Blah blah blah

For some reason, I claim to have no job, then I proceed to work for as many as five or six employers in a week. I argue the virtues of less and I pretend to live the life of little, then I spend $5,600 on a new camera lens.

I claim to have no position on this country's politics, yet I am highly opinionated and feel good when I hear something I agree with. I grow angry and confrontational when I disagree with a naive liberal or an insensitive conservative. I disagreed with my neighbor who said she wanted a "raise" at work (she is on the government's payroll). I told her, I took my raise this year in more spare time, and when I want more money, I work harder. I claim I am not "entitled" to anything, from anyone, and I earn what I get. When I want a cash raise, I work more or for a higher rate, I say. I also accept many forms of currency, including "fun" "food" "freedom" and even nice smiles from strangers. All these things do more for me than money.

However true this is for me, I do chase money. I don't chase it to have more, but I chase the money because that way I am chasing the same thing that others are chasing, in addition to the things I want.

The weeks have begun to blend together. One morning I am working as a consultant for a company that has never employed me, the next day I am working as a manager at a company that wishes to employ me, then another day I work at a company that employed me for several years. Then later at night I work for an individual who has never used me before, and on Saturday, I work for myself, splitting some profits with an agent. Sunday I work for hire and I make pictures as I get paid. Then I do some family portraits then I run around taking pictures for the company that employed me for years. The company that wishes to employ me also asks me to be a photographer on the side.

I made more money this year than any other year, and I did not work a single monday-friday week after April 15. With this money I upgraded my camera equipment, paid for engineering and plans for major improvements to our house, and took my family on several weekend trips and paid for a chunk of our wedding. I have lived a comfortable life with plenty of extra.

This Saturday I fly from Denver to Washington DC to attend a good buddy's wedding, from DC I fly to Columbus to pick up Carolyn and Dawson and spend a week in Ohio with my extended family, 30 or so people at a cabin in the hills with bad cell phone reception. On Sunday we all fly back to Denver and I immediately travel to silver valley Idaho to do some labor. I return on Wednesday just as Carolyn leaves for San Diego.

I do believe that this hustle is good for me; it's better for me than working some desk job. I drop Dawson up at day care a few days a week now and I pick him up as early as I can. When I was young I felt like I was always the last kid at day care and so I have essentially vowed to not let Dawson have the same experience.

This is far from an ideal state to be producing any quality philosophy, so, instead, I simply record what is happening and pay attention to how it makes me feel.