It's a new world for me.
I am my own boss. I can do whatever I want.... But...
I also need to make sure I make enough to pay the bills. Grrrr.... That is the rub. Well ... I'm reading and writing more everyday than I ever have before. It's exciting.
Just an FYI... I had a weird sci-fi dream last night. I'm writing it all down. I have never had this kind of dream before. I was part of a team to fight some sort of alien bad guy. It's all fuzzy. Kind of like Pacific Rim. Weird.
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Life After Work
At the end of May, I ended my brief elementary school teaching career.
After taking some time off during the summer to hang with my kids, I know it's now time to hustle.
My goal is to work for myself. That means pay all my bills and meet all my expenses solely on my own efforts.
I do not want to get another job. It has been challenging. June, July and August have tested my resolve. In the end, I hope this will allow me more time to pursue my writing and artistic endeavors.
Despite the challenges, I have had so much more time to read books and write in my journal throughout the day. I have been able to work on more of my art.
But the balance isn't there yet. There have been several setbacks during these three months of summer. I'm not giving up though. Besides... the experience is giving me tons to write about.
So... time to hit the road. It's about 2:30 p.m. Time to pay the bills. More on that later.
After taking some time off during the summer to hang with my kids, I know it's now time to hustle.
My goal is to work for myself. That means pay all my bills and meet all my expenses solely on my own efforts.
I do not want to get another job. It has been challenging. June, July and August have tested my resolve. In the end, I hope this will allow me more time to pursue my writing and artistic endeavors.
Despite the challenges, I have had so much more time to read books and write in my journal throughout the day. I have been able to work on more of my art.
But the balance isn't there yet. There have been several setbacks during these three months of summer. I'm not giving up though. Besides... the experience is giving me tons to write about.
So... time to hit the road. It's about 2:30 p.m. Time to pay the bills. More on that later.
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Pedro Is Still Writing
It's late at night...
I am watching the news... I'm drinking a beer. I'm about to make a huge transition in life.
In about two weeks, I will no longer be employed. I will be self-employed.
OMG!
I am watching the news... I'm drinking a beer. I'm about to make a huge transition in life.
In about two weeks, I will no longer be employed. I will be self-employed.
OMG!
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Quote Of The Day: The Surefire Way To Never Meet Your Goals
This one is attributed to hockey legend Wayne Gretzky:
You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take.
This is so true. I have been setting daily, weekly, monthly goals for myself in 2018. I've met some; failed at others. But I'm still shooting.
You have to try, like Gretzky says, because if you don't, you're guaranteed to miss.
You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take.
This is so true. I have been setting daily, weekly, monthly goals for myself in 2018. I've met some; failed at others. But I'm still shooting.
You have to try, like Gretzky says, because if you don't, you're guaranteed to miss.
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Today In History: February 24th - Why Today Is So Dear To My Heart
As you know, I'm on an adventure to reacquire knowledge I have forgotten. So... today I'm looking at history.
If you missed why I'm going on this adventure, just see my post: All The Things I've Forgotten Over The Years: What I'm Doing To Relearn It All Now.
Here I am in my living room/writing area, sitting in my rolling office chair, which is not in front of my computer station. A simple twist and roll behind me and I'm at my bookshelf. Here I remove one of my history books. After reading what it says about today, I reach back and pull out a second book. This will involve more research for a post later.
My 30-minute exercise tonight has given me this Today In History post.
Today in 1786, Fairytale writer Wilhelm Grimm is born. In 1836, American painter Winslow Homer is born.
And in 1500, Charles the V, the greatest of all the Habsburg emperors is born in the town of Ghent. I'll have to go there someday.
Before Charles was 20, he was "the master of more land in Europe than anyone since the Roman emperors, including Charlemagne." It would be wonderful to tour those lands. Add that to my bucket list.
The second book I reached for in my library was one of my Fairytale books. Grimm intrigues me. I have forgotten much. Time to reacquire my Fairytale knowledge.
As significant as the births of Charles and Wilhelm were to the world, today another person was born who is nearer and dearer to my heart. My oldest daughter is 22 today.
What I recall with great fondness is reading Shakespeare together at night when she was still in pre-school. I was a newspaper journalist at the time in Syracuse, New York. I also was teaching at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University - my alma mater.
One day I made it a point to bring her to one of my classes - an impromptu "Bring Your Daughter To Work" day. My hopes were she would learn as a pre-schooler that college was for her.
She was always an excellent student.... and a better daughter than I was a father. This year, she will graduate from Syracuse University... and I couldn't be prouder. Go 'Cuse!
If you missed why I'm going on this adventure, just see my post: All The Things I've Forgotten Over The Years: What I'm Doing To Relearn It All Now.
Here I am in my living room/writing area, sitting in my rolling office chair, which is not in front of my computer station. A simple twist and roll behind me and I'm at my bookshelf. Here I remove one of my history books. After reading what it says about today, I reach back and pull out a second book. This will involve more research for a post later.
My 30-minute exercise tonight has given me this Today In History post.
Today in 1786, Fairytale writer Wilhelm Grimm is born. In 1836, American painter Winslow Homer is born.
And in 1500, Charles the V, the greatest of all the Habsburg emperors is born in the town of Ghent. I'll have to go there someday.
Before Charles was 20, he was "the master of more land in Europe than anyone since the Roman emperors, including Charlemagne." It would be wonderful to tour those lands. Add that to my bucket list.
The second book I reached for in my library was one of my Fairytale books. Grimm intrigues me. I have forgotten much. Time to reacquire my Fairytale knowledge.
