Last week my manager gave me two options: be in on time or leave. I am choosing to stay. This thing cannot beat me. After all, it is merely mornings. Just don’t tell me that at 7:15 or I will eat your face.

This brief encounter with potential unemployment has starting ponderings regarding other options for employment. For a brief moment I considered walking away from IBM and becoming the truly great [.?.] that I am destined to be. Then I decided that I have bills to pay and would hate to leave IBM on these terms. Call it responsibility, or call it fear of the unknown; it’s probably a little of both.

With this newfound thinking, I realized I do have an actual passion and it’s not in the realm of mainframes (although I do find these giant processing machine fantastic). I thoroughly enjoy web-related programming: apps, plugins, themes, pointless ditties. They are all amazing. I also realized a serious dream I have is to be part of a web designing firm. Especially at the top.

This, unfortunately, scares me for a couple reasons: a.) the web is ever changing and staying on top of the new technologies takes time and effort. b.) I have an artistic propensity, but my implementations are still rough and charging for them seems unfair. c.) not a lot of money in that business unless you really do well. d.) who knows how long web will stick around, and how long a given web skillset will be viable. With the skills I’m learning in IBM, I could do this job for the next 50 years. Web doesn’t last like that.

But it also appeals to me for several other reasons. 1.) Own your own business. 2.) Do the work you want to do. 3.) PHP, Javascript, Perl, ASP and .NET > PLX. 4.) Emerging technologies provide potential for early self-establishment in the industry.

So I’ve decided to at least throw some effort at that realm of my life again. I’m going to look into some design classes at the local community college, and start web programming whenever I get spare time. In that effort, I’ve started / restarted a couple websites:
 http://www.bohlingfamily.com

 http://www.kairosministry.org

Both are basic WordPress installations with no coding required. And I stole OSS templates for the themes. It’s a meager start, but a start. I’ll begin building my library of personal PHP libraries and plugins, and design a few templates myself here soon.

I’m also rejoining the effort behind a company a friend of mine started a couple years ago, Thought Design. Munsey has taken full ownership and has been driving it since, but it’s time to start working with him again more and more and see if we can make it a viable business.

While that grows, I’ve got a couple different projects in the fire. This template needs a redesign, I’m working with Elements at PCC to rework their site, and I want to put together two different code packages and fully explore AJAX. Plenty to do.

so let the internet sub-revolution sort of slowly think about beginning.

Here’s a short list (potentially updated) of things I’m hoping to accomplish in 2009.

1. Increase savings to $15k. That’s about $1000/mo saved. $500/paycheck. $125/wk. $25/workday. Etc. Done end of June 2009. Whoop.
2. Travel. I don’t really care where, but I travelling is something I want to be doing. [went to Sedona/Grand Canyon/Flagstaff with Connie in September! not quite 'travel', but a good start]
3. Get my passport. Crucial for #2. I have been telling myself I was going to do this since 2006. (done Feb 2009)
4. Tile my house. I almost did it this year but bailed at the last second to sort the office instead. It’s going to be a lot of work. [DONE! January 2010.. almost within 2009]
5. Paint more of the house. Maybe a bedroom. [front room done June 2009]
6. Cook more.
7. Read more. At least a book per month. I want reading to be my fun hobby again, and I’ve got plenty of books to explore. And I live near a library.
8. Open up better; be warmer. Have to think on this one.
9. And a vague one: decide where I want my career to go and start working toward it. I’m thinking advertising and graphic design classes. [july 2009 update] -Decision more or less made : now just gotta get to work
10. Not get a significant haircut; just trims. I think I’m going to be stubborn and keep it long. At least for awhile. Or until a pretty girl tells me it looks better short. I’m a wuss. [amendment. It's July and I'm kind of sick of this hair.] [amendment 2: FAIL, hair cut in mid July.]
11. Live a little. Live a little more intentionally.
12. Go on a date with a beautiful woman.[Done! Aug 10, 2009]
13. Redesign this site again. And get the bohlingfamily.com set up and running. But that’s more a January goal. (done Jan 2009)

Some of these are easy and specifc, some not so much. I’m planning to get that Passport paperwork in before the end of January, which means I need to get the passport photo done as soon as possible. I’m excited.

Sonofabitch.

next time, gadget! next time!

Except for one day: I don’t remember which specific day it was, but I had a definite sense that I was losing control of the mornings. I had woken up quite late. I think I still made it ‘on time’, but not to the extent I had been hoping.

Otherwise, the remainder of the days were average successes. I was not exceptionally early, but I never missed any meetings and made it to everything I needed to make it to in the mornings, which was my real ultimate goal. So success.

However, since I’ve stopped pressing for it, I’ve seen myself slipping. Today I returned from a short vacation and was not able to get in here as early as I should have. 10am. A bit too late. Tomorrow is a new day. This will continue to be an area of effort. But now I don’t have to record about it online anymore. For now.

Day 14 : Tuesday. Felt like crap when I woke up around 8am so worked from home. So I was up and succeeding by 9, so win.

Day 15 : Wednesday. There is a phenomenon in my life labeled “Tuesday Nights” which is a glorious weekly meeting of minds, hookah, friends, and beer. Right now, I would not trade it for anything. Unfortunately, this Tuesday led to some great conversations that kept me up very very late. But I made into the office by 10. Technically a failure.

Tonight, I need to go to bed much before midnight. Should be very doable.

Lessons learned: go to bed on time. It’s ok to be asleep before midnight.

not my actual coffee

Wednesday morning comes too quickly when Tuesday nights are gloriously long. I showed up at 10 today. I had no meetings and so nobody cared, which is part of the reason I had trouble with mornings in the first place. Coffee, however, is required and next on my agenda.

Day 7 – here at 9:04. Felt good, but the meeting I was supposed to attend appeared to be cancelled.

Yesterday, another habit I’m trying to break won, and it has reminded me that I really like the feeling of not being ruled by a habit.  The feelings of defeat and disappointment are much better to do without. And I’m not discouraged; it’s just a downer to see the progress you’ve made destroyed temporarily. You have to start all over. Again. When other things ride on the progress, it’s worth it to succeed. Immensely.

And these jeans are dirty and it’s bugging me.

Day 5: slept till 2. Weekends are grand.

Day 6: Arrive in time for my 9:30 meeting. Great success!

A positive attitude toward mornings seems to be crucial to the success of the operation. That takes a bit of preparation.

And with a lot of late nights this week. If I can get myself to bed earlier, I should be golden.