Straight Job: Check
Word has already mostly gotten around, but yes the search for the elusive straight job is over. Shain Solutions is an educational/commercial furniture manufacturer about a half-hour from us in Philipsburg. They are growing fast and changing faster with an agressive new VP, and they want to change the face of the company. So they went looking for a PR/Customer Relations Manager to oversee CSRs, Inside Sales and Custom Quote staff. I'm what they got. Though we mostly talked marketing and manufacturing during the interview, I imagine my main task will be to "change the culture" there in the office. I love a challenge, and Honda taught me deep lessons about corporate philosophy, lifetime client loyalty and team building.
Of course this time, for team building, we'll stay away from Razor scooters and multi-level parking ramps. And Captain Morgan. And Emergency Rooms.
At least for the first year :)
Enthusiastic congratulations have been rolling in. And I'm grateful :). Indeed, I've been want ad-scanning, resume spamming and going on interviews for about two months now. It did feel good to finally feel that "this is right" vibe, and it felt redeeming to get the offer. Like Thomas the Tank Engine, I had come to want nothing more than to BE A USEFUL ENGINE!
I also think it's important to point out that I have not been unemployed for the last 3 years. I capitalized and started my own business, and though the niche is small it's probably safe to say I'm #3 in the market. Over this past year, there were times that Lux Graphics provided our only income.
A straight job has only been a goal this last two months, as difficult decisions were made by Alaska and I regarding our finances and our short and long term goals. Working for myself has provided me with something infinitely more valuable than a 401k or health benefits: quantity time with my sons and wife. And while painting people's model racecars for a living sent -- and still may send -- shivers of paralyzing fear up and down the spines of some people who care for us very deeply. . . it gave the most important people in my life (my family) exactly what they needed (an active, involved and very very PRESENT father & husband). This is why it's been such a difficult decision.
A straight job (if it could be found, and it did prove more elusive than planned) would provide the following items that we, at this time, place great value on:
-more income than Lux Graphics
-someone ELSE taking the taxes out for us
-less expensive health insurance (we have not gone without, we just paid through the nose)
-some regularity & consistency to our income, to avoid the peaks & valleys of 2 self-employed people with 2 sets of loyal but flakey clients
At the same time, with a straight job, the following sacrifices must be made:
-lessens the time I can give to volunteer work with scouts and Readers Theater
-puts more of the parenting load on Alaska, while not lightening her work load at least for the first 2 years
-it puts me back with the rest of the Dads out there fantasizing about mythical "quality time" with my sons because I no longer have quantity time.
-TWO THOUSAND HOURS that I will NOT spend with my sons or wife in 2008. That one kills me. There is nothing more precious to me than that time.
Do you see why, while it's nice to feel I actually DO still have value in the professional world, this is as bittersweet as it is thrilling? I have learned to see my value in terms much broader and more meaningful than those of the professional world. But we want so badly to be debt free, to SHOW our sons while they are still impressionable the liberty and joy this kind of life can bring them. We want this badly to begin the lesson when the twins are 8 and Max is 13, not later. We believe that these two years of sacrifice will be the key to perhaps much more freedom and success when we launch our NEXT entrepeneurial ventures.
I am grateful, and I am so happy. I'm so excited to get back in the game because while yes -- it nearly destroyed my family last time :) -- I was gooooood at playing the game. And it feels good to be good at something when there are others there to see it and benefit from it. There are so many more millions of dollars being spent on educational furniture than there are on custom RC paint, and so much more opportunity to bring my family what it needs right now.
It's not the last chapter, but it is the next chapter. I only hope, and pray I guess (gotta work on that) that I can keep the perspective and priority these last few years have given me. I hope I can apply myself in this new direction while still maximizing my time with my sons. I know not to put pressure on our limited time together, I know to just let us be. I know to never stop hugging and adoring and trusting in them. I know to work harder and schedule better so I CAN still be the Scout Leader and I CAN still teach Readers Theater. It will be a balancing act, but I really can't worry about it too much because I know I've got what it takes to fix it if it ever gets that broken again.
