The outside temperature was 13 degrees yesterday morning according to the Volvo's thermastat reading. Rich and I grudgingly drove to the train station only to discover train "issues." Mainly, the train that we normally take was a complete no-show, which forced us to cram onto the next train.
My commute to work was an hour and forty five minutes long.
My calendar tells me that it is a new year but Rich and I awoke on Sunday morning and nothing much had changed. I stopped making new year resolutions because if I'm going to make a change, I'll just make it. It doesn't need to be January 1st in order for me to do so. That being said, I really need to start running again. My weight is fine but I'm completely out of shape. My busy time at work starts tomorrow and further torturing myself by attempting to squeeze in a run here and there is just not going to happen.
As parents, Rich and I make major life decisions with our children in mind. Rich just completed three graduate level courses while working full time in attempt to speed up the end of his MBA program. Does he desire an MBA so that he can say, "Hey, look at me! I have my MBA!" No. It all comes down to career and money, which equate to financial stability, good health insurance and healthy retirement savings.
In December, I helped out some family members by playing professional photographer. Seeing my photos printed, including the ones that I printed via mpix.com for Rich's Christmas present, set off a whirring in my mind. I could do this, I thought. I could actually do this.
But then I thought of all the new "professional" photographers out there. The market is over saturated. It's not the right time and I'm not at the right place in my life to do this. I know how to shelve dreams. I have three little ones who are my priority right now.
And so we continue on. Business as usual.
[There may (hopefully) be a change for our family early this year but it has not been finalized so I do not feel comfortable blogging the details.]
7 comments:
I'm always glad to see someone else who doesn't believe in New Year's Resolutions. If you're going to change, you will change, and you don't need a special date to do that.
As for the career in photography, it would be so grand to be able to live your dreams, but alas, we also seem to find practical things like health insurance and retirement savings to be prudent decisions for our little family. Cheers to being responsible mommas. Happy New Year!
I made my first new year's resolution last year. It was to curse more. As I was hanging out in the NICU and then readmitted to the hosptial with antibiotic-resistant mastitis, it totally worked out ;-).
I figure I am quitting with that one resolution.
The rainbow is full of colors, it is not only black or white. I know that for perfectionists it is hard to enjoy the middle combinations - I am surround of perfectionists. Usually things are correct or incorrect, black or white.
Since long I want to write you, but simultaneously I know you have your own mind. So, I just respect and enjoy the blog.
However, this time perhaps I can share you another perspective to NewYear resolutions. For me New Years is "as" the birthday of our planet, otherwise why to make so much noise for a day that is equally important as any other day: it is unique. Thus, I see the resolutions of New Years as a possibility of reflection, what I did in this planet? what I enjoyed during my journey? where I want to go?.
Hmmm…. in my birthday I have a similar moment of reflection, but the reflection there is more personal, much more intimate, the focus is me. In New Years is somehow more external is me with the planet.
As time pass by so fast, to me NewYear (no even Dec. 31st, but usually someday around it) helps me to have a reference point where I know I will reflect. It is not that you have to change yourself on Jan1st, instead it is to give yourself a quality time as celebrating with the planet of what you did together and what you want to do. It is to live the present, having a taste of the past and the future all together. Crazy! perhaps….
Hi Sarah,
I love your pictures and though I don't know the details of your situation, I'd say that it's possible that you could pursue your dream of doing photography full time. I work full time and my husband has been doing wedding photography full time for 2 years now. He doesn't make as much as he used to but he is so much happier. My job provides health insurance and the larger portion of our family finances and I don't hate my job, certainly not as much as he hated his. So, this works for us. Maybe when Rich's MBA starts pulling in the big bucks, you could work on your photography and hopefully have more time for your kids. Don't give up quite yet.. :-)
Aris
Goodness, I feel for your husband since I also worked full time while getting my MBA. It's not easy. You guys hang in there. I also think you would make an incredible lifestyle photographer so I wouldn't give up on your dream!
OMG. Thank you for sharing mpix.com!!! I am hyperventilating! Ok not quite but pretty close. I have been searching high and low for an online printing company that I can order my own prints from and have mounted on something thin and cheap. The mounting on mat board is right up my alley and sooo reasonable! And best of all... they ship to CANADA! Wooohoo! You just made my day!
Find a niche and it won't matter how saturated the market. It's SO frustration and easy to quit but you've got the skill.... go for it!
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