Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
Remember me?
I quit my job yesterday.
Oh, boy.
A secure job. Fair pay. Bennies.
But ... it was keeping me from my fantasies.
I have the fantasy that I want to write this book. I have the fantasy that I want to travel. The fantasy that I can be free of a job, and yet still make a living, and feel immense creative satisfaction, and even fun ... for the rest of my life.
Being older, I worry about my health. I felt I needed that company health insurance.
Being a realist, I worry about the coming state of the world economy, and the environment, the energy supply, and even civilization itself.
Money-wise, I was ready to go, two months ago. I've saved up money, and borrowed on my house equity, enough to live on for six to eight months. (After that, I'd better be making money — more than I'm making now.)
But I worried about all those worrisome things, and felt I needed to keep my job. For security.
But one day I realized that I wasn't getting the book written. That I was apparently never going to get it written, unless I could focus on it exclusively.
And sure, your health could go south at any time. I could find out I have galloping brain tumors, undetected holes in my heart, Ferrari-fast prostate cancer.
But that could happen even if I kept the job, kept the company-paid health insurance. At my age, I already know that the BEST I can hope for is a long, slow slide into a progressively more problematic physical situation. I'm not getting any younger.
As to the world, keeping my job or losing it are neither one going to affect the external reality.
Best to write my book. Now. Cut the hawsers that hold me in this job, and be fearless for this moment in my life.
I could regret it later.
But I like to think this road less traveled, the one I'm now on, is the one where people go on to become Richard Dawkins, or Robert Service, or Arthur C. Clarke. Or, hell, Madonna.
The road where people run their own lives — and fall on their asses, or pick themselves up and fly — on their own.
I'm taking that chance.
I've come to this dangerous shore. I have burned my boats. And now I win or lose, fall or fly.
On my own.
...
Wanna wish me luck?
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Best of luck!
Wish you all the best. Good writing!
Bon Voyage
A daring adventure for sure...your ship is surging forward with a strong wind behind. And there is probably a safe port somewhere out there if you really need it...when your toes get bunions etc. Wish I were that brave. Bon voyage.
best wishes
Best wishes, Hank!
UK
Congratulations!
Congratulations!
I wish you much luck, joy, and success on your new path!
Friday the 13th...
is the best possible day to do something like this!
Good luck, Hank. As much as I love to read your posts, don't blog too much. It's too easy to satisfy the itch to write with a blog entry. Just check in occasionally and let us know how you're doing, and drop a teaser paragraph here and there. Let the rest go into the book which I will be lining up for when it is done.
Been there...
Hank,
I do wish you good luck and smooth sailing. Very much so. There are few things more empowering than cutting loose those mooring lines - I know, since I've been there and done it.
In my case it was going into business for myself. A sole proprietorship (as a book conservator) led to forming a small corporation (running an art gallery) which then failed spectacularly and led to being a sole proprietor again (back to the conservation work, which is where I am now).
And you know, even with the failure - perhaps mostly *because* of the failure - I'm glad I did it. That's because the process of going through all of that taught me more about my resourcefulness and creativitiy than anything I could have learned in a 'safe' conventional profession. As the saying goes, you don't know how far you can go until you go too far.
As far as the book thing goes: I wish you well. I've written one novel which made it all the way to the top editor's desk at Bantam before I was told that it just didn't fit in with the others they were going to be publishing in the coming year. Rejection, yes, (and when I have the time and energy again I intend to flog it around some more) but more rewarding than sitting back and saying "gee, I wish I had taken the time to write a book".
So, I admire your guts, and your willingness to have this level of faith in yourself. Whatever comes of it, enjoy the ride.
Jim Downey
"Sometimes I think we're alone. Sometimes I think we're not. In either case, the thought is staggering."
- R. Buckminster Fuller
wow that's totally gutsy.
wow that's totally gutsy. good luck! :) I'm sure you'll do fantastic. Keep us updated on the progress of the book!!
Well, you're definitely not
Well, you're definitely not superstitious... A lot of people probably wouldn't have chosen to do this on Friday the 13th!
Good luck
Even though we make our own luck, I still like to say it in support of friends. So good luck! If you're ever in the DC area, the beer is on me. Don't forget about us here while you pursue your dreams!
Again, good luck.
No luck necessary
Hank, you're an excellent writer and I know you'll do well.