Photography: Still moving forward with Self Taught Studio Portraiture 101, as it can supplement the income with a little more study and help me move toward making the photos I want to make -- whether or not I get paid for those. After 2 years of study, this may become Lux Version 2.0
Lux Graphics: I can't imagine letting go of it, as much as I want to huck my Iwata brushes into the woods. I hope to paint a few bodies a week, custom or Ebay, after the kids go to bed. I hope to build up an "Economical Commute Alternative" savings fund if you know what I mean. If it just doesn't work? Well. I've lived without an Economical Commute Alternative for a few years now, it won't kill me. And in that case I sure would enjoy that Iwata Hucking Party.
OH! Back on celebrating the new job: Alaska took us all out to Hoss's Steak House. This is a regional chain of family-friendly steak/seafood/buffet places, and when she went a couple of weeks ago thought it was pretty good. Well, AK just about cried when Gramma could barely eat her crabcake sammich and I could not get halfway through my still-moo'ing "Medium Well" cleaver cut steak. She had to admit that while her scallops were good, there were only about 3 of them! Max, Ben and Milo were sick & couldn't taste anything. And it WAS cool that the cooks sliced the boys' names into their hot dogs! Gramma and I thought it was hilarous because it just would not get better: AK's Mountain Dew had the syrup mix all wrong, and instead of offering to credit us for the steak the waitress nervously offered to cook it some more. Ew.
Emily LOVED it. And the manager did credit us the steak with much apologies for some data entry mix up. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I've had rare steaks before and loved them. The problem was that THIS WAS A VERY OLD AND VERY ANGRY COW WHO LIVED A DEPRESSED AND MISERABLE LIFE. Every bite was full of grisle and my jaw was sore from chewing what tasted like a big bloody beef liver.
But mostly, it really was funny. And poor AK just couldn't get the joke, she was crushed and felt our fine celebration was ruined. But we have some funny memories, we STILL didn't have to do any dishes -- and since they probably won't be seeing Young Scholars of Central PA Charter School for another fundraiser -- maybe they'll serve the next PAC President who takes her family there more scallops.
Of course this time, for team building, we'll stay away from Razor scooters and multi-level parking ramps. And Captain Morgan. And Emergency Rooms.
At least for the first year :)
Enthusiastic congratulations have been rolling in. And I'm grateful :). Indeed, I've been want ad-scanning, resume spamming and going on interviews for about two months now. It did feel good to finally feel that "this is right" vibe, and it felt redeeming to get the offer. Like Thomas the Tank Engine, I had come to want nothing more than to BE A USEFUL ENGINE!
I also think it's important to point out that I have not been unemployed for the last 3 years. I capitalized and started my own business, and though the niche is small it's probably safe to say I'm #3 in the market. Over this past year, there were times that Lux Graphics provided our only income.
A straight job has only been a goal this last two months, as difficult decisions were made by Alaska and I regarding our finances and our short and long term goals. Working for myself has provided me with something infinitely more valuable than a 401k or health benefits: quantity time with my sons and wife. And while painting people's model racecars for a living sent -- and still may send -- shivers of paralyzing fear up and down the spines of some people who care for us very deeply. . . it gave the most important people in my life (my family) exactly what they needed (an active, involved and very very PRESENT father & husband). This is why it's been such a difficult decision.
A straight job (if it could be found, and it did prove more elusive than planned) would provide the following items that we, at this time, place great value on:
-more income than Lux Graphics
-someone ELSE taking the taxes out for us
-less expensive health insurance (we have not gone without, we just paid through the nose)
-some regularity & consistency to our income, to avoid the peaks & valleys of 2 self-employed people with 2 sets of loyal but flakey clients
At the same time, with a straight job, the following sacrifices must be made:
-lessens the time I can give to volunteer work with scouts and Readers Theater
-puts more of the parenting load on Alaska, while not lightening her work load at least for the first 2 years
-it puts me back with the rest of the Dads out there fantasizing about mythical "quality time" with my sons because I no longer have quantity time.
