A land forged from the fires of strife, blood of heroes, and touch of the gods.
Where deeds of great valor, vile evils, and blazing passions intertwine
to shape the course of elven and human history within.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Back to the Real World

Holidays are just about done and I've enjoyed 11 days away from my mundane job. I say "mundane", but there really isn't much that is "mundane" about the way I make my living. My writing is a serious hobby only because it doesn't pay the bills. My career for the last 40+ years has been in the building construction industry, mostly in the HVAC market, and for nearly 20 of those years I've been working in international sales. This has given me opportunities to travel the world and do business in many different cultures, including those in the Middle East and Far East. I've made friends in Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, the Chinese Mainland, Dubai, Egypt, Turkey, Israel, the UK, and several other countries. While business for my company has been the main objective, it hasn't precluded developing relationships with co-workers and industry associates. It has made my life richer in more ways than I could ever have imagined.
Seeing other countries, working with the people who live there, and experiencing their culture to a small degree has taught me one thing for certain; this country of ours, the USA, is the greatest country in the world and we should do everything possible to keep it that way. Returning home has always been an emotional experience, especially with so much trouble in the world now. I want to kiss the tarmac when we land sometimes, and have always felt a sense of pride (not to mention relief) when the plane touches down in Chicago, Atlanta, or LA on my return. It’s something you have to experience to understand.
So what does this have to do with writing my stories? Not much, except to say the long flights (sometimes up to 16 hours nonstop) give me plenty of time to think, outline, and write, should I feel so inclined. But a lot of the time I just look out the window at 35,000 feet and enjoy the view. Seeing the mountains of Alaska at sunrise, or the Pacific Ocean at night with the moonlight glinting from its surface are two of my favorite memories from past trips. I hope to see many more before I retire from "mundane" work. I can only hope writing full time is as exciting, rewarding, and fulfilling as my career has been.

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