I make it a point to never apologize for extended absences from this here blog or make empty promises about renewed dedication (you get what you get, in my book), but I’ve been hyper-focused on a few different projects and thought I would let you know where my attention has been directed in the seven months since quitting my day job. Here are three big projects that I’ve working on in addition to my day-to-day (you might see a common thread):
I Feel Fine: An Adventure in Quitting My Day Job (Part Three)
I quit my day job in April, and I feel fine. It’s been an eventful couple of months here, and I’m fixin’ to tell you all about it. See parts one and two for the beginning [and middle] of the story.
With planning and a strict budget under my belt, I handed in my notice and worked my last day. But despite my preparation, I wasn’t fully expecting what happened next—I fell into a trap that put me in a productivity tailspin.
I Feel Fine: An Adventure in Quitting My Day Job (Part Two)
I quit my job, and I feel fine. It’s been an eventful couple of months here, and I’m fixin’ to tell you all about it. See part one for the beginning of the story.
It was time to move on and focus on all the important projects that my job was distracting me from, but there was one single question that was getting in the way: “How can I afford to do this?” Here’s how I planned, budgeted, mapped out how best to make it happen.
I Feel Fine: An Adventure in Quitting My Day Job (Part One)
April was a bit of a monumental month over here at Ambidextrous Brain HQ:
- I quit my full-time day job as a design project manager.
- My partner and I bought a house and moved to Vancouver, WA (a suburb of Portland).
- We launched a major update to forScore (the music reader app for iPad).
Quite honestly, it was a little hectic, a little stress-filled, and a little crazy for a while there. Leading up to the big leap a lot of people asked me, “What are you going to do with yourself all day?” and “Aren’t you worried about replacing your paycheck?” But most who know me are aware I usually wear more hats than I can handle all at once, so there is never a shortage of things to keep me busy. And you know what? I feel fine.
So let’s take a look at why it happened, how I’m making it work, what I’ve learned thus far, and what hurdles I have yet to overcome as the months come by.
The Brian R. Jonescast
Back in March, Brian R Jones, a Portland-based ceramicist and all-around nice guy, invited me to his home to be interviewed for his podcast. I can’t say I’m terribly experienced at being interviewed in that fashion, but I was honored and I’m pretty pleased with the result!
We talk a lot about business for creative types, my new nonprofit called Maker’s Nation, and at the end we even digress a little into the world of Mini Coopers! Check it out if you haven’t had a chance yet—The Brian R. Jonescast, Episode 31: Isaac Watson.
The Ambidextrous Brain Blog
RIGHT BRAIN, MEET LEFT BRAIN.
Two brain halves are better than one. The Ambidextrous Brain is the happy union of creativity with business skills and technological knowhow.
OPEN YOUR MIND. ALL OF IT.
Looking for my series on Connecting to Your Community? Look no further.