Embarking on a joyful adventure

Why I'm moving from working to eat to working for fun

It all started when an executive mentor asked me “what do you want?”. Nearing mid-life (by today’s standards), I had NO IDEA what I wanted. But that wasn’t my problem. My problem is I wanted everything and didn’t have the mental wherewithal and courage to grab one of all those ‘everythings’ and give it a try. I was afraid to commit to something because all it took was a decision.

But, let’s back up a tick. I was struggling for clarity mid-career. I didn’t understand why people around me were moving (over, up, etc.) but I wasn’t. It took a small 2-page response to my mentor’s question to set me on a 15 year upward trajectory that was risky, demanding, and very satisfying. Once I decided I was ready to try anything (everything), to dig into the biggest messes and the crappiest tangles, I was in demand like I couldn’t have imagined. That exec’s question, so short but profoundly complex, set me on a path to writing that I wasn’t even conscious of until now. I wrote a response then, 15+ years ago, and published it on Amazon as a (super) short biography last year just to see how publishing works.

It was easy and awesome and my paper was #3 in new short biographies for several hours on 1 day when 7 friends and family members bought it. LOL. But, that small moment was all it took for me start journaling dozens of ideas for stories, books, and serials. It was my son, Killian, who suggested instead of publishing the next on Amazon that I should use Substack and build a following first. So, after hours of “super easy (not for me) setup” I am bringing you my first post.

As to transitioning from working to eat to working for fun, I’m planning my semi-retirement soon. Semi-retirement for me basically means transitioning from my current leadership role in higher education to doing something fun for about half as much time, until I’m ready to sit on a beach and do nothing (never… :). I expect writing to be fun. I will still need to buy something to eat, so at some point I will monetize and more formally publish my next project - a serial written by the character of each week’s episode.

I plan to post on Substack occasionally for now about any number of topics including family, friends, funnies, life, and possibly world domination. LOL. I hope what I share is worth your time.

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