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”What’s 43 Folders?”
43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

so how do you do it?

Nothing like a descriptive subject line, eh? Sorry about that. Here's the situation. My day job, while quite good as these things go (pay is good, coworkers are great, that sort of thing), is kicking my ass in terms of my ability to be creative. The absolute last thing I want to do when I get home is sit in front of a computer for another moment, which sucks, given that I'm a web developer.

This morning I was in a McDonalds (the McGriddle is a damned fine way to deal with angst), and I noticed that they had free wireless access. I found myself jealous of folks that get to hang out at Mickey D's all day long -- a feeling I haven't had to deal with since sixth grade. But a life free from corporate baloney sounds so wonderful that I'd be willing to put up with a higher cholesterol count.

So how do you get the hell out of dodge, especially when you have a family? More fundamentally, how do you figure out exactly what you want to do, when you don't have Po Bronson on speed dial?

I'm aware that the grass is always greener on the other side of the cubicle, and that working freelance (or something of that nature) brings with it a certain amount of its own baloney as well. So what are the options? How is baloney minimized and creativity maximized? I know I'm not breaking any new ground with these questions, but something has got to be working to some degree for somebody. Any thoughts?

TOPICS: Hacer
dieter's picture

Wow -- thank you for...

Wow -- thank you for such a helpful post; I really appreciate the thought and time that went into your response. I'm definitely going to try your suggestions.

But I'm hazy on the rules here; do I have to purchase Birkenstocks in order to be eligible for a copy of The Artist's Way, or is there a rental option? Just kidding, of course -- I'll give that a shot, too.

As you say, the money thing is definitely a big deal. We home school our kids (because the Florida school system is horrible, and not so we can teach them that Jews control the weather), which, among other things, means that I'm the sole source of income. It sucks that profitability will have to be considered sooner, rather than later, but at least I don't have to deal with it much at this point.

Thanks again,
Dieter

 
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