Don’t Look Back

8 January 2007 · Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Driving to work this morning, Boston’s arena rock classic Don’t Look Back came on the radio. I broke into a grin, thinking about how much my life has changed in the last few weeks. I have so much to look forward to in 2007. The whole freelance thing got a big boost tonight. I think this is going to be a great year.

What was it Groucho Marx said? “I don’t care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members.” Well, that’s, like, the exact opposite of how I feel having been accepted into Method Arts! Yep, that’s yours truly there on the About page. I am so freakin’ flattered to be keeping company with some great web professionals. For those unfamiliar with it, Method Arts is a consortium of free agents who come together occasionally to create great websites. Mark, Brian, and Vincent all know their stuff cold. I foresee some hardcore synergies in this band of brothers.

Even before this happy affirmation, the stars seemed to be coming into alignment in support of my freelance life. It’s funny because a few weeks ago, I was seriously fretting about whether to take the leap.

I’ve had this experience before. In 1997, I was contemplating leaving my first career as a college student affairs administrator to make the jump into techdom. I had made a minor name for myself within the profession as the co-founder of StudentAffairs.com, a resource website for student affairs professionals (a Lycos Top 5% site!). I sure enjoyed building websites, but I didn’t know if I really had what it took to make my living at it.

At the same time, I also had a burning desire to travel the world. Mid-year I had applied for a resident director position on Semester at Sea, a university program on a ship where students voyage around the world (literally) in 100 days studying a full liberal arts curriculum.

After a lengthy interview process, I was informed I would be an alternate for the Fall 1997 voyage. I was a little bummed, but took it in stride and that day sent out an email to everyone I knew letting them know I was going to be leaving student affairs to start the next chapter of my working life, as a web consultant (it’s a good thing we’re naive when we’re young or we might not try half the things we do!).

It is my sincere belief that the Universe rewards you when you take a step towards what you really want. The very next day, I found myself writing another email with the subject “What a difference 24 hours makes!” Semester at Sea called back to tell me they needed me after all.

So, I got to go on the trip of a lifetime as my transition between seven years in college student affairs and my new life. It couldn’t have worked out better if I had planned it.

Sometimes, when things seem the toughest, life is actually just working out the kinks in preparation for the next situation, one that fits a little better than the last.

So it is I find myself, on day 9 of Newfangled Telegraph, welcomed into Method Arts, looking forward to a big adventure of a year in 2007. Thanks, guys!