Comments on: It Was a Dark and Stormy Night http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/homeandhearth/it-was-a-dark-and-stormy-night/ Photos and Front Porch Musing from Floyd County Virginia Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:25:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Michael Abraham http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/homeandhearth/it-was-a-dark-and-stormy-night/comment-page-1/#comment-10140 Michael Abraham Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:14:02 +0000 http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/?p=3026#comment-10140 I followed in your footsteps, Fred, even before I met you... I did the "real" career, and then found a way to step away and pursue a new career (if one can call an activity a career if it has no (or limited) income) in writing. A funny thing happened along the way at my house: my wife lost her job as an instructor at our famed local institution of higher education almost simultaneously. So much for earning that PhD! So our plan to have her bring home the bacon while I wave her off wearing slippers and a bathrobe has, shall we say, been forced to evolve. My days are much the same as when I had the job, at least in the sense of awaking at dawn and motoring to the office and back home again for dinner. The difference is that there's much less stress and responsibility in between. However, real live income would be welcome sometime (soon!), as much for validation of the decision to pursue this life as the pleasure of keeping the bill-collectors at bay. Interestingly, the career into which the current one sprang was similar to what you described as an ideal: the family-owned "company store" business with long-term employees and hard-earned co-dependent relationships. Yes, it had many benefits of the heart, if not the pocketbook, but the wear-and-tear are inestimable over years and multiple stresses (compounded in our case by a significant embezzlement from someone we thought to be a friend). My regret is not that I send my wife off to bring home the bacon, but that she's been robbed of the opportunity. I would be happier if she were. Researching and writing my first two books (soon to be released; please stay tuned for further developments) has been one of the most phenomenal experiences of my life. Two people I got to know during these processes are dead within the past 8 months. Interestingly, both were my same age (55). It's almost become trite to say it, but life is not about the destination; it's about the trip. Every day is an education in learning how. From this school, I'm not sure we ever graduate. I followed in your footsteps, Fred, even before I met you… I did the “real” career, and then found a way to step away and pursue a new career (if one can call an activity a career if it has no (or limited) income) in writing. A funny thing happened along the way at my house: my wife lost her job as an instructor at our famed local institution of higher education almost simultaneously. So much for earning that PhD! So our plan to have her bring home the bacon while I wave her off wearing slippers and a bathrobe has, shall we say, been forced to evolve.
My days are much the same as when I had the job, at least in the sense of awaking at dawn and motoring to the office and back home again for dinner. The difference is that there’s much less stress and responsibility in between. However, real live income would be welcome sometime (soon!), as much for validation of the decision to pursue this life as the pleasure of keeping the bill-collectors at bay.
Interestingly, the career into which the current one sprang was similar to what you described as an ideal: the family-owned “company store” business with long-term employees and hard-earned co-dependent relationships. Yes, it had many benefits of the heart, if not the pocketbook, but the wear-and-tear are inestimable over years and multiple stresses (compounded in our case by a significant embezzlement from someone we thought to be a friend).
My regret is not that I send my wife off to bring home the bacon, but that she’s been robbed of the opportunity. I would be happier if she were.
Researching and writing my first two books (soon to be released; please stay tuned for further developments) has been one of the most phenomenal experiences of my life. Two people I got to know during these processes are dead within the past 8 months. Interestingly, both were my same age (55). It’s almost become trite to say it, but life is not about the destination; it’s about the trip. Every day is an education in learning how. From this school, I’m not sure we ever graduate.

]]> By: fred http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/homeandhearth/it-was-a-dark-and-stormy-night/comment-page-1/#comment-10139 fred Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:27:04 +0000 http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/?p=3026#comment-10139 Career? More like careen, but we'll bump along at random and see where we end up! This is the spaghetti-on-the-wall phase of my avocational life. We'll see what sticks! Career? More like careen, but we’ll bump along at random and see where we end up! This is the spaghetti-on-the-wall phase of my avocational life. We’ll see what sticks!

]]> By: bill;www.wildramblings.com http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/homeandhearth/it-was-a-dark-and-stormy-night/comment-page-1/#comment-10138 bill;www.wildramblings.com Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:09:10 +0000 http://www.fragmentsfromfloyd.com/?p=3026#comment-10138 Looks like you are doing a lot of worthwhile activities these days! No need for guilt; think of this as your new career. You proabably really are working fulltime and don't even realize it. Bill Looks like you are doing a lot of worthwhile activities these days! No need for guilt; think of this as your new career. You proabably really are working fulltime and don’t even realize it.

Bill

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