Work on yourself first, before you work on something else. That’s kind of the basic idea. The Zen people say wash your bowl. The Sufis say clean your mirror. It’s all the same thing. Work on yourself first, then those other questions answer themselves.
More jobs in the last year than I can remember, and so little sense, through it all, of any purposeful endeavor, of meaningful labor, of real work.
For three days last year I planted small trees
For three days last year I planted small trees and shrubs along Interstate 85 for $3 an hour. Mindlessness, talentless and eternal boredom became the key words filtering through my consciousness, as all sense of self expression and sensitivity took a back seat to survival.
Yesterday, I mailed off my application
“Yesterday, I mailed off my application for the federal service entrance exam. After four years of seeking an alternative to the system, the possibility of a nine thousand dollar a year job working for the Environmental Protection Agency is almost appealing.”
The Chapel Hill Board of Aldermen have once again put off taking a stand on the controversial street vending issue, at least until next month.
Let me always turn my back on security. For it is the fearful uncertainty of my life that gives me strength.
The lady at the local grocery
The lady at the local grocery says she works seven days a week. “I love it,” she says. “Nothing to do at home but watch TV.”
To obtain unemployment insurance in Chapel Hill
To obtain unemployment insurance in Chapel Hill go to the Employment Security Commission office in the basement of the Franklin Street Post Office.
*NOTE: Original copies of this issue are no longer available. Unbound, laser-printed copies will be provided for print orders.
Figuring out what you really want, barely making ends meet, looking busy
We've lifted our paywall. In this time of isolation, we want to share stories about what connects us, the challenges we face, and the moments when we rise to meet them.
