Eighteen Years!

I was thinking the day after Columbus Day – today – was the day I started as a Researcher at the New York State Assembly. It both seems like yesterday but also so long ago. I had been previously lantern for then Assemblyman Joe Morelle as I was interested in tourism and recreation, but that now was a very long time ago – back in 2007.

Honestly, it’s been quite the trip, probably last for a lot longer then I expected but it’s been fascinating to work on many different parts of a communications organization – from research to coordinating communications to supervising research and now overseeing the data division. There have been many ups and downs, many memories, and a lot of knowledge and experience gained. After all, in a span of 18 years babies go from the womb to graduating High School. It’s a pretty long time period.

Indeed, while I need to work another 12 or 13 years to reach age 55 for early retirement, I might stick around a few years longer, I probably don’t have another 18 years left in my government career. But I am working to keep my mind and body physically fit so eventually I can plunge into the dream of off-grid living and homesteading full time. A life not about weekly garage pickup, television or high-speed internet in every room. A much more self-reliant life, not one of landfills and piles of coal ash – but instead composting, burning, recycling and minimizing trash, producing my own energy and much of my own food. Not some crazy woke scheme of electric cars and plastics recycling, but a life based on reality rather then escape.

But in the mean time, I am dedicated to improving the data division, building more ways to target constituents and member’s messages out. Improve and modernize processes, so digital communications can grow to esclipe traditional mail and phone communications. Get relevant client messages out to those who are interested. Learn a lot, build technological and management skills that I hope eventually can lead to a side hustle to help fund my homestead in my retirement years – as you still need some food, fuel, parts and equipment no matter how self-reliant you might be,