Resolutions and Resolve
Programming note: I've migrated from TinyLetter to Buttondown for my newsletter. Please let me know if anything looks amiss.
Thirty spokes join one hub. The wheel's use comes from emptiness.
Clay is fired to make a pot. The pot's use comes from emptiness.
Windows and doors are cut to make a room. The room's use comes from emptiness.
Therefore, Having leads to profit, Not having leads to use.
- Tao Te Ching, Part 11, Lao Tzu (Translated by Stephen Addiss and Stanley Lombardo)
Two little ones can make life feel a bit crowded. (Even as I duck out to put these words to a page, I have no more than a few minutes before "daddy! daddy!" booms through the house and she finds me down in my office. She wanted to see again where I keep the emergency glow sticks. Not to have one; just to remember they are there.)
My struggle these last few weeks has been to remember the work Yuling and I are putting in is only the structure, and to live and breath in the space we create; the "emptiness" between the work. In other words: to slow down and let that life breath a bit.
Besides general mindfulness vibes, I am working on a couple of other resolutions for the new year:
- Write more: in addition to this newsletter, I plan to produce a few more technical/industry oriented articles. I currently have something I am working on related to operational reviews of IT systems (set aside for parental leave) that I look forward to continue working on in 2023.
- Record more: I've recorded a couple of "audio" letters, and would like to expand on this idea a little more (possibly with a better microphone).
Life Updates
Jonny and everyone else are doing very well. Sleep is not great but generally better than expected.
Yuling had the foresight to hire a postpartum doula to help her and generally around the house for four weeks after Jonny was born, and that has been a huge help. Our time with her is coming to an end this week. That extra help and company will be missed.
We also had our newborn photo shoot last week. I look forward to sending some Christmas cards out based on that shoot in a little bit. (If you think I might not have your mailing address, but would like a card, please shoot me an email.)
Speaking of Christmas, on our last trip to Trader Joe's, Amelia spotted a small rosemary "tree" and declared that this would be our Christmas tree. So, we're going miniature this year.
I've always admired her decisiveness. (Also, yes, those are Hanukkah lights. She was decisive about that as well.)
Currently...
- Reading: The Doomsday Machine by Daniel Ellsberg, Testing for Kindergarten by Karen Quinn
- Listening: Live at KEXP, Volume 10
Looking forward to...
- Convergence: Every year my employer, Stripe, hosts an all-company get-together to celebrate the last year. (These have been virtual since the pandemic, and now we're too big to all get together in SF.) Even though I am on parental leave, I look forward to joining the live streams next week.
- Interfaith @ Stripe: Speaking of Stripe, the company has a number of employee affinity groups, supporting folks like parents and those from historically marginalized groups. Stripe also has a non-denominational Interfaith group that provides a space for employees to discuss the impact of "faith" (whatever that means for them) on their life and work. I have been participating (and occasionally leading discussions) for the last year and I am excited to share that in 2023 I will be one of two co-leaders of the group in North America.
- Watching my children continue to grow into amazing people.
Parting Thoughts
Let me know again if you'd like to be added to our Christmas card list!
Also, if you know what the Fediverse or Mastodon are, you can follow me at @ajrudzitis@social.aleksrudzitis.com!
Cheers everyone and stay safe!
-Aleks