January 26…..(I type slow….I promise I will do better), This day has a double meaning for me.
1). 2012…. It was my last day of employment with the State of Georgia. I told myself in January of 2011 that I would quit my job and pursue a full-time career in Fine Art Photography. I was already doing it part-time and it was going pretty well for the amount of time and energy that I was putting into it. A few years before, I had been traveling to shows and exhibitions with my younger brother, Aaron, and developed an understating of the business, its potential and the logistics of it all.
We would drive to an art festival in….say Detroit. Set up everything up, work for two days straight talking to customers, delivering artwork, etc…. We would then break it all down and hop in the van on Sunday night and drive all night back to Atlanta. I would be at at my desk by 8am-ish. Tired af….but, I was there. After doing that for a while, I gave myself a full year to put a plan in place to make my exit. I focused more on my craft, booked more shows and told everyone that I knew that I was quitting my job in a year (I did that to hold myself accountable.)
I scheduled a meeting with my Manager, Bonnie, right after the new year. I had booked 8 shows back to back. This meant that I would need to be off of work on Friday AND Monday for the next two months in order to travel and make this happen. I asked. She said, “No” ( I knew she would.). I slid her my, already typed and sealed, resignation letter and made January 26 my last day working for her. The picture below was taken around 8am-ish the following Monday after I quit.
2) 2020…..Kobe Bryant, along with 8 others, were killed in a helicopter crash. I am not really a Kobe fan or a sports fan for that matter. However, I am a big fan of the bigger message.
NOTHING IS CERTAIN
Do it today. Set goals. Hug your family. Tell the people that you love them. Take that trip (not by helicopter). Drink that bottle of wine/bourbon that you have been saving for a “Special Occassion.” Be Present.
Cheers!
mr
