What I’ve been doing
August is a quieter month in terms of meetings, with team members and partner organisations taking leave. We had a Reading Week too which intentionally drops all internal / project management meetings to give people space for catching up - and ideally some actual reading too.
I had a few days off for holiday with my family in a festival field. It came with an enforced digital detox as there was no phone signal, let alone data. Although a large group of teenagers managed to find a very precise spot (after some very tenacious hunting) almost pressed up against the portaloos and decided to situate themselves there for the duration of the festival. I wasn’t that desperate!
When I returned I knew that I had also decided to leave X (personally). I wrote a breakup letter to help work my thinking through, posted it, and haven’t looked back. The loss has been helped by a real uplift in Bluesky over the same time - and there’s some real old-school Twitter vibes on there. I’m here on there if you’re interested and here’s my Linktr.ee for everywhere else.
I’m off next week too, so this week has been trying to clear weekly actions for two weeks and ensure we’re ready for the start of September.
What I need to take care of
My final bookkeeping exam this afternoon. Getting those nerves kicking in again though I feel like the revision I’ve done it solid. It’s the unknown - and the fact the result matters - that causes the worry.
What I’ve been inspired or challenged or moved by
There was a lot of talk and reflections by people ahead of my decision to leave X finally. This was an impactful post from a voice I respect and value, Shereen Daniels.
What I’ve been reading
August has contained a flurry of reading for pleasure. I’ve finished ‘Ten things I hate about me: How to stay alive with a brain that’s trying to kill you’ by Joe Tracini; ‘Essex Girls: For profane and opinionated women everywhere’ by Sarah Perry; and am now deep into ‘Fearless: Adventures with extraordinary women’ by Louise Minchin. I’ve enjoyed it all.