I’ll do a Weekly Challenge tomorrow, but it won’t be new fiction.
There have been problems with promises my wife’s employer made to her. Specifically, it appears the promises may not be kept–and affairs have been so arranged that we are incurring what appears to be the maximum possible expense and inconvenience. So I’m spending most of my time this week figuring out other options for us. We may move to our cabin outside Wasilla, or we may take our RV and move back to one of the various locations in “the lower 48” we’ve enjoyed over the years (New Orleans, Vegas, West Virginia, Port Aransas, etc.). Or we may do something entirely new and different.
I mean, I really liked Delaware for reasons I haven’t figured out yet but would like to explore.
It’s also possible we’ll stay here in Juneau, but unless her employer changes course and plays fair…I wouldn’t be comfortable with it. If this had happened with my employer (assuming for the moment I’d been willing to have one!), I’d have either delivered an ultimatum or decided it wasn’t worth the trouble and moved on a few days ago. But my wife’s ways are not mine, and there may yet be an outbreak of reason. We’ll see.
Thing is…she really likes her job, which complicates things. And given the chance to do so, we’d like to stick around.
Unfortunately, although Juneau’s a nice place to live, it’s also awfully expensive. Since we don’t depend on being in a specific location for other income sources…it only makes sense to stay here if she’s being paid for it. So if that job needs to go away we can move elsewhere fairly quickly, and continue with our lives.
Does the job need to go away? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it should happen right away, or maybe she should wait a few months, or…really, it beats me. All I know for sure: this current situation has to change somehow. So it will. Beyond that it’s hard to say what’ll happen.
No matter what:
- We’re going to be treated fairly by those with whom we choose to continue doing business, and
- We’re going to have a good time.
These are our minimum requirements! The first may require some adjustments to our current situation. The second…well, we’re easily amused so it won’t be hard to manage. And the writing will continue in all scenarios.
But this week’s awfully busy with figuring and planning for various possibilities (which I enjoy way more than I should), and I figured I would let you know.
Have fun out there!
Hey David,
Wow, you really have some stuff going on! It’s a good thing you are a writer and have an outlet for all the things you experience. Just wanted to put in my vote for someplace in Ohio if you do decide to move. It’s a great place to live—really! I am hoping your wife’s employer decides to go with treating her fairly and you can stay in Alaska. I like seeing your photos and reading about your life there. It seems like it’s the adventure of choice for you at this time. I hope it can continue!
Ohio, huh? I’ve driven through a few times and spent a couple of nights there, in hotels. I don’t really know anything about it otherwise. What’s fun to see and do?
As far as staying in Alaska goes, we’ll just have to see how it goes. Lately we’ve been joking about Bolivia, but it didn’t work out well for Butch and Sundance–at least I assume nothing good happened after that final scene–so we might settle on something else! {8’>
I’m still laughing a couple days later about Butch and Sundance. No, it doesn’t appear that Bolivia went well for them. Well, let’s see how I do at promoting my home state. We have the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, Lake Erie, The Ohio River which meanders through Cincinnati and eastward to West Virginia before turning north. Now, I know you like traversing via your own two feet (sometimes barefoot) so I have included a link to our awesome parks / nature reserves: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Default.aspx?alias=www.dnr.state.oh.us/dnap
If I am not mistaken Ohio has one of the largest number of covered bridges however, that movie has already been done 🙂 If you like climate change northern Ohio is a great place for that. I have twice this year had the air conditioning on in the morning and the furnace on in the evening of the same day ! We have some very cool islands in Lake Erie and of course there is the one and only Cedar Point Amusement Park. Home to some of THE best roller coasters and a super water park.
David, I hope you are having a great Friday and that things get settled down for you a little! I haven’t read your new post yet but will do so next. This Thanksgiving I am giving thanks to Twitter for introducing me to you. Your writing is a joy in my life. Take care of yourself!
Shelley
You’ve been purty dern awesome yourself! I’m going to follow those links and see what’s up, and also see how much your state parks charge per night ’cause I like to think about bicycle touring trips. Which occasionally include legal-type camping. I used to actually go on these trips, but now I have a kid. So instead I just think about it, and try to remember it’s not all bad that I’m not trying to hide out for the night in a cemetery or behind a dumpster. (Did you know a traditional publisher would’ve made my say “Dumpster” there btw? Sheesh.)
At least you don’t have the “10,000 lakes” thing like Minnesota. Since I’ve read that Alaska has about 250 times that number, I do a lot of wincing when I drive through down there. (Or on one of my bike trips…from the French Quarter in New Orleans to Red Wing, MN in a month, with lots of wandering, back in 2008.)
So…it’ll be a fun research project! {8’>