Doing what you love is not work.

A friend 'tweeted' a Scottish proverb today ... "It's only work if you'd rather be doing something else". (Thanks Jason)

So how do I get back to that place, where I wouldn't rather be doing something else. I just celebrated 10 years with my current employer and have to be honest, I have more days where I wish I would/could be doing something else. Why is that? What changed?

I know how I got here. Up until a few years ago I thought I was doing what I truly loved. I found my passion for baking and cooking after I joined a ready made family. It doesn't hurt that I am pretty darn good at it too.

What I have found to be difficult was deciding, do I continue down this path of complacency or do a leap off a cliff and make a career change. 10 years is a big investment to just toss aside for something so risky. Especially with more financial obligations and kids that depend on my stable job and benefits.

In the last month I have done a lot of thinking, planning, and research. It's time to make a change. I have found that my desire to do something else and my lack of effort to make that happen is not the best example to set for a child who wants to be a famous musician one day. I have the same conversations with Logan that I do with myself, if you have big plans for yourself you better have some big action to back it up.

"So what" action have I taken thus far:

* I wrote down what I liked about my job 5 years ago, what I like about my job today, and what has changed in my job in the last 5 years.
* From that list I was able to identify the things I needed to address or change in order to move forward. I now have a better picture of what I have to do and what I 'can' do while trying to realize my dream.
* I made a separate list of what I want to be doing in 5 years and then 10. Where do I see my life? What am I doing, and what does that look/feel like?
* I then took action. I made action items for those things I want in my future, things I need to start on today. I made appointments, set goals, and deadlines. These things will keep me on task to assure I am where I want to be in 5/10 years.

In short:

See it, believe it, share it, live it.

This video is of a man who plays the glass harp. We saw him perform during our last visit to VA. I was so fascinated by his musical talent. He found what he loves and shares it with anyone who stops to listen!!!

SO WHAT... if you haven't caught on to the "So what" at the end of every post, stay tuned and I will explain in my next posting. I would like to hear from all of you on what you think I mean when I say "So What..."

So we are all perfect?

Unless you live under a rock you probably already know that the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, has died, along with Farrah Fawcett, Ed Mcmahon, and David Carradine. With these deaths have come many news stories of how these celebrities have contributed to society or influenced it.

What I would like to talk about is how all the perfect people have finally made themselves known and have taken the time out of their busy lives to pass judgement on these people, more specifically Michael Jackson.

Of course the topic of discussion no matter where you went today was the shocking death of Michael Jackson. On the drive home from work I put the radio on scan and stopped it whenever I heard his name mentioned. I listened to the discussion for a bit and then hit scan again... again stopping it when I heard his name. I had to "blog" today and share with any one reading this that there are a lot of perfect/next to god like people out there. I was amazed and had no idea they were "all around us".

What am I getting at... All the people calling into radio stations to speak out about how the world is a better place because this man is dead. Really? The world is better because of this, you can now sleep better at night, and you are without your own indiscretions that you can make that kind of statement? The words I heard over and over again were, pedophile and freak. I don't discount that he had questionable friendships or the way he lived his life was far from ordinary however, a family lost a father, brother, son, grandchild, uncle, etc ...

Not one person on this planet deserves the right to speak of another that way. This is a true reflection of how ass backwards we have it. We have such little regard for someone's life that once they are dead we feel the world is a better place. Do you think his kids think the world is a better place now that their father is dead?

I am one for free speech and having your own opinions but when what you are saying is based on speculation and 'gut feelings' your free speech becomes a worthless rambling that does more harm than good.

Is it that difficult to respect the man and remember him for what he has done for pop culture, all the people he has inspired and the musicians we have today because he showed us all that it's possible to live the dream?

What ever he did or didn't do in his private life is his cross to bear. It is not for the common man to pass judgement!

There I have said my peace.. So what?