better work issue #40

I've been allergic to my computer lately.

So I lock in quickly when I need to get things done. Immediately after, I close my MacBook with a satisfying soft thud, leaving my phone a few rooms away.

Then I curl up on the couch with my dog and a warm cup of coffee to read my latest library book. (Currently, I'm reading, "There is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America" by Brian Gladstone - it has me riveted the last few days)

All the off-screen time and reading has my imagination stirred.

One question that keeps popping in my mind is from Trevor Noah's "What Now?" podcast. In his segment called, "If I Ruled the World" he asks his guests, "If you could make one rule for everyone in the world, what would it be?"

Podcast guests pitch and defend their rule. At the end, the group votes for the best one. Winners earn bragging rights. Should Trevor and I cross paths, I have my answer.

My rule? No one is allowed to complain about something until they've done it themselves.

If you try to complain about something you've never done, you are literally unable to speak, like the mute button was switched on you. 🙊

An unmute is permitted once you do the thing you complained about. I believe that once you try the thing, you're unlikely to complain. Or at least you’ll complain about it in a different way.

The work I couldn’t see

I used to balk at a $45 price tag for a handmade mug. One mug making class humbled me right out of that habit.

Making a mug is way more challenging than I expected (making the mug’s handle is ridiculously hard, believe it or not).

Truth is, I couldn’t handle mug making - pun intended - so now I will look at a $45 custom piece and go, "Yep. Sounds about right."

It is a labor of love - so many hours, so many weeks between glazing and firing. That class changed how I look at things I took for granted, the invisible work behind every price tag.

When I couldn’t find clothing that wasn't made of plastic or in my budget, I learned how to make the items myself. I'm far from creating an entire wardrobe, but I can appreciate how clothing is made, especially from custom designers.

Take a $500 pair of tailor-made pants. Materials alone, non-luxury ones at that, run about $100. Construction for a basic pair is five hours, twenty if you’re a beginner like me.

The work of a garment maker is highly specialized, and there are no machines that can make clothing without a human operator.

Try making a few pairs yourself, and you’ll be able to register the quality of a garment's construction and durability by recognizing its finishing seams.

Quick tip: 'unfinished hems' are not a fashion choice, it's a red flag for poor quality and cutting corners.

Working on something with your own hands is transformative. And even though I don't plan on becoming a professional tailor, I now make more informed decisions when buying clothing.

That's been quite empowering.
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See the invisible

As consumers we only see the price. We can’t see the labor, that part becomes invisible. We know it exists in theory but it's hard to actually picture. The price, on the other hand, is literally right in front of you.

It's easier to judge than consider. 👩🏻‍⚖️

It's easier to complain than to do it yourself. 🙄

That old adage about walking in someone else's shoes holds true. What if we chose to be curious instead of complaining?

I imagine the world would be a little kinder.

What would your one rule be?

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Take care of yourself,