Getting reacquainted

Like so many pet projects, the SITREP has gone through a few evolutionary cycles, and long layoffs. To be totally honest, I just haven’t ever quite figured out what to do with it. Frankly, I hate talking about what I write about all day, every day because it is not very exciting. It’s nothing personal, and writing about aircraft-grade greases and turbine engine oils has put dinner on the table for a long time now. But after the closing bell, I don’t want to put another word on the screen that has to do with those things.

What is it going to be?

After five years of fully supporting myself and my family with no traditional employment, I can say with absolute certainty that entrepreneurship is a lifestyle, not a career. I do what I do because, for the most part, it’s interesting, and it pays really well.

But that isn’t really the main reason.

If we decided to pack up and move to the Big Island of Hawaii tomorrow (something we have discussed for years), we can do it, especially with Starlink. If I want to stay up until the wee hours working and not start my day until 11 am, that’s on me.

The other thing about entrepreneurship is that after enough years of working for yourself, you see the world differently. You realize that, no matter what the cost, you just cannot go back to the slave wage grind again. Like, ever.

I don’t really have a lot of tips or silver bullets to tell you how to quit your job and succeed on your own as I did. In fact, I think my success was as random as a coin flip; half of the time, I fail. There are folks much more dedicated, talented, smart, and better looking than I who fail, while I continue to grow, and I can’t explain it, so I won’t try.

About a year ago, I tried to pivot to exploring American culture and Americana, and while I think it has wings for the right person, I don’t have time to dedicate to it.

It all comes full circle to what this was originally about: freelancing and writing. Well, what I have kinda sorta settled on for this pet project of mine is pulling these three things together, because in full disclosure, you are never the sum of whatever you do for employment. Our lives are so much more than that, so why pretend otherwise?

So, going forward, The SITREP will have more or less three major beats:

1. Entrepreneurship: dedicated to things outside of freelancing. This is about exploring new growth options and chronicling my Ws and Ls along the way.

2. Freelancing/business building: Is freelancing actually entrepreneurship? I don’t really know. I take risks, I pay for everything out of pocket, and my income can rise meteorically overnight or go away in an instant with no recourse, so I suppose it is. I want to talk a little bit about how it is funding our ventures.

3. Americana/open roads/local culture & cuisine: life isn't about what we do for money, and culture doesn’t care how many ATMs you've installed in dive bars. I love America because it is the land of opportunity, so I will be talking about it.

Look, I don’t really know where this thing is going. All I know is that I miss having a pet project to work on for fun, just because I want to, and I have a lot more to talk about than just greasy spoons or why you should use Upwork. Those things actually build on each other, not take away from your story.