This morning, Maria and I talked a lot about fear and where it comes from. I’ll write about that later this weekend.
This morning, we’re heading out to one of our favorite museums, MassMOCA, an hour away from us. We’re stopping at the Moses farm to get more vegetables on the way.
This afternoon, we’ll come home and look for rocks to build a sculpture in the fish tank—also, lots of farm chores. Life with an artist is never dull.
Jon Katz is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
How to join My next Zoom meeting? Just follow the link below. The meeting idea and passcode are there if you need them.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87822862552?pwd=V2U0SnNyejFJZlNNazZ1d3RLVUFSQT09
Meeting ID: 878 2286 2552
Passcode: 712821
Some people are unhappy about the times. It’s 7 a.m. on the West Coast. There’s not any way to pick a time that makes everybody happy, but we’ll see how things work out. I am thinking of moving the time of the meetings to Friday morning at ll a.m.
And I will be frank and say we don’t have a lot of time options in our schedules, which are usually very full. But we’ll see.
I understand now that the group needs to be small – 5 to 6 people – and we have more than enough people from all over the country. I should add that half of the meeting group that showed up last week live in California.
Anyway, time to hit the road. More flower photos and other things later, and I’m bringing the Leica 2 to the museum.
It’s a gorgeous day here, Fall is turning out to be a lot nicer than summer.
Jeez California, just tell them to get their butts up with a cup of coffee at 7 am, LOL I hope to join you one of these mornings from the West Coast. Are you game to talk about the After Life:)
Janet, we can talk about anything with you, I don’t know much about the afterlife, but I’m open to learning…
Can you have it on a weekend? It doesn’t seem right that only people with enough money not to have to work can go.
Jennifer, thanks. The weekend doesn’t work for us, we work very hard on weekdays, and I work every day. We have plenty to do on weekends. Whatever time we choose will make it difficult for someone; this is a big country with several time zones. It was interesting that half of the people who came on the Zoom were in California.
Many people like Wednesday at 10 a.m, and they are from all over. You might have heard of the Midwest.
Your comment suggesting that only rich people who do not work can meet that schedule is unnecessarily offensive. Everyone on Zoom last week worked, and only one was close to being wealthy. I’m not rich either, and the time is good for me. And I work hard every day, possibly just as hard as you do. Best, Jon.
Not sure what your comment about the midwest means, or why you think what Jennifer said was offensive. If you don’t work, you either don’t need the money or can’t find a job. If you work during regular working hours, you can’t participate in a non-work event. At my job, for instance, even if I took PTO to zoom with you, our company firewall would prevent it. It’s nice that you’re doing this, but you’re making it hard for average working people who might want to come as well.
Serena, this is not something I’m interested in debating with strangers on social media. I’ll schedule the Zoom meeting for times when I can, not when people tell me I must do it.
It will not change unless I can do it at a different time. As someone who has worked all my life, in different places and circumstances, I don’t need you to tell me that some people work regular hours. That is patronizing. Many of the people seeking admission are average working people. My comment to Jennifer is quite clear, and I don’t need to explain it to you.
Many people have expressed interest; some are retired, some work at jobs and can fit it into their schedules or get up early; some appear wealthy, and some are not insofar as I know. Some are from California, some from New York, one from Texas, one from Minnesota, one from Jack London’s houseboat, and one from upstate NY (who works regular hours every day.) I couldn’t admit all of them. I might remind you that many millions of Americans now work at home, and can Zoom when they want. To suggest only the wealthy or retired can participate is ridiculous. I’m keeping the meeting very small, which works best, and keeping the members confidential, mostly to protect them from conversations like this. Nobody who signs up should have to apologize or explain their lives to strangers online. This is why I can’t and won’t record the Zoom and post it. How sad.
It is no crime to be older, retired, poor or laid off, unemployed or wealthy. They are welcome to talk to me as well. The point of my Zoom meeting is not to be nice or accommodate each of 350 million people but to have a meaningful conversation with people every week. So far, so good. The conversation we had last Wednesday was not like this one. People were nice, not jeering like Paul, not telling me what to do, no whining or complaining. That was the whole point. To have conversations that are not like this one.
