We are back on land in Caracas, waiting for the motor repair, at a big crossroad. The past three weeks of city living have been devoted exclusively to a website business Eddy and I are going to launch in the fall, ToqueNet.com. It’s a directory for Personal Chefs and Caterers – more on that later.
While Eddy works with developers to design the site, I’ve been busy gathering new and old contacts, talking to designers, planning our marketing and sales strategy, and figuring out the best way to finance the business. With 7 months abroad and lots of time for deep contemplation, I have a new perspective on what it feels like to do business in the U.S. It’s like playing Tetris in 3-D on crack.
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| Working on ToqueNet from the boat From Los Roques |
Facebook is kind of a microcosm of my generation. There are the contact collectors (1000, 2000 friends), the marketing folks who can’t help but to let their jobs ooze into their social life, the sales reps pitching to their friends. In a a nutshell, work identity has become self-identity. Judging by the looks of my newsfeed, we are a culture who has lost touch with leisure. Somehow the race to more, more, more…something, has that feverish hamster on a wheel feeling of playing video games. You know it’s beside the point, but you just can’t control yourself. At least the hamster is getting some exercise.
Our hope is to return to Cisne in early 2010. We have realized the cruising life is one aspect to our overarching life dreams, an end, not a mean. Due to a series of fortunate or unfortunate events (depending on how you look at it), we’ve been forced to refocus on the true means. We may have to shelf our immediate desire to live the cruising life in order to make everything we want sustainable, a realization that has been hard for both of us to accept. We’ve put so much into the sailboat; money, time, energy, our hearts. The result has not been what we expected; to travel the world by boat for a few years. But this expensive lesson has had benefits beyond our imagination; it’s pulled us out of the cycle of too much work and not enough enjoyment of our precious time.
In the meantime I keep a copy of the 4-hour work week at arms reach, and turn to the book every time I lose site of our over arching goal: to escape the 9 to 5 and live life the way we have been the last year. We’ll keep you posted as the next turn becomes clear.
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| Eddy tearing it up in Francisqui From Los Roques |
July 18, 2009 at 5:37 pm |
You two sound wise beyond your years; that must come from the experience of “going for it!”. My guess is that whatever happens and whatever direction you decide to go in now, positive things are in store. My new favorite quote, one which it appears you subscribe: “Life isn’t about finding yourself. LIfe is about creating yourself.” And I try to remember that creating oneself is a daily exercise. Much love and luck to both of you.
July 18, 2009 at 10:14 pm |
we’re on that same path in a different direction. great book!!! i have so much confidence in you both….can’t wait to see the outcome!!!
July 23, 2009 at 2:39 am |
AWESOME picture! You’ll have to blow that one up and frame it on your office wall… to remind you of where you really want to be!