The Creative Nest

Some people are naturally patient. Some people are naturally nurturing. Some people can calmly explain something seventeen times without blinking an eye. And then there are the rest of us.  You know… the people who get irrationally irritated when someone asks a question that was literally just answered three minutes ago. The people whose eye starts twitching when a coworker says, “I didn’t know we were supposed to do that.” The people who somehow become the unofficial manager despite not wanting the responsibility, the stress, or Sharon from accounting asking if she can “pick your brain real quick.” If you are the kind of person who silently reorganizes other people’s workflows in your head because “nobody else seems capable,” there are simply certain jobs you should avoid for the safety of society. For example, customer service may not be your calling if your facial expressions tell the truth before your mouth does. Some people are gifted at handling angry customers with warmth a...

Does anybody else ever ask a very specific question and then receive an answer so painfully obvious that you immediately regret opening your mouth? Because I swear some people respond to questions like they’re being paid by the word but penalized for useful information. For example, if I ask, “Which cars get the best gas mileage?” I am not looking for someone to confidently respond with, “The ones that use gas.” Oh wow. Incredible. Groundbreaking information. Thank you so much for that beautiful contribution to society. I had no idea gasoline was involved in gas mileage. Next thing you know, someone’s going to tell me tires are round. And somehow these kinds of answers happen everywhere. In emails. At work. In casual conversation. Online. You ask a direct question hoping for a direct answer, and instead you get something so vague and unhelpful that you actually end up with less information than when you started. It’s like people hear the question, panic internally, and then just throw ...

The second the weather gets nice, does anybody else suddenly feel personally attacked by their own house? Like why is it that the moment the sun comes out and there’s a slight breeze, my brain decides I should repaint furniture, reorganize closets, plant flowers, wash the car, deep clean the house, walk the dogs, power wash something, and somehow become an Olympic-level productive human being all before 2 p.m.? Meanwhile, during winter, I considered getting off the couch twice a major accomplishment and called it “self-care.” And heaven forbid you sit down for five minutes when the weather is beautiful outside. Oh no. Suddenly the guilt creeps in like, “You should be doing something productive.” Why? Why can’t I just sit outside with a coffee and stare dramatically into the distance like a retired movie star with absolutely no responsibilities? But instead, I end up outside looking at random things thinking, “You know what this yard needs? More work.” It’s honestly exhausting how quick...