of life is to me in a succinct but thorough and accurate way. I think I’ve finally been able to write that down, and at least for the moment, I’m satisfied with it. For anyone who cares or is interested (or you’re just bored), here it is: For me, real fulfillment is a fierce and totally ruthless engagement with life. Engagement with life — every present moment of it — is the payoff itself. That means doing the hard work of soul-searching to figure out who … Continue reading The Meaning of Life

Don’t Confuse Apathy with Fulfillment

I feel like a big mistake that people in their 20’s make — and I’m certainly no exception — is confusing apathy for happiness/fulfillment. You see it everywhere, and it makes sense, because on the outside, apathy and inner spiritual fulfillment can look a lot alike. It’s this strange idea that “if I am comfortable and full just in my own skin, then I don’t need anything extra, and I don’t need to do anything extra, to be happy.” And I think at a certain level, it’s sort of true. To be fulfilled, you *should* be able to be happy … Continue reading Don’t Confuse Apathy with Fulfillment