Name: yes

Location: Wisconsin, USA

Age: late 30s

Current preoccupation: swimming, running, cats, cycling

Preoccupations I'm not currently occupied by: Adirondack mountains, other mountains, hiking

Previous preoccupations: concerts, traveling to concerts, traveling to Tegan and Sara concerts, vacuum tubes, vinyl records

Role and purpose: I'm one of three people who do my job in my office. I've been doing this specific job for six years and have been at the company fifteen. One coworker has been here less than two years and did a somewhat similar but in many ways not at all similar job previously. The other is new to the role entirely and started a month ago. If I can manage the workload, I can help them get rolling.

I'm doing a winter swim group. It's a mix of newbies (like me) and some experienced but not phenomenal swimmers. Last time we swam we did some intervals: swim as fast as you can for a length of the pool. The guy next to me told me after that he was swimming to keep up with me. I was swimming to keep up with him.

I attend a group run on Tuesdays. There are about eight of us as reliable regulars, a few more hit-or-miss people, and then occasionally some totally new people. I'm not the fastest runner there (though I do OK), and I'm not the coolest runner there. But everyone seems to enjoy seeing everyone, and everyone is welcoming of the new people.

I think my purpose is to be that person that's in the background of people's lives but that provides some boost to their lives. I think I make their lives a little better. I may not be vital to their lives or their happiness, but I think they're a little happier.