Spirit Magazine - March 2014 - (Page 77)

In a recent Pew Research Center study, half the respondents rated having a job you enjoy as being "extremely important." That emotional 180 from the miserable platitude "That's why they call it work" reflects a number of core shifts in the culture. "You're seeing friends unemployed," Barrington says. "You're hearing on the news that you're not going to do as well as your parents did. So you might as well do what you enjoy-especially if you're not going to be paid as well as your parents were." But it's far more visceral than that. The existential upheaval of 9/11-not to mention the subsequent wars, the seemingly endless rash of school shootings, the deepening cynicism about governmental leadership, etc.-has reconfigured our lives in measureable and still ineffable ways. Born of all this chaos is an ethos adopted by many Millennials, but one that may well define 21stcentury life for the rest of us, too: YOLO (or You Only Live Once). Yes, it can be a rationalization for reckless behavior. But it has been a spur for uncharacteristically bold decision-making, too- especially when it comes to how we earn our livings. In a rapidly changing and unreliable job market, it's not much of a leap from YOLO to DIY. Emily Matchar, author of Homeward Bound: Why Women Are Embracing the New Domesticity, understands the lure of the Do-It-Yourself spirit epitomized by Mike's ditching of the digital life for a fine piece of pine. "You are in charge of your own work," she says, "whether that means you're working totally freelance or for a small company In a recent Pew Research Center study, half the respondents rated having a job you enjoy as being "extremely important." with flexibility. And [there's a greater chance] you'll be doing something you find fulfilling." Increasingly, that fulfillment is being found in things tactile and earthbound. "Maybe it's because we're living in a high-tech world, but there has been a real nostalgia for hands-on work and handmade things," Matchar says. It's true. A growing number of Americans are abandoning traditional CONTINUED ON PAGE 83 LOLAFALK SILLY BUDDY HRUSKAA HERBIVORE BOTANICALS Lauren Falkowski, BROOKLYN, NY "I learned how to sew six and a half years ago on a whim. At first it was just basic bags with raggedy edges and no lining. Now it's how I make my living." Men's leather billfold, $58; etsy.com/shop/ lolafalkdesigns Hande Cengiz, CHICAGO "My husband and I got our dog, Buddy, after we graduated from college. I started making him collars, and soon some of my friends were asking me to make them for their dogs. Within a year of taking my first job at an architecture firm, I quit to focus on Silly Buddy full time." Nautical stripes bowtie dog collar, $43; etsy.com/shop/sillybuddy Melissa Hruskaa, GRAND RAPIDS, MI "This hanging planter is inspired by the Himmeli mobile, a Finnish piece that celebrates the start of the winter solstice." Brass Himmeli prism No. 2, $49; etsy.com/ shop/hruskaa Julia Wills and Alex Kummerow, SEATTLE "We started experimenting with natural skin care after our local handmade soap shop closed. Products in our line contain gemstone powders from Brazil, volcanic salts from Hawaii, and activated bamboo charcoal from Japan." Products $9-$68; etsy.com/ shop/herbivorebotanicals MARCH 2014 SPIRIT 77 http://www.etsy.com/shop/herbivorebotanicals http://www.etsy.com/shop/herbivorebotanicals http://www.etsy.com/shop/sillybuddy http://www.etsy.com/shop/hruskaa http://www.etsy.com/shop/lolafalkdesigns http://www.etsy.com/shop/hruskaa http://www.etsy.com/shop/lolafalkdesigns

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - March 2014

Spirit Magazine - March 2014
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Gary’s Greeting en Español
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
Wise Guide
Numbers
Business
The New American Dream
Your Adventure In New York City
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Products & Services
Flight Service
Terminal Maps
Information
Rapid Rewards and A+ Rewards Partners
Route Map
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - March 2014