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hi, i'm ash!
Creator of the New Travel & Design Series, 'OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES.'
Travel writer & host, cultural explorer, and architecture & interiors freak.
Meet ash >
I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈
I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈ I THINK YOU'RE REALLY GREAT ✈
The Newsletter
Every week, we're exploring global culture through the lens of the home. From floorplans to fixtures, we examine how houses are built, designed, and decorated around the world (with a side of sass, of course!)
The Podcast
The only podcast where we pass on the pyramids and poke around in the plumbing. I’m Ash, and I'm, exploring the strange, smart, and wonderful ways houses are built, designed, and decorated around the world.
The Books
A new series of OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES books designed to help you try on a new life in different places around the world—by getting to "go behind closed doors" inside local homes to discover what it's really like to live there.
I had a job I did not love in any part of myself for three years when my son was in high school. Out of that total dissatisfaction and worried that the nest would soon be empty, I started the Golden Goat Award. I wanted to be able to recognize someone formally for their awesomeness. And I actually said to myself, ” I absolutely can do whatever I want.” I don’t think I would have created the award if I had been in love with my job and “content” with what I was doing. Thanks for the kick in the ass.
It is available to anyone! The trophy goes to a business or someone who is a stupendous volunteer and there is asquare business size card that can be carried around and whooped out anywhere. People love the idea – how can you not? – and now I’m trying to figure out how to grow it and spread the sunshine. I’ve moved to 3 different states since it first started. Not trying to monetize it – just spread it:) I appreciate that feedback. Smooch.
You absolutely CAN do whatever you want! But, also???? The fact that you actually did is what makes this so great. You started a Golden Goat Award! I LOVE IT. I could see this being a thing, offered in various industries, and others nominating their favorites. We need more happiness & joy! Reminds me a little of The Happy Newspaper by Emily Coxhead. Absolutely LOVE! https://thehappynewspaper.com/
Thank ya ma’am for the encouragement and for the happy newsletter! Recognizing the good stuff, calling it out – encourages more of the good stuff!
Tell us more! How does destination writing work? Do you mean content for hotels, tourism businesses, etc. that are stationary, and need to draw in visitors? Because, I love this game.
I have been decades in the work force. Stating that, I think 11 new gray hairs just showed up for the party.
I have pivoted industries several times. From the restaurant biz to non-profit to the casino industry. Truly, they have all been little puppy poop stains on the carpet of customer service. I seem to be good at making others feel good, laugh and building relationships (even with people I don’t want relationships with). I think there should be hazard pay for that.
I’m so ready to pivot into something joyful. Gray hairs and all, let’s go!
Omg, I definitely have this talent too: “Building relationships (even with people I don’t want relationships with).” LOL. I’ll take the hazard pay along with ya! But, honestly, the good thing about this is that it CAN be translated into so many other careers—leaders in any industry need to be this way, or else no one will want to follow. Imagine a consultancy teaching corporate execs how to be warm, charismatic, and wonderful???
Thanks for the idea Ash! I have never considered how my journey and professional growth in dealing with all kinds of people could translate into a business. I feel a pivot coming on!
I like my current job because I can wear my favorite Mickey Mouse pajamas all day. And I get to write – I love when I get the opportunity to use my Meat & Hair skills for website copy. The only downside I have to pivoting is jealous coworkers. Is there an essential oil for that?
YES!!!! A new Meat & Hair creative writing class is launching this fall—I can’t wait! And more when I hear testimonials like these. 🤗 Wooooo!!!!!!!!!
Say less and take all of my money.
Love this!!
I’ve had a number of jobs over the past few decades and, while I haven’t always pivoted to entirely new things each time, I certainly did make a practice of, as you say, considering “what activities you would be happy doing, and figure out how you can bring them into your job.” I’ve built entire resumes, gotten all-access passes to lots of amazing concerts, and gotten entirely new jobs … all from finding some aspect of a job that I wanted to do (even in different departments in the same company) and basically volunteering to do that thing.
My current job doesn’t allow for much of this, sadly, so (because I always have to do something EXTRA, obv.) I’ve gone the route of “pick[ing] a theme and … writing the shit out of it.” 😆
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! “…basically volunteering to do the thing.”
It sounds like you’re ready to volunteer to do your OWN thing now, baby. You’ve been toying with this for some time, and I’m so glad to see you keep charging forward, Singleton! 🐂 (That’s supposed to be a bull, LOL.)
OMG Ash, where have you been all my life?! First time reader and instant fan girl 🙌
I am in the midst of a mid-career crisis after I left (what appeared on the outside to be) the best job ever, but was in fact morally and ethically sucking the everything out of me. Now I’m 15 months down the track, floundering around in a basic bitch job and trying to rationalise how I could become a stay at home dog mum on the reg. Do you reckon if I got two dogs my husband would say yes? 🤣
IT WILL ALWAYS WORK OUT. It always does. I’ve learned this the hard way—and remember those basic bitch jobs! Stay the course. It’s going to be really, really good soon. -Ash