dougleavy

It’s amazing in how many of life’s situations you can use or think about this quote from Ferris Bueller; “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Miss IT? It’s the “it” that grabs my attention. What is the “it”? Who is the “it”? When was the “it”? 

I look at life and think about the fact that my oldest is going to be in college in just over 3 1/2 years or you could think of it like when they were babies, 42 months.. 42 MONTHS, 1,260 DAYS (give or take).. HOLY CRAP! Yeah fast is not the word I’m thinking of.. hyper drive maybe! There are road trips we have not gone on yet together. There are conversations we have not had yet together. There are times standing in line until midnight to see movies the girls in the house would roll their eyes over yet together. There is fishing, skiing, hiking adventures to happen yet together. Life is not just moving too fast, it just freaking needs to stop for a while!!

In my past few jobs I’ve had to endure long hours at the office, many days on the road for network installs, customer support, conventions, trades shows, concerts, festivals and “other duties as assigned”. This past December, that all changed. I was let go from a job that I thought was a dream scenario. I got to hang with the “who’s who” in the music industry, professional cycling and other sports. I’ve got a box full of All Access passes and signed memorabilia, a hard drive full of imagery from the concerts and an address book that would make myself of 7 years ago (well and a good portion of my friends) jealous to all ends. Sure it’s all cool in the end, but I look back and wonder how much time was sucked away from my family. Note: there were shows where my family did come with and my kids and wife have been able to meet several of their favorite artists along that journey and it’s an opportunity I am eternally grateful for.

I’m not writing this as some “aww.. poor guy got to hang out with cool people and now he’s complaining”. I’ve made some amazing friends. Friends that are musicians, managers, riggers, stage and lighting designers. These are friendships I know will last far past the time of us working “together”. The memories are and will be priceless. So not to take away from the personal side of that job.

I’m writing this as a public confession that, yeah I got too busy. I got too focused and centered on the “coolness” of the job. I worked too hard to try and advance and move up the corporate ladder only to be kicked around and shown the door… an action for which I am now grateful.

Now I am embarking on a new journey in life (well, the boat has not left the dock yet, but I’m about to put down the deposit for the tickets). The journey of working for myself… at least, that is what I am working towards right now. Sure, I’ll work for people, with people, etc, but the goal is to work for myself. Be around more for my wife and kids. Be able to work anywhere, anytime so that the last few years don’t go by in the flash (which, unless someone has Father Time’s cell number and I can convince him otherwise, will still happen). The thought of going on a trip with the family and putting in a few hours of work in the morning or later in the evening and then having the rest of the day with them is soooo intriguing. Oh and so is working from and finding cool local coffee shops to hang in.

So…

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes.”

Looks like I need to get going on planning those road trips, movies, ski, hiking and fishing trips….