As significant as the births of Charles and Wilhelm were to the world, today another person was born who is nearer and dearer to my heart. My oldest daughter is 22 today.
One day I made it a point to bring her to one of my classes - an impromptu "Bring Your Daughter To Work" day. My hopes were she would learn as a pre-schooler that college was for her.
She was always an excellent student.... and a better daughter than I was a father. This year, she will graduate from Syracuse University... and I couldn't be prouder. Go 'Cuse!
All The Things I've Forgotten Over The Years: What I'm Doing To Relearn It All Now
It's about 10:30 p.m. on a Friday night. I'm sitting rather unceremoniously in a wife-beater and thermal leggings - my pjs for the night - sipping on vodka and water with a touch of orange... in my living room.
My rescue cat, Leppard, is pawing around at my feet. He is near my work table as I sit between my computer desk and my writing/craft/dining room table. A black, rolling office chair makes it easy for me to move from one station to the other.
I'm a fitful worker. The mood strikes, and I want to type a few words for my blog. One of the books on my multi-use table calls to me. So, I read a few pages. Then, I notice another book on my shelves. I roll over and grab it.
That gives me an idea for my brown journal - the one I often carry in the breast pocket (with a pen jammed within its pages) of my wool Pea coat. I pause as I jot down the words p-e-a-c-o-a-t. I realize that I have forgotten how the phrase goes. Is it all one word? Is it capitalized?
I google it and settle on: Pea coat... if only to get on with it and take another swig of my drink.
Then it comes to me: I've forgotten quite a bit. I'm speaking of knowledge... nuggets that were once ingrained in my memory, which I could recall at will if prompted. I was once a Trivial Pursuit god.
I've come to the conclusion that I have forgotten too much. So.... time to rediscover all that knowledge. That will be my task for the foreseeable future.
History. Art. Philosophy. Science. Literature. Music.
I dare say that I have forgotten more than some ever ventured to learn in the first place. Many still have outpaced me. All the same... I'm excited to dive back into Greek mythology. And... I just got super excited... I grabbed one of my old grammar books off the shelf and started reading about the parts of a sentence, parts of speech.... Oh, yeah! My skin tingled.
This will be an adventure. Why not? What else am I doing? What else are any of us doing? Living the same routine day after day. Why not shake things up? Why merely exist? Why not broaden our experience by reacquainting ourselves with our past passions? On this adventure... I M -A -Y even look at subjects I ignored or found distasteful growing up. Math... Ewwww. A subject I wish I would have paid more attention to: Physics. Ahhh... it fascinates me... but... darned math gets in the way again!
I dare say that deepening our knowledge would make us feel more poignantly about our everyday experiences. I'll keep a journal of my progress... of my observations. If you want, join me. Journal and share your experiences.
OK... my glass is empty... and another book on my shelves has caught my attention.
My rescue cat, Leppard, is pawing around at my feet. He is near my work table as I sit between my computer desk and my writing/craft/dining room table. A black, rolling office chair makes it easy for me to move from one station to the other.
That gives me an idea for my brown journal - the one I often carry in the breast pocket (with a pen jammed within its pages) of my wool Pea coat. I pause as I jot down the words p-e-a-c-o-a-t. I realize that I have forgotten how the phrase goes. Is it all one word? Is it capitalized?
I google it and settle on: Pea coat... if only to get on with it and take another swig of my drink.
Then it comes to me: I've forgotten quite a bit. I'm speaking of knowledge... nuggets that were once ingrained in my memory, which I could recall at will if prompted. I was once a Trivial Pursuit god.
I've come to the conclusion that I have forgotten too much. So.... time to rediscover all that knowledge. That will be my task for the foreseeable future.
History. Art. Philosophy. Science. Literature. Music.
I dare say that I have forgotten more than some ever ventured to learn in the first place. Many still have outpaced me. All the same... I'm excited to dive back into Greek mythology. And... I just got super excited... I grabbed one of my old grammar books off the shelf and started reading about the parts of a sentence, parts of speech.... Oh, yeah! My skin tingled.
This will be an adventure. Why not? What else am I doing? What else are any of us doing? Living the same routine day after day. Why not shake things up? Why merely exist? Why not broaden our experience by reacquainting ourselves with our past passions? On this adventure... I M -A -Y even look at subjects I ignored or found distasteful growing up. Math... Ewwww. A subject I wish I would have paid more attention to: Physics. Ahhh... it fascinates me... but... darned math gets in the way again!
I dare say that deepening our knowledge would make us feel more poignantly about our everyday experiences. I'll keep a journal of my progress... of my observations. If you want, join me. Journal and share your experiences.
OK... my glass is empty... and another book on my shelves has caught my attention.
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
My Quote For The Day: Get Out Of The Shower
So last week I shared a quote that dealt with sweat - as in doing the work to get things done. Today's quote touches upon the ideas we sometimes have in the shower, or more specifically, what you do "Getting Things Done" post from last week. I came across today's quote while reading Melissa A. Schilling's book, "Quirky: The Remarkable Story of the Traits, Foibles, and Genius of Breakthrough Innovators Who Changed the World.
afterwards. The quote builds on my
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KFVLWX7eEY
My previous Quote For The Day: Sweat
 |
| Ferris Bueller in a classic shower scene |
Everyone who's ever taken a shower has had an idea. It's the person who gets out of the shower, dries off and does something about it who makes a difference. - Nolan BushnellC'mon... the intro scene to Ferris Bueller's Day Off is classic!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KFVLWX7eEY
My previous Quote For The Day: Sweat
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)