And some people haven’t told me about their work situations, and it’s not my business or yours. I’m sorry you work for a company with a firewall; it has nothing to do with me. I don’t decide where you work. One woman joined from her desk at work; her boss gave permission. Another was self-employed, and she gave herself permission. I’m glad people care about this, but it’s not as black and white as you suggest. Best, Jon
Jon, you don’t understand what working from home means. It doesn’t mean that people have free schedules and can “zoom when they want,” as you said. If you work from home, you still use company equipment with company firewalls. You still are subject to remote monitoring from your supervisor. Sure, some working people might have an understanding supervisor that would allow them to zoom with you, but most would not. It’s too bad you can’t find an occasional weekend hour, which would solve the problem. Why do the meetings always have to be at the same time every week?
Megan, I am always astonished by the gall of people on the Internet and what they think makes them entitled to tell me what to do.
I don’t feel entitled to tell anybody what to do. Here, a stranger is lecturing someone who has worked at home for 50 years about what working at home means (two people, actually, counting Maria). And yes, I have many friends working at home for corporations who tell me about the many restrictions on their lives. I made a choice not to live like that, they made a different choice, and I respect theirs. But it does mean many will not be able to access my Zoom Meeting.
Welcome to life.
I’ve worked for many unpleasant and controlling bosses in many unpleasant companies. That’s why I became a book writer.
It is no longer possible to do or say anything online without someone whining, complaining, or correcting from all over the planet. That is profoundly damaging to free and open speech and dialogue. I didn’t start the Zoom thing to spend time defending how I did it.
This message is precisely why I started the Zoom meetings, to have real and meaningful conversations with people who want to talk rather than argue and waste time telling people they don’t know what they know and ought to do and then fight about it. This makes me very happy with what I am doing.
I refuse to spend much of my life arguing with strangers who know nothing about me or my life.
This is the last message I’ll post on this subject; I do have things to do that are vastly more meaningful to me.
Megan, not everyone has a firewall around their speech, and many working people have asked to be admitted at home and work. I don’t want to break the news to you, but everyone in the United States is not like you or me. The meetings don’t have to be at the same time every week, and I imagine they will change in time, but for now, they do have to be at the same time because I need them to be, for reasons that are not your business and that I am under no obligation to explain or defend to you.
I am the one holding the meeting, not you.
I don’t work for you, and I don’t answer to you.
I am committed to establishing a meeting place where intrusive and thinking people do not come to argue just because they can or can’t get what they want. We had such a good meeting last Wednesday. It was so much better and healthier than this.
This exchange and others here tell me I’m on the right track. Wednesday there was no complaining, sniping and snarling. We actually talked to each other about things that mattered. This is how I wish to live my life.
Best to you, Jon
I enjoyed the meeting very much. I’m in Texas, so 9:00 am isn’t too bad. I am retired, not rich, especially as a retired teacher! Lol! Maybe rotate the days, even do one on a weekend day once in awhile, even though your weekends are busy – totally understandable. Some weekends aren’t good for me because I trial my border collie in Nosework/Scentwork on many weekends – spread out so I can afford it – but maybe that rotation could allow more diverse people to participate. I certainly understand if you don’t wish to do that – it’s your baby – just a suggestion.
I plan to try to join a little closer to the start time. If I don’t get in, it’s ok. I’ll gladly bow out to someone who didn’t make the first one; however, if there’s still room, I’ll be very happy to join in again! Cheers!
Georgann, thanks for coming, please come back anytime….it was very nice talking with you…
Obviously it’s not true that everyone on zoom worked, since you posted a comment from a retired teacher who does not work. Sheesh!
Obviously, we live in a nation of whiners and nit-pickers, Paul. Sheesh, to you. I made a mistake. It happens often to me but apparently never to you. Big whoop. I wish you good luck in finding something meaningful to do with your time. If you can’t bear mistakes, this is not the Zoom meeting for you.
We have become a nation of whiners, complainers, victims, and busybodies. That’s what I keep thinking as I watch the images of all those people waiting in lines to pay respect to something rather than bitch and snarl and be aggreived.
Thank you for mentioning again the you and Maria talked about Fear. Recently you had talked of a book by Thich Nhat Hanh about fear that you liked. My oldest sister (73) has been diagnosed with a really yucky cancer and may not have much time to live. Boy, that brought my fear and anxiety right up. I ordered one book, leafed through it briefly and quickly ordered 2 more. All 3 of us sisters (from 68 to 71 to 73) could all use help these days and I’m sure this book will be helpful. Warmly, Linda
Good luck, Linda, thanks for the message thinking of your sister…