Hey all..


Apologies for the inactivity on my part as of late. I've been going out of my mind trying to get a handle on some pretty large life decisions. Namely, the thought of quitting the only career I've ever known, selling my house and moving my family down to Las Vegas to live rent-free with some in-laws in exchange for the benefits of having Michelle home with Haylee until the fall when Haylee will not be breastmilk dependent and at such time that I will be going to school full time to finish my degree and Michelle goes back to work teaching.

I have to admit the alure of going to school full time without having to work is strong and very, very attractive. However, this is balanced somewhat by the fear of giving up my comfortable and reasonably well paid position as Captain Desk Jockey here at the insurance brokerage. My biggest reservation is one of looking back a year or two from now and regretting having given up such a cushy thing here.. but there's that part of me that rails against the apathetic/safety-seeking guy on the other shoulder screaming to LIVE LIFE.. DO SOMETHING YOU ENJOY. I have to admit, there's a lot of power and reward in living life with passion, but a bit of risk as well. Although, I've weighed the pro's and con's and come to the conclusion that if the whole in-law/school thing tanks and I'm down to the worst case scenario.. fuck it. I can always get a job doing SOMETHING to make ends meet if required.

So it looks like, for the third time in my life, I'm throwing my hat in the ring and seeing what comes of it. The two previous times I left the known universe things worked out pretty well, so why would I not have faith that the universe will conspire to make things turn out just how they are supposed to be if I take that first step? I lived with the Killens and learned what a family really meant, of which I credit for straightening me out and giving me a lot of the drive I have to be better than I am and to not settle for less-than. Later, I quit my (then) good paying, stable job in Vegas, quit school and threw everything I owned in my car and drove through three states to Washington to see about a girl and that seems to have worked out pretty well.. so.. here I am at the edge of the diving board and I say.. fuck it, I'm jumping in again. Time to live life.

I just told my boss today that I'm leaving and he about had a heart attack, although I'll probably stay on until the house-issue is handled one way or another.. so that could be a month or two on my own here. I'm going to make a decision in the next couple of days as to whether selling the house or renting it out via property management is a better option (if you guys have opinions, I'd like to hear it). Other than that, everything is pretty much settled, and it feels right thus far.

We only live once, right? Carpe diem and all that.

Late,

~O.
Captain Desk Jockey, ret.