-TWO THOUSAND HOURS that I will NOT spend with my sons or wife in 2008. That one kills me. There is nothing more precious to me than that time.
Do you see why, while it's nice to feel I actually DO still have value in the professional world, this is as bittersweet as it is thrilling? I have learned to see my value in terms much broader and more meaningful than those of the professional world. But we want so badly to be debt free, to SHOW our sons while they are still impressionable the liberty and joy this kind of life can bring them. We want this badly to begin the lesson when the twins are 8 and Max is 13, not later. We believe that these two years of sacrifice will be the key to perhaps much more freedom and success when we launch our NEXT entrepeneurial ventures.
I am grateful, and I am so happy. I'm so excited to get back in the game because while yes -- it nearly destroyed my family last time :) -- I was gooooood at playing the game. And it feels good to be good at something when there are others there to see it and benefit from it. There are so many more millions of dollars being spent on educational furniture than there are on custom RC paint, and so much more opportunity to bring my family what it needs right now.
It's not the last chapter, but it is the next chapter. I only hope, and pray I guess (gotta work on that) that I can keep the perspective and priority these last few years have given me. I hope I can apply myself in this new direction while still maximizing my time with my sons. I know not to put pressure on our limited time together, I know to just let us be. I know to never stop hugging and adoring and trusting in them. I know to work harder and schedule better so I CAN still be the Scout Leader and I CAN still teach Readers Theater. It will be a balancing act, but I really can't worry about it too much because I know I've got what it takes to fix it if it ever gets that broken again.
Photography: Still moving forward with Self Taught Studio Portraiture 101, as it can supplement the income with a little more study and help me move toward making the photos I want to make -- whether or not I get paid for those. After 2 years of study, this may become Lux Version 2.0
Lux Graphics: I can't imagine letting go of it, as much as I want to huck my Iwata brushes into the woods. I hope to paint a few bodies a week, custom or Ebay, after the kids go to bed. I hope to build up an "Economical Commute Alternative" savings fund if you know what I mean. If it just doesn't work? Well. I've lived without an Economical Commute Alternative for a few years now, it won't kill me. And in that case I sure would enjoy that Iwata Hucking Party.
OH! Back on celebrating the new job: Alaska took us all out to Hoss's Steak House. This is a regional chain of family-friendly steak/seafood/buffet places, and when she went a couple of weeks ago thought it was pretty good. Well, AK just about cried when Gramma could barely eat her crabcake sammich and I could not get halfway through my still-moo'ing "Medium Well" cleaver cut steak. She had to admit that while her scallops were good, there were only about 3 of them! Max, Ben and Milo were sick & couldn't taste anything. And it WAS cool that the cooks sliced the boys' names into their hot dogs! Gramma and I thought it was hilarous because it just would not get better: AK's Mountain Dew had the syrup mix all wrong, and instead of offering to credit us for the steak the waitress nervously offered to cook it some more. Ew.
Emily LOVED it. And the manager did credit us the steak with much apologies for some data entry mix up. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I've had rare steaks before and loved them. The problem was that THIS WAS A VERY OLD AND VERY ANGRY COW WHO LIVED A DEPRESSED AND MISERABLE LIFE. Every bite was full of grisle and my jaw was sore from chewing what tasted like a big bloody beef liver.
But mostly, it really was funny. And poor AK just couldn't get the joke, she was crushed and felt our fine celebration was ruined. But we have some funny memories, we STILL didn't have to do any dishes -- and since they probably won't be seeing Young Scholars of Central PA Charter School for another fundraiser -- maybe they'll serve the next PAC President who takes her family there more scallops.
posted by Chris at
10:40 PM
1 Comments:
Congrats on the straight job! Look out for the AMT!
Jason
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