10 Comments

This was lovely, thank you!

I finished my PhD when I was 38 weeks pregnant, and it was definitely a race against the clock. I kind of assumed when I dropped off the paper copies at the office, I'd go immediately into labour, having delivered one baby whilst awaiting another. Little did I know, I'd have to wait another 4 weeks.

I remained in academia and it occurs to me so much of my life is wishing time away - finishing the teaching term so I have "time to think", etc. By week 6 or so, the count down has begun. Which strikes me as a sad way to exist?

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Wow - this resonates on so many levels. I admire your ability to take a giant topic/concept like time and challenge how I think about it and layer in gender and class dynamics in a way that leaves me thinking about my relationship with time in a way that seems both more complex yet grounded. Thanks for this piece.

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Really enjoyed this both as a mother-writer and a time researcher. Thank you! Will especially be thinking more about my own expectations re: reading nonfiction - I agree - I wish publishers wouldn't push authors to always provide solutions (a la "and what you can do about it!). Also, your "color-coded life" headline makes me think of Brigid Shulte's concept of 'time confetti' in her book Overwhelmed.

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Mar 26Liked by Amanda Montei

OOF. So much juiciness here. Reading Odell’s previous book completely changed my thinking around “doing” so I am really excited to pick her new book.

“Is time gendered?” Wow-yeh. That’s sticking out for me as I hold it against the current of read Four Thousand Weeks (written by a man) with my bookclub.

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Mar 23Liked by Amanda Montei

Big thank you for this one! It connected some threads that have been wiggling around in my head for a while. And it reminded me how subversive it can be to "spend" time doing something that is meaningful to you even if it has no "value" to anyone else, even if the only "product" it generates is pleasure. Hope you all have fun on your trip!

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Mar 23Liked by Amanda Montei

I needed this today! I am en route to CO after corgis rescheduled our winter plans and this is just so perfect.

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