A day of reflection

This morning I watched a video on ted.com.  Ted.com is a nonprofit  dedicated to ideas worth spreading.  The attached video link really spoke to me this morning.  Even though I woke this morning feeling anxious that I don't know where I will go from here, watching this video brought me back to why I made this change.  This video is 4 minutes long and completely worth the watch. Ric Elias had a front-row seat on Flight 1549, the plane that crash-landed in the Hudson River in New York in January 2009.  He discusses what went through his mind as he knew they were crashing into the river.  One thing I can tell you is that he did not think "I wish I would have worked longer days and more hours away from my friends and family."  To hear what did go through his mind, you will have to watch for yourself.  I do know that with this change, John and I are really going to have to tighten our belts and likely travel less and my Amazon.com addiction will have to be shelved for awhile but those are small prices to pay for happiness and time together as we look toward growing a family. Watch it here: Plane Crash Talk

Yesterday I mowed the lawn at our former house.  Luckily it is just a couple of blocks away so I could walk the mower over.  It's bitter-sweet to go back to that house.  It was the house I bought on my own at a time that John and I were not sure what direction we were headed.  It was an empowering time in my life and that house became a part of our family as we grew as a couple.  I put quite a bit of blood, sweat and tears into that house and I it does make me proud to know that the first couple that saw it put an offer in within the first week of it being on the market.  They had the inspection and there is nothing major they want from us.  Whew!  In fact, they want nothing on the house at all, just some improvements on the garage.  What a sweet little home it was for us and we wish them the same.

I then walked to the library and picked up a book on opening your own business and selling your craft on Etsy.  I only got through a few chapters and I felt overwhelmed!  Create your name, logo, branding, decide if you are an LLC or a sole proprieter, filing fees and tax numbers, decide if you want an accountant or do it on your own...Ah!  I just want to bake some shit and make some pretty hair clips.  I don't know if I am made for this whole own your own business stuff.  Maybe THATS why I went to school for the arts and not business.  Perhaps I will focus on working for an established business again.  Who knows!

What will today bring?

Yesterday I "Schnaused" my day.  You see, my maiden name is Schnaus and in my family you do not sit idle and let things happen,  you make things happen.  And this my friends, is Schnausing.  One can be Schnausie or be Schnaused.  You can even eat Schnausage made by the little Schnauses every year.  The Schnauses are wee folk from southern Indiana with a strong German heritage and an even stronger work ethic.  When you take the German heritage and work ethic, add the Catholic faith and the Catholic guilt that comes with that Catholic faith you get...well you get Schnaused. 

There are so many things to be done!  No sitting still, there is grass to be mowed, laundry to do, clean the house, grocery shop...it seems I made up for lost time on the domestic front and I did it all in one day as though my hair was on fire.  But fret not, this is where the Elder in me comes in.  I married into the Elder family in January but I have been absorbing some of the Elder traits for the past 6 years since I have been with my husband.  The Elders have a strong work ethic too but my husband always makes time for friends and family no matter how busy he is.  So last night I had dinner and attended a fundraiser with my dear friend and former co-worker, Fran.  It was so nice!  It's so good to laugh and relax with a friend that knows you inside and out even when you go 6 months without speaking and you pick up where you left off.  Ahhh...the day ended up being Schneldered.

As I contemplate what I want to be when I grow up, several people have told me that they think I should open a shop on Etsy or open my own business.  I like the idea of this but this is frightening.  I do not have a business degree nor do I know the first thing about running a personal business but I bet I could Schnaus the shit out of it.  Hmmmmm....I will do some research and maybe ride my little bike to the library to see what books I may find on the topic.  I will keep you posted.

The First Day of the Rest of My Life

Today is the first day of the rest of my life.  Why, you ask?  Well, I have been living the last 5 years of my life at break neck speeds in a career I used to love.  Moving up the corporate ladder at a record pace going from being one of the crew to managing a team of 25 people and the pressure kept mounting.  After much contemplation, my husband and I decided my health and happiness was not worth any career path so yesterday I resigned.  It's empowering and terrifying but I am determined to work to live and not live to work and have a balance in my life.  That balance starts from within and today I started on the road to recovery.