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10 years ago a coworker at a seasonal retail job I had changed the course of my life.
'You're too smart to be working here.'
So was he.
He had a young kid and wife, my wife was going to university, we needed the money.
1/?
10 years ago a coworker at a seasonal retail job I had changed the course of my life.
'You're too smart to be working here.'
So was he.
He had a young kid and wife, my wife was going to university, we needed the money.
1/?
He was right, but we all get to that point in our lives where we do what we have to to survive.
We frequently chatted during our shifts, music, art, humanity as a whole.
He'd owned a restaurant, worked in the mountains, owned a house. He, in my mind 'had it together'.
2/?
We frequently chatted during our shifts, music, art, humanity as a whole.
He'd owned a restaurant, worked in the mountains, owned a house. He, in my mind 'had it together'.
2/?
Me? I'd worked in customer service for decades. Telemarketing, restaurants, retail, tech support. Nothing career worthy for me. I paid rent, didn't own a car at the time.
In comparison, I felt pretty unremarkable. I had *ideas* and a lot of them. I also had no capital...
3/?
In comparison, I felt pretty unremarkable. I had *ideas* and a lot of them. I also had no capital...
3/?
... and didn't know how to access capital, much less put my ideas into action.
The comment he made stuck with me. It was the first time that someone who had no obligation to me recognized that there was more in my head than I could express/act on.
4/?
The comment he made stuck with me. It was the first time that someone who had no obligation to me recognized that there was more in my head than I could express/act on.
4/?
Inevitably, we both got laid off. He went onto the next phase of life/career almost immediately after.
Me? Collected EI. Then I got the call I'd been waiting for.
I was called in to give my in person report about how my job hunt was going.
The form asked how many jobs...
5/?
Me? Collected EI. Then I got the call I'd been waiting for.
I was called in to give my in person report about how my job hunt was going.
The form asked how many jobs...
5/?
...I had applied for.
Answer: 0
They asked me to stay after the mandatory shit to talk to them.
Q: Why hadn't I looked for a job?
A: I'm 33 and want a career. I've heard you'll help people get the education they need to get a career.
6/?
Answer: 0
They asked me to stay after the mandatory shit to talk to them.
Q: Why hadn't I looked for a job?
A: I'm 33 and want a career. I've heard you'll help people get the education they need to get a career.
6/?
We do. What were you thinking?
Well, I wanted to make sure this was true before I started looking. Is there a limit to what I can look into?
A: Not really, but we okay shorter programs more frequently so you can be back in the workforce sooner.
Cool.
7/?
Well, I wanted to make sure this was true before I started looking. Is there a limit to what I can look into?
A: Not really, but we okay shorter programs more frequently so you can be back in the workforce sooner.
Cool.
7/?
I found an accelerated graphic/web design course that I dug.
The government covered almost the entire tuition.
I got my paper after a pretty intense six month program.
Took a long time to give jobs in the field, but eventually I did. In a different town, 3 hours away.
8/?
The government covered almost the entire tuition.
I got my paper after a pretty intense six month program.
Took a long time to give jobs in the field, but eventually I did. In a different town, 3 hours away.
8/?
Took the job because I couldn't even get a job answering phones for a local pizza company at the time.
While all this was going on, my former coworker and I would get together for coffee and bounce ideas off of one another, I began to look at them as a mentor.
9/?
While all this was going on, my former coworker and I would get together for coffee and bounce ideas off of one another, I began to look at them as a mentor.
9/?
I couldn't find an idea that I could take action on, moved out of the city to take on a job that utilized my education.
Eventually, after she finished school and a summer job, my wife joined me in this small town.
I was there a little over a year before we decided to move.
10/?
Eventually, after she finished school and a summer job, my wife joined me in this small town.
I was there a little over a year before we decided to move.
10/?
... back to the city.
I'm in line buying groceries, feeling exceptionally antisocial and I hear from behind me 'Hello sexy. Long time no see, how've you been?'
It's my former coworker. This was, still is, a pretty normal greeting between us.
Turned out we lived close...
11/?
I'm in line buying groceries, feeling exceptionally antisocial and I hear from behind me 'Hello sexy. Long time no see, how've you been?'
It's my former coworker. This was, still is, a pretty normal greeting between us.
Turned out we lived close...
11/?
... to one another.
We got together soon after and caught up.
He was doing well, working for a couple of different organizations helping them access grants, put on events, a variety of things.
We spent a lot of time chatting, bouncing ideas, basically back to where...
12/?
We got together soon after and caught up.
He was doing well, working for a couple of different organizations helping them access grants, put on events, a variety of things.
We spent a lot of time chatting, bouncing ideas, basically back to where...
12/?
... we'd left off.
Again, I had *ideas*.
That Christmas, he invited me over to his house to hang out with him and some of his friends and play boardgames.
This was the night our friendship really began. Years after we first met.
Over the years he'd owned businesses
13/?
Again, I had *ideas*.
That Christmas, he invited me over to his house to hang out with him and some of his friends and play boardgames.
This was the night our friendship really began. Years after we first met.
Over the years he'd owned businesses
13/?
and as time went on, became quite successful.
Me? I managed to go back to school at 37 and become an educational assistant.
Graphic and Web design were a thing of the past for me. It wasn't a good career fit for me anymore.
Then, I had this really amazing idea..
14/?
Me? I managed to go back to school at 37 and become an educational assistant.
Graphic and Web design were a thing of the past for me. It wasn't a good career fit for me anymore.
Then, I had this really amazing idea..
14/?
A Canadian Craft Coffee Advent Calendar.
I'd partnered with roasters across the country.
I was going to run a successful Kickstarter.
THIS WAS GOING TO BE MY TICKET!
It wasn't. It failed miserably. Twice. Second time worse than the first.
15/?
I'd partnered with roasters across the country.
I was going to run a successful Kickstarter.
THIS WAS GOING TO BE MY TICKET!
It wasn't. It failed miserably. Twice. Second time worse than the first.
15/?
Well, $5k in the hole later, when I had had $0 to spare in the first place, and I'm continuing to work for the school board. Fairly happy with my job.
Then, one of the teachers at a school in working at find out I play DND. Asks if I want to play once a week with him...
16/?
Then, one of the teachers at a school in working at find out I play DND. Asks if I want to play once a week with him...
16/?
...and a couple of his former students.
Sure.
The next year, he moves to a student school, I decide to start a DND club with one of the teachers, who I'd met in improv classes, and our club is so popular we have a waiting list.
That year (2018), my son is born in May.
17/?
Sure.
The next year, he moves to a student school, I decide to start a DND club with one of the teachers, who I'd met in improv classes, and our club is so popular we have a waiting list.
That year (2018), my son is born in May.
17/?
I launch an under the radar fundraiser so that I can buy some books/minis/starter kits for the kids in my dnd club.
Then I start thinking how cool it would be to get them custom made dice.
Ice Cream Dice is born-ish
Because, yes, I 'was too smart' and I had an *idea*
18/?
Then I start thinking how cool it would be to get them custom made dice.
Ice Cream Dice is born-ish
Because, yes, I 'was too smart' and I had an *idea*
18/?
That former coworker has been my best friend for nearly a decade now.
My son's middle name is his name.
This is all to say: never underestimate the power of your words.
My life was changed by a casual remark during a casual conversation between two coworkers.
19/End.
My son's middle name is his name.
This is all to say: never underestimate the power of your words.
My life was changed by a casual remark during a casual conversation between two coworkers.
19/End.
