from “To a Mouse” by Robert Burns (1785)
…
But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!Still thou are blest, compared wi’ me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But och! I backward cast my e’e,
On prospects drear!
An’ forward, tho’ I canna see,
I guess an’ fear!
Like Vio, I’ve been getting this question from everyone who knows about the move. Most of them don’t really know what I do already, so I have to cover that first, then explain that I’ll most likely start by doing the same thing there. I’m lucky enough to really enjoy doing what I do, and have clients that are good people and fun to work with (and that know we’re moving, but still want to work with us despite the time difference). I expect within the next few years, my focus will change from thing to thing, I’ll pick up additional hobbies, we’ll likely adopt a child; which will then become my sole hobby, and we’ll generally try things out as they come to us.
Vio and I often discuss the answer to this question on our evening walks around the neighborhood, and we’ve come up with one truth: that we’ll be at least open to any idea. Whether that’s creating a blog about local artists and makers, broadening my graphic design business to include the European coffee scene, purchasing a warehouse and starting an online support and distribution company for coffee equipment, starting some form of co-working space, the list goes on…
Just like decorating the apartment, we can’t fulfill all of our dreams in the first few months. We’ll take it slow and begin things as they fall into place. If I never start a gallery, I think I’ll live. We’re not rich, nor do we have the business experience to do everything perfectly the first time around, so I expect failure to some degree (does that make me a pessimist or a realist?). The key, as I see it, is to not focus on making money. None of these ideas are because I want to become wealthy, they’re because I can see myself becoming engrossed by the process, and because I enjoy the subject matter and practices involved. In other words, they’re things that I’m either actively passionate about or that I can imagine becoming passionate about. That may be all these ideas need to succeed (which is where my inner optimist comes out).
I’ve never been one to make plans too far into the future, in fact, I’ve more often than not been one to make last minute decisions (bordering on hasty at times). People who know me know that that’s true, whether it’s deciding where to go for school, or whether to propose to the woman I had just met a month ago. Needless to say, making such plans for business and life so far into the future doesn’t come naturally to me, but it’s kind of exhilarating and daunting to have so many ideas swimming around in my head.
I often think back to the end of high school, when the teacher asked, “Where do you see yourself in ten years?” I’d never imagine that I’d be here. I have no regrets, even through the hard times, I wouldn’t be here if not for them. And I imagine the same voice asking me the same question now. The answer is always the same: “I have no idea.” But I know that it will be an adventure getting there, and I’m glad I have the companion to travel it with me.
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