Moving to a new place has been exciting, of course. We love it here. But our move was about more than just a change of scenery. It was about taking a leap for Pat's career and altering The Life Plan.
Pat has always wanted to write music. It was a passion that he turned away from more than once, but it always came back knocking. So a few years ago, we dipped our toes in the waters of business. We opened another bank account, invested in equipment and bought a house with space for a studio. It wasn't long before Pat knew he wanted to make a full-time career out of it. And the California dream was born.
This meant taking on some pretty big challenges, and putting other things on hold. The life in the suburbs and the good schools and the "kids before 30" pact we made when we got married sort of went out the window. Don't get me wrong, I was and continue to be completely supportive of this change in life course! In fact, I probably pushed for it more than Pat did, because he would never ask me to make that kind of sacrifice. (And I love him for that.) It would be a crime to waste such a passion and talent and I can't let that happen.
Already, this area is proving to offer more opportunity for him. Even saying you’re located in Los Angeles seems to earn you credibility in the industry. Pat is working nonstop on different projects. It will be a long time before the business supports us financially, but at least there is work to be done. And he’s having a blast.
[Side note: I always wanted to have a business anyway. In 7th grade, our English teacher asked us to take the letters of our names and choose words beginning with those letters to describe you. Well, jeez. Do you know how many E’s are in DEE DEE? Like a hundred or something. I ran out of E words pretty quickly, so I asked the best wordsmith I know, my Dad. He suggested “entrepreneur.” He explained the meaning and I immediately related to it. The babysitting club. The “any service you need done, call your neighborhood 12-year-old” business. The Crestview Carnival for kids on our street. The door-to-door sales of my homemade Rice Krispie treats and chocolate bars. And the meticulous management of every dollar I earned. Yup, I was an entrepreneur. I actually enjoy helping Pat with the business-y things he dislikes – keeping the money straight, the paperwork, managing risk. Fun, fun, fun.]
I’m not going to pretend that I don't long for that other life at the same time. Every kid I see melts my heart and turns me into a puddle. (And I work at a children’s hospital, so this happens a lot.) I want one, or two, or three. I want the house in the suburbs. I want the things that other people my age are starting to enjoy. These things cost money, but launching a business does too, and we just can’t do both at the same time. We made this move knowing full well that it would be a while until we were on our feet and ready to start the next chapter. It is SO hard to wait, and I'm struggling with that right now.
I need to remember that the current chapter of our lives is just as good in its own right. I need to be patient, savor the moment and be grateful for what I already have. Life is pretty darn good and I'm in no rush to get through it.
Title lyrics – Stubborn Love, Lumineers
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