What Happens When You Have Limited Choices

Summary

Rasheed Hooda describes his challenging work conditions during a Texas summer, adapting to limited resources and space while maintaining his writing career.

Abstract

Rasheed Hooda, a published author and contributor to ILLUMINATION on Medium, shares his experience of operating his writing career from a makeshift office on his patio in the sweltering Texas heat. With limited choices due to the loss of access to his previous workspace, he has set up a portable office in the heat, relying on a stand-up fan for relief. Despite the discomfort and the impact on his productivity, he expresses gratitude for the space provided by his family. Hooda reflects on the role reversal with his children, the discomfort of the heat, and his inability to focus on writing. He invites other writers to share how the "New Normal" has affected their work and life, referencing a challenge by Joe Luca to write about it. Hooda also prompts specific writers to contribute their thoughts and concludes by reiterating his appreciation for the community's engagement with his work.

Opinions

Hooda acknowledges the difficulty of working in extreme heat, which drains his energy and affects his focus and productivity.
He expresses gratitude towards his family for providing him with space and resources, such as electricity and internet access, despite the limitations.
There is a sense of humor and resilience in his writing, as he laughs off the heat and his daughter's concern about his working conditions.
Hooda reflects on the changes in his life, particularly the shift in dynamics with his children, and the irony of now being the one whose movements are restricted.
He is open to and interested in hearing about others' experiences with the "New Normal," indicating a community-oriented mindset and a desire for connection and shared experiences among writers.
Hooda maintains a positive outlook, emphasizing his freedom lifestyle and the choice to define success on his own terms, despite the current challenges.

You suffer and do the best you can with what you have.

My make shift World Headquarters. Photo by Rasheed Hooda

It’s too hot here on the patio where I set up my office last month.

I am still here, trying to operate my writing career from the portable office. It is a perfect setup for my nomadic lifestyle.

Mobile Domicile outside World Headquarters, photo by Rasheed Hooda

Three months ago today, when I lost access to my World Headquarters, aka the Whataburger restaurant, my children and their mother invited me over for the time being. I parked my Mobile Domicile in front of their apartment.

Now, I have access to electricity and the internet. At first, I camped out in the foyer outside the front door with the laptop literally in my lap. When I wanted to go to Wal-mart to buy a small folding table to use as a desk, the kids didn’t want me going anywhere, let alone Wal-mart of all places. I remember the days when I was the one deciding where they can or cannot go. Times have sure changed.

The woman I married was kind enough to take off the artificial plant and let me use the little table it was sitting on. I am grateful.

After about a month, when it started getting warm, they cleaned up the back patio and moved my office there with a stand-up fan. It protected me from direct sunlight, and the fan kept me cool. At first, it worked great.

But this is Texas, and the summer is officially only a few days away.

My daughter just stepped outside to talk to me about something, and the first words out of her mouth were, “It’s really hot out here, how are you able to work?”

I laughed and showed her what I was writing. She guffawed and left. I don’t know what she wanted to talk about; it must not have been that important.

The reason I am working outside, where it’s in the 90s (degrees Fahrenheit) in the shade, is because the lady of the house watches TV in the living room while the grown children are working in their rooms on the computer. I am grateful to have a place to work from, because the battery in the Mobile Domicile is dead, and besides, it can’t bear a load of a laptop computer, anyway.

The only problem is that the heat drains away a lot of energy and I can’t focus on reading or writing. I kept dozing off. I haven’t published anything in the last three days. There are several stories for which I have done the research, but I haven’t started writing because the heat is taking its toll.

How is the heat where you are?

I know the people in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa and are like, what heat? We are freezing our asses here. Yeah, whatever.

I would love to hear from some of you about how this New Normal is affecting your work and life, if at all. Joe Luca wrote a brilliant story about the New Normal; he challenged a few people to write their version of it.

Happily Homeless Photo by Rasheed Hooda

What Happens When You Have Limited Choices

You suffer and do the best you can with what you have.

You just found a remote that enables you to fast forward through the tough times in your Life.

Would you use it?

As always, thank you for reading and responding.

More about me:

Illuminating Mister Weirdo

Introducing myself to the community

I Am a Bum, Maybe Not the Kind You Think

An illuminating lesson I learned about the power of words by writing consistently.