Following dreams

I write fantasy. For those of you who've been around for a while that shouldn't shock you. I also write science fiction. I've got multiple story lines in both of those genres. I have no idea which ones will sell and which ones won't, but I'm going to keep writing because it makes me happy. Writing has been a passion of mine since I was a child and I have no intention of giving it up.

I've had a few people tell me to get a “real” job, that being an author never pays out. Being unpublished, I can accept that it isn't paying out now. It doesn't mean it won't pay out in the future. I'm on disability so I can do this full time, but I'm also looking for a job because aside from what you may have heard, disability doesn't go very far when it's your only income.

Himself, for three years, has been living his dream of having his own business with two partners. But things were getting rocky and now there's an even bigger divide: the guys are moving to Oregon while Himself is staying here. That makes working as partners even harder. Now Himself is faced with the choice of either getting a regular job or trying to carry one with one facet of the business on his own, one which has been profitable but not in a consistent manner. He also isn't sure now if he's going to maintain this partnership or go a different direction. We were also talking about moving up to Oregon to be with the guys. We agreed to give it six months before we made any decision. We may not even get up there. But Himself is still willing to pursue his dream of owning his own business.

We've both gotten flak about how we're living our lives. And I'll admit it's not a comfortable life. But we manage to get by. Sometimes that's the trade off for living your dreams. You have to take a chance, be willing to trade a little discomfort for the passion that drives you. You have to let go and accept risks that you normally wouldn't.

In our case, without my disability we wouldn't be able to do this. But now it's become more difficult for us. I'm looking for a part time job right now, which will eat up some of my time. But it'll be worth it if it gives us more opportunity to keep doing what we want to do.

How about you? Do you have a dream job? Do you have other dreams you're hoping to achieve someday?